Iran urges Azerbaijan to address protests over school hijab rules

BAKU — Iran's foreign ministry has called on Azerbaijan to take into account the views of people protesting restrictions on hijabs in state schools, Iranian spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said at a press conference on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.

Baqaei said the issue should be settled with regard to public interests and the basic rights of citizens. "We hope that a country that has good relations with us can resolve this issue in an atmosphere of mutual understanding," he said, according to Antara, which quoted him at the briefing. He said Iran and Azerbaijan share historical, cultural and close social ties. He said he hoped differences over the headscarf would not damage relations between the two countries.

Baqaei said the hijab has religious meaning for Muslims who wear it. He said he was confident Azerbaijani society could find a solution suited to its own interests and conditions.

The dispute began after the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers issued Decision No. 309 on 21 September 2026. The decision changed uniform rules for pupils in state schools. It bans extra clothing that undermines school uniform standards or does not fit the secular principles of education. The text does not explicitly mention the hijab or headscarf, according to the reports.

On 6 October, the government approved separate dress rules for teaching staff in state schools, according to Republika.

In practice, some schools have asked girls wearing headscarves to remove them before lessons. Some parents said their children were not allowed into classrooms while wearing a hijab. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported on 14 October that similar complaints had emerged in Baku and other areas. One parent in Baku, Gulmira Aslanova, said the school asked her daughter to attend without a headscarf. She questioned the policy because secondary education is guaranteed by the state.

Students at some schools have staged solidarity protests by skipping lessons to support classmates who wear the hijab.

Government position

Azerbaijan has defended the rules as a way to preserve equality and the secular character of the national education system. Member of parliament Jeyhun Mammadov said the policy is not directed against Islam or religious practice. He said Azerbaijanis remain free to practise their faith, including wearing the hijab in daily life. He said the rules apply specifically to the dress of pupils and teachers in state schools. Antara reported that Mammadov said the reform aims to remove differences based on religion, ethnicity and other factors in schools.

Unconfirmed figures and disputed claims

Figures on arrests differ between sources. Antara, citing the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry, reported that 37 people were detained in Baku on 12 October for disturbing public order. It also cited local media reports that more than 200 people had been detained since then. Zenga News has not independently verified the total. The Azerbaijani Media Council has accused Iran and Turkey of running a coordinated information campaign, according to Antara. Republika reported that dozens of people had been detained. Neither Baku nor Tehran has provided further details on those figures.

Human rights groups have criticised the limits on access to education for Muslim girls, according to Republika. The sources do not name the groups.

Background

Azerbaijan is a mostly Muslim country that defines itself as secular. The state has long maintained a strict separation between religion and public institutions. Iran and Azerbaijan share a border, language and historical ties. Relations between the two governments have at times been strained, and Baku has rejected interference in its internal affairs, according to earlier reporting.

Middle East Eye published an opinion article on 20 October that argued the school rules extend state control over personal faith. The article is an opinion piece and does not establish facts about the policy's effects.