Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Aykhan Hajizadeh, has harshly responded to the statements of Iranian Ambassador to Armenia, Mehdi Sobhani, regarding the final document of the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit held in Stepanakert, describing them as "unacceptable."
Hajizadeh noted that the joint statement had been previously agreed upon with the EEC member states and was drafted in the format of a chairman's summary, without requiring separate approval.
He denied the Iranian ambassador's claims that Tehran had expressed reservations regarding the adoption of the document, emphasizing that in diplomatic practice, reservations can only be expressed regarding decisions reached through negotiations.
In addition, Hajizadeh recalled that all EEC member states, including Iran, are also members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which has expressed support for the "return of Azerbaijanis" and condemned Armenia's denial of the "right of return of Azerbaijanis." This position was also reaffirmed in the Istanbul Declaration.
According to Hajizadeh, the Iranian ambassador's statements are nothing more than "political manipulation and hypocrisy."
