Azerbaijan Calls on Russia to Clarify Remarks by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zakharova

By Bosphorus News Geopolitics Desk

In Commentary No:128/26, issued on March 23, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada said Zakharova's attempt to invoke the name of Heydar Aliyev, described by Baku as Azerbaijan's National Leader, in a manner entirely unrelated to the subject under discussion was unacceptable.

According to the Azerbaijani MFA, the reference occurred while Zakharova was responding to a question about statements made by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan concerning members of the clergy.

"Referring to the name of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in such a way constitutes a lack of respect toward his legacy and the people of Azerbaijan," Hajizada said. "Diplomacy requires discipline, accuracy, and responsibility, not inappropriate remarks that inflame tensions and undermine credibility."

Baku called on the Russian side to provide clarification.

The Briefing in Question

Zakharova addressed Pashinyan's clergy remarks during a recent weekly briefing. On March 11, Pashinyan had told the European Parliament that some members of the Armenian Apostolic Church had made themselves "vulnerable to foreign intelligence services," including the Soviet-era KGB. The comments provoked a formal rebuttal from the Armenian Church's Supreme Spiritual Council, which described the accusations as fabricated.

At her briefing, Zakharova criticised Pashinyan for the clergy remarks, saying he used the rhetoric to gain popularity among pro-Western circles, and warned that politicising issues of faith could produce a dangerous rift in Armenian society.

The specific passage in which Zakharova mentioned Heydar Aliyev has not been independently verified from the Russian side. Baku's official statement describes the reference as unrelated to the question posed to her. No Russian MFA response had been issued at time of publication.

***This report is based on the official commentary of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (No:128/26), and reporting by OC Media on Zakharova's March briefing. Russia's MFA has not publicly responded.