Valiati strongly criticized this action, describing “the holding of the conference in a Shia Muslim country as surprising and regrettable,” expressing hope that the news is not true, according to Iran’s “Tasnim” news agency.
He pointed out that “this is the first time the Azerbaijani government has committed such a violation,” considering it “anti-Islamic and damaging to the reputation of Shias in the world.” He emphasized that “the people of Azerbaijan, who embraced Islam about 1,200 years ago and made great sacrifices, will not accept this.”
The Iranian Supreme Leader’s International Affairs Advisor, Ali Akbar Valiati, noted in his article that “the potential aim of the conference is to expand the scope of the ‘Abraham Accords’ to include Azerbaijan and other Islamic countries in Central Asia.”
He concluded by saying that “the zealous peoples of Azerbaijan, Arran, and the Caucasus will be angered by this anti-Islamic action that contradicts their beliefs about the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them),” stressing that “this illogical and inhumane step will ultimately harm Azerbaijan and will not achieve any positive outcome.”
