On January 1, Seyyed Jafar Aghaei Maryan, the Charge d'Affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan, was summoned to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, which issued a statement regarding the matter.

During the meeting, Azerbaijan expressed strong protest against insulting remarks made about Azerbaijan and its President, Ilham Aliyev, during a December 29, 2024, event in Ardabil. The event was attended by Seyyed Hassan Ameli, the representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran in Ardabil Province and the Friday imam of Ardabil, and the remarks were broadcast on the "News Network" channel of the Iranian Radio and Television Organization.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that dissatisfaction was conveyed about the recent incitement of anti-Azerbaijani sentiment among Iran's population. It was emphasized that such propaganda contradicts the spirit of bilateral relations and the goals of fostering interstate and people-to-people ties. The ministry criticized these actions as fostering hatred and hostility rather than promoting mutual understanding and cooperation.

The statement further highlighted that Azerbaijan demanded an immediate end to provocations of this nature. The remarks and their dissemination through Iranian state media were deemed unacceptable and damaging to the bilateral relationship.

Moreover, Mojtaba Damirchili, the Iranian Assistant Foreign Minister and Director General for Eurasia, addressed the summoning of the Chargé d'Affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Baku to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. Damirchili stated that the remarks made by Seyyed Hassan Ameli, the representative of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Ardabil province and the Friday Imam of Ardabil, criticizing Azerbaijan, did not represent the official stance of the Iranian government.

Damirchili emphasized that Iran’s primary policy is to foster friendly relations with its neighboring countries, particularly Azerbaijan. He explained that the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s protest was a response to the ill-considered and inappropriate comments made during a ceremony in one of Iran’s northwestern cities. He clarified that such statements were not in line with the official positions of the Iranian government, underscoring that Iran remains committed to maintaining positive relations with Azerbaijan.