Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on 21 October as tensions between the two countries grew over restrictions on wearing hijabs in Azerbaijani schools. The call followed Azerbaijan’s decision to ban 31 Turkish citizens from entering the country and the issuance of international arrest warrants for seven Turkish nationals over alleged calls for the forcible overthrow of the Azerbaijani government.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry the entry bans on 21 October, citing statements published on social media and other online platforms that it characterised as targeting the country’s sovereignty, national security and constitutional order. Those barred include Turkish opposition politician Fatih Erbakan, parliament member Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, journalists and religious figures. Separately, according to Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General, seven people based in Türkiye had been after demonstrations outside Azerbaijani diplomatic missions in Istanbul and Ankara and online posts allegedly calling for a violent change of government.

The official statements from both presidencies highlighted that the leaders discussed bilateral relations and regional and international developments but did not mention the dispute. Erdoğan reaffirmed that cooperation based on their “brotherly relations” would continue to develop, congratulated Aliyev on the 35th anniversary of Azerbaijan’s restored independence and invited him to the Organisation of Turkic States summit in Ankara on 29-30 October. Aliyev thanked Erdoğan and expressed confidence in the continued development of bilateral relations.

On 25 October, Erdoğan presidential adviser Oktay Saral, who had criticised Azerbaijan’s school hijab restrictions. The move was allegedly intended to meet Baku’s demand and ease tensions ahead of the 29-30 October Organisation of Turkic States summit, while Saral confirmed his dismissal and said he respected the president’s decision.

The bilateral dispute centres on Azerbaijan’s restrictions on wearing hijabs in schools, which have reportedly led to girls being turned away from classrooms and prompted criticism from Turkish officials. Protests against the restrictions have led to arrests: Azerbaijani authorities previously detaining 37 people during demonstrations and arresting six students over an to set fire to a school. In Nardaran, near Baku, the reached 88, with criminal proceedings opened against most of them.