Azerbaijan, Baku, May 22 / Trend S.Aghayeva /
Details added after the second paragraph (first version posted at 14:36)
The Iranian side has no clear position on the recall of Iran's ambassador to Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev said on Tuesday.
"The Azerbaijani ambassador to Iran was told that the Foreign Ministry has recalled Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Bagher Bahrami for consultation, but the Iranian embassy in Azerbaijan says that the ambassador has been recalled for reasons of a religious nature. These discrepancies suggest that the Iranian side does not have a clear position on this matter," Abdullayev said adding that a number of states, including Iran, are jealous of the success of Azerbaijan, which has become one of the world's leading states.
Azerbaijan, according to the spokesman, is an independent state, which pursues its own independent policy and will not allow others to interfere in its affairs.
"We are closely monitoring the safety of Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Tabriz. Iran is obliged to ensure the safety of our diplomatic mission in Tabriz under the Vienna Convention," Abdullayev said.
If necessary, Azerbaijan will take appropriate measures to protect its consulate in Tabriz, he said.
Abdullayev noted that Azerbaijan has always adhered to good-neighborly policy and has the right to demand the same from its neighbors.
Iran has recalled its ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohammad Bagher Bahrami, the embassy said.
Iranian Charge d'Affaires to Azerbaijan Ahmed Nemeti confirmed the recall of the ambassador, and said that he is now in Tehran for consultations, the statement of the Iranian embassy in Baku said.