A ban on wearing hijab in Azerbaijan is an internal affair of the country, Mehr news agency quoted the Iranian Foreign Ministry's spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast, as saying.
In December, the Azerbaijani Education Minister Misir Mardanov stated that under the law on education, the schoolchildren should attend school only in school uniform, which implies a ban on wearing hijab.
Later, an unsanctioned rally was held in front of the Education Ministry in connection with a recent ban on wearing the hijab at educational institutions throughout the country.
Police arrested about 16 participants of the unsanctioned rally. Five people were released with a warning and the cases of 11 detainees were sent to the Narimanov District Court.
Azerbaijani Education Minister Misir Mardanov has accused external and internal forces of aggravating the situation in the country in connection with the matter.