Azerbaijan has denounced as unacceptable the statements made by Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani regarding the communiqué adopted at the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit held in depopulated Stepanakert. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, Ayhan Hajizadeh, issued a comment addressing the matter.

Sobhani had stated that some parts of the ECO communiqué—specifically those using terms that undermine Armenia’s territorial integrity—do not reflect Iran’s position. According to him, Iran has officially submitted its reservations about the statement to the ECO Secretariat.

However, Hajizadeh countered that “the communiqué, which reflects the summit’s outcomes, was drafted by the presiding country without consulting member states, in line with prior summit practices,” as published on the ECO’s official website, according to Trend.az.

He further dismissed the Iranian envoy’s claim that Iran expressed formal reservations. “Such a statement is factually incorrect. In diplomatic practice, reservations are only recorded during negotiations on agreed decisions,” Hajizade stated.

Hajizadeh emphasized that all ECO members, including Iran, are also members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). During the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers' 51st session on June 21–22 in Istanbul, they adopted a resolution affirming the right of Azerbaijanis forcibly expelled from present-day Armenia to return, as well as the Istanbul Joint Declaration. These documents recognize the rights of the Western Azerbaijan community and condemn Armenia for rejecting them.

He noted that the Stepanakert communiqué references this OIC resolution, which was adopted by consensus.

“The Iranian ambassador’s remarks are nothing but political manipulation and hypocrisy,” said Hajizadeh.

Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on OIC member states that joined the above-mentioned resolution and declaration to reconsider and decisively reject any biased initiatives that target Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and jeopardize the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process.