AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): A dispute over restrictions on hijab-wearing students and female teachers in Azerbaijani schools and universities has strained relations between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Erdogan has reportedly softened his position in an effort to prevent the dispute from escalating, while dismissing an adviser who had publicly criticised Baku’s policy.
the resignation of Erdogan’s adviser Oktay Saral was a key indication of Ankara’s retreat. Saral had led criticism of Azerbaijan’s decision and reportedly resigned on Sunday at the Turkish president’s request.
Saral had previously urged Azerbaijan to reverse its decision, questioning how a student wearing a hijab for religious reasons could be barred from entering school.
Aliyev, in response, accused Türkiye of interfering in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs and urged Ankara not to intervene in matters unrelated to it.
Dispute widens beyond the hijab issue
The tensions reportedly extended beyond the education policy. Circles close to the Azerbaijani government were also said to have accused Türkiye of planning a military coup against Aliyev and seeking to establish dominance reminiscent of the Ottoman era. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Azerbaijan also reportedly issued international arrest warrants against more than 30 Turkish figures who had criticised its hijab policy. They included Fatih Erbakan, leader of the New Welfare Party, which has representation in the Turkish parliament.
The reported decision to remove Saral drew criticism in Türkiye. Erbakan accused Erdogan of bowing to Aliyev.
Other critics argued that Erdogan had faced setbacks on two issues involving political values within less than a month. The first concerned allegations that senior officials of the ruling Justice and Development Party had stolen citizens’ savings from investment funds. The second was the dispute with Azerbaijan over hijab restrictions.
Ali Babacan, leader of the Democracy and Progress Party, described the alleged financial scandal as “the biggest theft of the century” and estimated its scale at $150 billion.
Strategic importance of ties with Baku
The report suggests Erdogan sought to prevent the hijab dispute from becoming a major foreign-policy setback and from putting Türkiye’s relationship with Azerbaijan at risk.
Azerbaijan is a key route linking Türkiye to Central Asia and the broader Turkic world. It is also an important pillar of Ankara’s influence in the Caucasus, where Türkiye competes with Russia and Iran.
The report further argues that Türkiye has strategic reasons to preserve its partnership with Azerbaijan, including energy imports and the routes used to transport Azerbaijani oil and gas to international markets.
Against this backdrop, Erdogan reportedly prioritised resolving the disagreement with Baku ahead of a summit of Turkic-speaking countries. The dispute also presents a political challenge for Erdogan, who has built part of his political identity around defending religious and moral values, including the right to wear the hijab. During his tenure, hijab restrictions were lifted across Turkish institutions, including the military.
The report says Saral’s removal was a difficult concession for Erdogan. It also claims that Turkish figures whose entry into Azerbaijan had been prohibited by Baku were subsequently arrested in Türkiye.
Aliyev’s absence raises questions over reconciliation
Despite Ankara’s efforts to ease tensions, Aliyev is not expected to attend the summit, which Erdogan had hoped would provide an opportunity to address disagreements between the two countries.
Azerbaijan’s Report news agency announced on Thursday evening that Aliyev would be unable to attend because of his schedule and events related to sporting competitions planned for the following day. Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov is expected to represent Azerbaijan.
Aliyev’s absence could complicate efforts to restore relations and leave the bilateral situation uncertain.
The report also noted that Erdogan had not personally attended the regional Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held more than two weeks earlier, sending Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in his place.
Whether the latest diplomatic efforts will resolve the dispute remains unclear, particularly as the disagreement over hijab restrictions continues to test the relationship between Ankara and Baku.
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