Diplomatic scandal between Tehran and Ankara over Erdogan`s  statements in Baku heats up

ArmInfo. The diplomatic scandal between Tehran and Ankara over the statements of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the military parade in Baku on  October 10 is heating up.

Erdogan, during his scandalous speech, read a fragment from the work  "Araz-Araz" by the Azerbaijani poet Bakhtiyar Vagabzade, which is  considered the slogan of the separatists who support the idea of  uniting the Turkic peoples.

Thus, the Spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry Saeed  Khatibzadeh announced that the Turkish ambassador was summoned in  response to the interference and unacceptable remarks made by Turkish  President Recep Erdogan during his visit to Baku. "On Friday,  December 11, 2020, the Turkish Ambassador to Tehran was summoned by  the Assistant Minister and Head of Eurasian Countries department at  the Foreign Ministry. During this call, the Turkish Ambassador was  informed that the era of territorial claims, militant and  expansionist empires has passed many years back.

It was emphasized to the Turkish Ambassador that the Islamic Republic  of Iran does not allow anyone to interfere in its territorial  integrity and, as its glorious history testifies, it will not retreat  a single step in the issue of protecting its national security, "said  the representative of the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

In response, the Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian  ambassador to Ankara. The Iranian diplomat was informed of Ankara's  reaction to Tehran's allegedly unfounded accusations against Turkish  President Tayyip Erdogan.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also reacted to  Erdogan's statements the day before.  "Erdogan was not informed that  what he said in Baku refers to the forcible separation from Iran of  territories north of the Araks River. Did he not realize that he was  undermining the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan? Nobody can  talk about our beloved Azerbaijan (a province in Iran)" Zarif wrote  on Twitter.