An influential Iranian cleric arrives in Baku

The influential Shia figure Ayatollah Hussein Nuri Hamadani arrived in Baku at the invitation of Sheikh Pashazade Allashukur.  According to the Office of Caucasus Muslims, Hamadi will stay in Azerbaijan until September 4. During this period he visited religious centers in Baku, Ganja and Shamakhi, where he will hold meetings with religious leaders. On September 1 guest  will  visit the central mosque of Taza-Pir country where the official ceremony of the meeting will take place, will make  namaz, and  then will be a reception in honor of Hamadani. On September 2 Hamadani will visit the oldest mosque in the Caucasus - the Juma Mosque in the city of  Shamakhi. The next day, he will visit Ganja, where he will visit the main mosque of the city and the tomb of the medieval philosopher and poet Nizami.

Sources in the Office of Caucasus Muslims believe that this visit will serve to strengthening  the spiritual and cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Iran, where the institution of religious authorities, the ayatollahs, play a very important role in shaping public opinion and foreign policy. -05D-