Head of State Committee on withdrawal of Azerbaijani mosques from Iran's influence

Baku/06.04.23/Turan: The Iranian regime sought to place its people in mosques in Azerbaijan. Head of the State Committee for Religious Structures, Mubariz Gurbanly, stated this.

However, according to him, "targeted work" was carried out "quite patiently" against the activities of the Iranians to subjugate the mosques to their influence.

"The Iranian regime seeks to preach religion under the guise of ideology and politics, to spread its model of the religious state to Azerbaijan and other neighbouring countries. To carry out this propaganda in Azerbaijan, Iran carried out campaigns through social networks as well. Extensive work has been done to prevent this," Gurbanly said.

According to him, 118 religious figures have been removed from the mosques following the transfer of authority for the appointment of clerics on the grounds of "shortcomings in the work" or lack of appropriate religious education.

Also, Gurbanly reported that renovation work at the Abu Bekr Mosque has been completed and it will be reopened soon.

As a reminder, the Salafi "Abu-Bekr" mosque was closed down after a terrorist attack by religious radicals there in August 2008. -16d06-