TEHRAN \u2014 The Iranian government has offered female students from\nAzerbaijan the opportunity to pursue higher education at Iranian\nuniversities without having to remove their hijab. The offer was made by\nIran\u2019s Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Hossein Simaei,\namid controversy over school dress rules in Azerbaijan that have\naffected Muslim girls who wear headscarves.<\/p>\n
In a video message released by the Iranian government on Thursday (22\nOctober 2026), Simaei said the country\u2019s universities were open to\nAzerbaijani women who wished to pursue education while maintaining their\nreligious beliefs.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs Minister of Science of the Islamic Republic of Iran, I declare\nthat the doors of Iran\u2019s universities are open to women from Azerbaijan\nwho wish to study,\u201d Simaei said, according to the Iranian government\u2019s\nofficial website.<\/p>\n
He said Iran could provide a welcoming environment for Muslim women\nwho feel they must remove their hijab to exercise their right to\neducation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can be good hosts to the believing daughters of the Prophet who\nare forced to abandon their religious hijab in order to exercise their\nright to education,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The statement referred to controversy over school uniform rules in\nAzerbaijan, which has prompted protests by students, parents and\ncommunity groups. Although the Azerbaijani government\u2019s rules do not\nexplicitly ban the hijab, their implementation in some schools has\nreportedly resulted in hijab-wearing girls being barred from\nlessons.<\/p>\n
The dispute began after the Azerbaijani government tightened uniform\nrequirements in state schools. On 21 September 2026, the Cabinet of\nMinisters issued Resolution No.\u00a0309, setting out rules on student\nclothing in line with the principles of secular education.<\/p>\n
The rules prohibit additional clothing deemed to disrupt uniformity\nor conflict with secular principles. However, they do not explicitly\nidentify the hijab as prohibited clothing.<\/p>\n
In practice, some schools have interpreted the rules as a ban on\nheadscarves. As a result, some girls have reportedly been told to remove\ntheir hijabs or have been denied entry to class.<\/p>\n
Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty reported on 14 October that similar\ncomplaints had emerged in Baku and other regions. Some students then\nboycotted lessons in solidarity with classmates affected by the\nrules.<\/p>\n
Azerbaijan\u2019s Interior Ministry said 37 people were detained in Baku\non 12 October in connection with opposition to the new rules and alleged\nattempts to disrupt public order.<\/p>\n
Human rights organisation Amnesty International called on the\nAzerbaijani government on 16 October to end restrictions that prevent\ngirls from attending school because they wear a hijab. The organisation\nsaid excluding students on the basis of religious clothing violates\ntheir rights to education, freedom of religion and freedom of\nexpression.<\/p>\n
Azerbaijan is a Muslim-majority country, but its constitution\nseparates religion and state and guarantees freedom of religion. The\ngovernment has defended the school uniform rules as a way of upholding\nthe secular character of state education.<\/p>\n
For Iran, the hijab issue in Azerbaijan has also become a point of\nfocus in bilateral relations. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil\nBaqaei previously said he hoped the controversy could be resolved\nthrough dialogue, respect for fundamental rights and an understanding of\nthe two countries\u2019 shared values.<\/p>\n
Iranian lawmakers have also voiced concern over reports that\nhijab-wearing girls are being denied access to education. On 18 October,\nMohammadreza Mohseni Sani, a member of the Iranian Parliament\u2019s National\nSecurity and Foreign Policy Commission, said he had written to Sahiba\nGafarova, Speaker of Azerbaijan\u2019s National Assembly, to express concern\nabout the matter.<\/p>\n
The Azerbaijani government, however, continues to defend its uniform\npolicy as part of its commitment to secular education. It is therefore\nunclear whether Iran\u2019s offer will lead to more Azerbaijani women\npursuing their studies there.<\/p>\n
Simaei\u2019s offer presents higher education as one option for women\nseeking to maintain their religious identity. It does not, however,\nresolve the underlying issue facing pupils in Azerbaijan: how to ensure\nthey can continue their education in their own country without having to\nchoose between their beliefs and attending school.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/iran-opens-university-doors-to-hijab-wearing-azerbaijani-students-1792713087", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }