IRAN’S RELIGIOUS POLICY TOWARDS AZERBAIJAN (2010-2016)

This article is about Iran’s religious policy towards Azerbaijan during 2010-2016. In 2009-2013 Iranian former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was serving his second term. Unlike Iran's President Hassan Rohani, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had the support of conservative clergymen and political figures. Therefore, the conservatives had a great influence on his government's religious policy. When looking through the official statements of the representatives of Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan, Iranian official media, senior clerics, intellectuals and experts during the terms of the two presidents, one can notice that these statements fully reflect the distinct foreign policy of each president. To prevent the establishment of Iran's model of governance based on the Shia ideology, Azerbaijani authorities restricted activities of Shia groups. Moreover, in order to neutralize the potential threat coming from Iran, Azerbaijan started to conduct anti-Iranian policy through it various bodies. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had strict stance towards Azerbaijan’s such an anti-Shia policy. However, current president of Iran has more tolerant stance on this issue and does not criticize Azerbaijan for its anti-Shia policy since he has changed Iran’s foreign policy towards Azerbaijan.