Iranian minister invites Azerbaijani girls and women to study at Iranian universities, citing school rules that videos suggest apply to hijabs

Iran’s Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Hossein Simaei-Sarraf, has invited girls and women from Azerbaijan to study at Iranian universities. In a video message, he said their doors were open and that Iran could host “faithful daughters” forced to abandon the hijab to exercise their right to education.

The invitation follows Azerbaijan’s September amendment to state-school uniform regulations, which bars additional clothing that conflicts with prescribed uniforms or secular principles of education. The rules do not explicitly mention the hijab, but videos circulated online indicate the measure applies specifically to headscarves.

The measure has drawn condemnation and protests globally. Social media users have denounced it as religious persecution of Azerbaijan’s Muslim-majority population.

The Baku City Education Department previously announced inspections to ensure schools comply. This came amid reports that some schools were asking teachers to remove their hijabs or resign.