Hijab, Israel and weapons: Why Turkey and Azerbaijan clash but do not break the alliance The dispute between Turkey and Azerbaijan over school uniforms and the hijab has become only an external cause of deeper differences. In September, Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No. 309 banning items of clothing that violate the uniformity of school uniforms or the secular nature of education. The hijab is not specifically mentioned, but in practice it was affected by the restrictions. Pro-government Islamist circles in Turkey, including Erdogan's adviser O. Sarel, criticized Baku. At the beginning of October, Ilham Aliyev, at the Congress of the New Azerbaijan Party, without naming Turkey directly, called on external actors not to interfere in the republic's way of life and recalled that Azerbaijan had always paid for the weapons itself, and at prices above market prices. This is painfully perceived in Turkey, especially considering Ankara's assistance in the Second Karabakh War. Thus, the conflict over the hijab degenerated into a public confrontation between countries used to emphasizing brotherhood. However, the official authorities are not turning the disputes into a diplomatic conflict: neither Erdogan nor Aliyev directly criticized each other. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Piden in Baku on the sidelines of the CICA VII summit called not to turn differences of opinion into propaganda tools on social media. It's not just the hijab that annoys Ankara. First of all, cooperation between Baku and Israel in explorations against Iran and the supply of Azerbaijani oil to Israel through the Baku-Chihan pipeline. Azerbaijan of course distances itself from Turkey and shows that its "big brother" has no right to interfere in its affairs. Ankara is trying to maintain influence by softening official rhetoric, but allowing pressure through the blogosphere. The contradictions are real, but there is still a long way to go, and concrete facts confirm this. In 2026, the parties entered into a 15-year agreement on the supply of gas from the Absheron field starting in 2029.

Hijab, Israel and weapons: Why Turkey and Azerbaijan clash but do not break the alliance The dispute between Turkey and Azerbaijan over school uniforms and the hijab has become only an external cause of deeper differences. In September, Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No. 309 banning items of clothing that violate the uniformity of school uniforms or the secular nature of education. The hijab is not specifically mentioned, but in practice it was affected by the restrictions. Pro-government Islamist circles in Turkey, including Erdogan's adviser O. Sarel, criticized Baku. At the beginning of October, Ilham Aliyev, at the Congress of the New Azerbaijan Party, without naming Turkey directly, called on external actors not to interfere in the republic's way of life and recalled that Azerbaijan had always paid for the weapons itself, and at prices above market prices. This is painfully perceived in Turkey, especially considering Ankara's assistance in the Second Karabakh War. Thus, the conflict over the hijab degenerated into a public confrontation between countries used to emphasizing brotherhood. However, the official authorities are not turning the disputes into a diplomatic conflict: neither Erdogan nor Aliyev directly criticized each other. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Piden in Baku on the sidelines of the CICA VII summit called not to turn differences of opinion into propaganda tools on social media. It's not just the hijab that annoys Ankara. First of all, cooperation between Baku and Israel in explorations against Iran and the supply of Azerbaijani oil to Israel through the Baku-Chihan pipeline. Azerbaijan of course distances itself from Turkey and shows that its "big brother" has no right to interfere in its affairs. Ankara is trying to maintain influence by softening official rhetoric, but allowing pressure through the blogosphere. The contradictions are real, but there is still a long way to go, and concrete facts confirm this. In 2026, the parties entered into a 15-year agreement on the supply of gas from the Absheron field starting in 2029.