Azerbaijan has reportedly barred 31 Turkish citizens and sought the arrest of seven others following a dispute over school dress regulations that has strained relations with Turkey.
The measures, reported by Asharq Al-Awsat on 25 October, followed criticism from Turkish politicians and commentators who accused Azerbaijan of restricting Muslim schoolgirls from wearing headscarves.
Fatih Erbakan, leader of Turkey's New Welfare Party, was among those reportedly placed on Azerbaijan's list of undesirable persons.
In a post on X on 21 October, Erbakan addressed Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, saying it was more important to lift the restrictions on students' headscarves than to allow him to enter the country.
The dispute began after Azerbaijan introduced new school uniform regulations in September. The rules prohibit additions to school clothing considered incompatible with the secular principles of public education, but do not explicitly impose a nationwide headscarf ban.
Criticism of the regulations spread among Turkish conservative politicians and social media commentators, including figures associated with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party.
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Azerbaijani measures also affected Turkish parliamentarian Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, a member of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party, and figures associated with HÜDA PAR, a political ally of Erdogan's governing coalition.
The reported restrictions also covered journalists, religious commentators and a former ruling party official.
Erbakan criticised Aliyev for hosting Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Baku, accusing the Azerbaijani leader of disregarding Turkey's friendship. He nevertheless said the relationship between the Turkish and Azerbaijani peoples should continue.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, a prominent figure in Turkey's Republican People's Party, also criticised restrictions on women's clothing choices, recalling Turkey's own history of political disputes over the headscarf.
Diplomatic efforts to contain the dispute
Erdogan and Aliyev spoke by telephone on 21 October as criticism intensified.
According to the Turkish presidency's account cited by Asharq Al-Awsat, Erdogan congratulated Aliyev on the 35th anniversary of Azerbaijan's independence and expressed support for expanding bilateral cooperation.
He also invited Aliyev to the 13th summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Ankara.
Azerbaijan's official news agency subsequently criticised what it described as a misinformation campaign against the country in Turkish media.
Devlet Bahçeli, leader of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party and a key ally of Erdogan, met Azerbaijani Ambassador Rashad Mammadov Aslanov in Ankara.
Bahçeli later called for preserving trust and solidarity between the two countries, saying their relationship was important to the wider Turkic world.
The two governments have long maintained close political and military relations, particularly during Azerbaijan's conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Their partnership is frequently described by both sides as one nation in two states, reflecting linguistic, cultural and strategic ties.
Dispute extends beyond school regulations
The controversy has also prompted debate over Azerbaijan's political independence and the limits of Turkish influence in Baku.
In remarks on 2 October, Aliyev rejected foreign interference in Azerbaijan's domestic affairs and defended the country's right to determine its own social policies.
Azerbaijani commentators supportive of the government have argued that close relations with Turkey do not give Ankara authority over domestic decisions.
The disagreement has also attracted wider geopolitical interpretations in Turkey.
Aydın Ünal, a columnist for the pro-government Turkish newspaper Yeni Şafak, suggested that the tensions formed part of a wider effort to isolate Turkey and Erdogan ahead of future elections.
He linked the dispute to Israel's regional relationships, including its cooperation with Greece and Cyprus, and described what he regarded as an Israeli strategy to encircle Turkey.
Ünal offered this as a political interpretation rather than evidence of a coordinated operation involving Azerbaijan.
Despite the public disagreement, Erdogan and Aliyev's telephone conversation and subsequent contacts between Turkish and Azerbaijani political figures showed that diplomatic communication continued.
The next scheduled high-level opportunity for engagement is the 13th summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Ankara, to which Erdogan has invited Aliyev.
