State Committee official: 'Lease of Blue Mosque to Iran has preconceived purpose'

Baku. 11 December. REPORT.AZ Blue Mosque in Yerevan is a religious center belonging to Azerbaijani people, state and culture. Lease of this mosque to Iran is very wrong decision and has preconceived purpose.'

Report was told by Sayyad Salahli, First Deputy Chairman of State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations (SCWRO)

Azerbaijani people has always held religious ceremonies there and it was the largest religious center in of Azerbaijanis living in Yerevan, S.Salahli said.

'Armenia wants to offend self-esteem of Azerbaijani people, Committee official emphasized: 'Unfortunately, Islamic Republic of Iran agreed with it. This mosque belongs to Azerbaijanis and Armenians wants to offend self-esteem of Azerbaijani people by such deliberate action.'

Lease of mosque to Iran is not right either legally or morally, SCWRO First Deputy Chairman says.

Armenian government leased ancient Blue Mosque in Yerevan, belonging to Azerbaijanis to Iran for 99 years. Blue Mosque in Yerevan, capital of Armenia belongs to Azerbaijanis and was built by Yerevan khan Huseyn Ali khan Gajar in 1766.