Erdogan to visit Azerbaijan amid headscarf spat

Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Azerbaijan on 8 November for Victory Day celebrations, as tensions persist between the two allies over a headscarf ban in Azerbaijani schools. The dispute has strained relations and raised questions about whether the visit can restore closer cooperation.

The ban, introduced in September, barred students and teachers wearing headscarves from entering primary and high schools, prompting protests and criticism in Turkey. Azerbaijan sought action against Turkish officials and commentators who criticised the policy; Erdogan dismissed an adviser and legal steps followed, but President Ilham Aliyev still skipped a recent Turkic States Summit. Erdogan says the countries share deep ties, though Azerbaijani media continue to criticise Ankara, and Baku has not confirmed whether Aliyev will attend the COP31 climate summit in Antalya.