Baku: President Ilham Aliyev has accused Armenia of denying the centuries-long presence of Azerbaijani people on their ancestral lands and erasing their rich cultural heritage. He expressed these concerns in a letter to participants of the second international conference titled ‘The Right to Return: Advancing Justice for Azerbaijanis Expelled from Armenia,’ as reported by APA.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, President Aliyev detailed the systematic destruction of historical monuments, cemeteries, mosques, and ancient settlements in Western Azerbaijan by Armenia. He also pointed out the significant damage inflicted upon Azerbaijani ashug art, which UNESCO recognizes as a universal cultural treasure. The President highlighted that the only historical-cultural monument left intact, the Blue Mosque, has been intentionally altered by Armenia to misrepresent its original architectural style.

President Aliyev described these actions as attempts to distort and rewrite the region’s history and cultural landsca
pe, emphasizing that such actions reflect intolerance and racism.