Azernews.Az

Two Azerbaijani poets, detained in Iran, were arrested for illegal actions, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia and the Pacific Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araghchi told media in Baku last week.

"I informed about the details connected with their arrest at the meeting with Azerbaijani officials and answered their questions," he said. "The poets' case is being considered in the court. We are waiting for a court decision. A process of considering each crime must be held in accordance with the law. At present, this process is underway. Iran promotes its rightful consideration."

Araghchi recalled that a meeting was organized with relatives of the poets and representatives of the Azerbaijani Consulate General in Tabriz.

Talking about the illegal actions of Azerbaijani poets Farid Huseyn and Shahriyar Hajizade, Araghchi stressed that despite the fact that they were invited to the poetry festival in one of Iranian cities, they have not taken part in it.

The trial over the two poets, detained in Iran over three months ago will complete within 15-20 days, spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Elman Abdullayev said last week.

Farid Huseyn and Shahriyar Hajizade went to the poetry festival in Iran in late April and were arrested there on May 2.

An Iranian state TV channel reported that officials had interrogated the two Azerbaijani nationals on espionage charges, claiming that the detained poets were on a mission to recruit dissidents in Iran to promote separatism.

Iranian news websites claimed that the Azerbaijani poets were accused of drug trafficking and spying for Israel.

Azerbaijan`s Foreign Ministry dismissed the spying charges as unfounded.