A well-known presenter on Iran's state-run Ofogh TV channel, Hossein Hosseini, has reportedly been banned from further broadcasting after making controversial comments about Azerbaijan, Didban Iran reported on September 15.

The host had recently stated that "Azerbaijan would soon be annexed to Iranian territory," which stirred significant backlash both inside the country and in neighbouring Azerbaijan.

According to sources, Hosseini, who has a history of making provocative statements, has been suspended by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) management.

While the decision has not been officially confirmed, the report suggests the suspension is in response to the host’s inflammatory remarks.

Vahid Khatami, an Iranian journalist, shared further details on social media. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he claimed that IRIB management decided to replace Hosseini from the show "Be Ofogh Palestine" following his responses to remarks made by a presenter from Azerbaijan’s Baku TV.

The decision to ban the host, if confirmed, reflects the sensitivities in Tehran concerning regional geopolitical matters and relations with its neighbouring countries.

There has been no immediate official comment from IRIB or Seyed Hossein Hosseini regarding the situation.

The comments come at a time when tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan are already running high. Although both countries are Shia Islam in faith, there has always been tension over the fact that Azerbaijanis make up the largest ethnic minority in Iran, with estimates suggesting they number around 15mn-20mn people, or approximately 18-25% of the country's population. Notably, Iran's current President Masoud Pezeshkian has Azeri roots, while Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is half-Azerbaijani on his mother’s side. 

Azerbaijan has sided with mostly Sunni Turkey in the geopolitical rivalry between Turkey and Iran. Tehran has also supported Azerbaijan's rival Armenia and has fiercely opposed Baku's dream of creating a so-called "Zangezur corridor" across Armenia between Azerbaijan and its exclave of Nakhchivan. 

While it is supported by Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenia has rejected the project, fearing it could lead to alterations in regional borders. Iran shares these concerns, viewing the corridor as a potential threat to its national security and regional influence.

The controversy over the Zangezur proposal worsened after Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly expressed support for the corridor in a conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, according to Baku-based media outlets.

This was followed by an official statement from the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson emphasising the necessity of establishing the Zangezur corridor.