On November 11, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, met with Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude to Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb for accepting the invitation to participate in COP29 and emphasized that his presence added special significance to the event.

The head of state noted that just a few days ago, Azerbaijan hosted a major event with the participation of world religious leaders, including representatives from Al-Azhar Al-Sharif. President Ilham Aliyev also highlighted the importance of the participants’ visits to Azerbaijan’s liberated territories after the event.

Reflecting on his visit to Egypt, President Aliyev recalled his meeting with Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, where several key issues were discussed, and ideas were exchanged on future cooperation.

Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, in turn, thanked President Ilham Aliyev for the invitation to participate in COP29 and described the event as magnificent. He also expressed gratitude to the head of state for his support in organizing the Faith Pavilion at COP29.

The Grand Imam shared how honored he felt meeting President Ilham Aliyev during his visit to Egypt.

Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb congratulated the President on the return of Azerbaijan’s occupied territories, stating, “You are truly a victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief. You have shown great generosity to the opposing side. Your humane attitude towards the opposing side is well-known. Your magnanimity aligns with the principles of all religious denominations.”

El-Tayeb also highlighted Azerbaijan’s crucial role in improving relations with regional countries and expressed his anticipation for Azerbaijan’s participation in the interfaith and Sunni-Shia dialogue in Bahrain next February. He pointed out that Azerbaijan has a successful experience in Sunni-Shia dialogue and praised Azerbaijan’s successful practice in fostering relations and harmony among representatives of different religions.

President Ilham Aliyev thanked the Grand Imam for his kind words and congratulations on the liberation of Karabakh. He stressed that, despite 30 years of occupation, Azerbaijan had come forward with a peace treaty initiative.

President Ilham Aliyev also mentioned that Muslims living in Azerbaijan pray for unity and solidarity at the Heydar Mosque, adding that this experience could serve as an example for other countries. He emphasized Azerbaijan's efforts to strengthen unity within the Islamic world and regretted the existence of attempts to divide it. The President reaffirmed that representatives of all religions live peacefully in Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev also confirmed that Azerbaijan’s delegation will actively participate in the upcoming event in Bahrain.

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif presented a keepsake to President Ilham Aliyev.