The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is set to visit Azerbaijan on June 5. What precisely motivates this visit and what objectives it aims to achieve remain unclear. What is clear, however, is that Armenian social media channels have resumed their all-too-familiar performance—a theatre of deceit cloaked in righteous outrage.

Once again, claims are being circulated alleging a deterioration of religious freedoms in Azerbaijan. Some, desperate to lend their accusations weight, have dragged Iran into the discourse, attempting to manufacture controversy where none exists.

Let us begin with the facts. Azerbaijan, a nation of over 10 million, is home to a religiously diverse population. While the vast majority of citizens identify as Muslim, there is a significant Christian minority—roughly half a million—along with Jewish, Pagan, and other religious communities. For centuries, Azerbaijan has been a bastion of peaceful religious coexistence. Muslims, Christians, and Jews have lived side by side without fear or discrimination. This pluralistic legacy is not only a point of pride—it is a cornerstone of Azerbaijani identity.

To allege religious oppression,........

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