The Mother See of the Armenian Apostolic Church (Etchmiadzin) has denounced recent statements made by  Grand Mufti of the Caucasus Allahshukur Pashazadeh claiming that historical Armenian holy sites  in Armenia and the region, including, the 1700-year-old Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, are located on “historical Azerbaijani lands,” and that Armenians have “appropriated” these territories.

The headquarters of the Armenian Apostolic Church charges Pashazadeh with again targeting the Armenian people and the Armenian Church with hatred and hostility and spreading the lies of the Azerbaijani propaganda machine.

Pashazadeh, born in Azerbaijan, chairs the Religious Council of the Caucasus – the highest spiritual and administrative organ of Muslims in Transcaucasia – located in Baku.

“Pashazadeh concludes his series of absurd claims by presenting the Armenian Apostolic Church as a threat to the countries of the region,” the Armenian Church statement reads.