Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has described Azerbaijan’s ban on schoolchildren wearing hijabs as an important step toward strengthening the country’s secular identity.

Axar.az reports that Saakashvili made the remarks in a post on Facebook, describing the move as a bold step to reinforce Azerbaijan’s position as a secular state and curb the influence of Islamists.

He also accused Iran of seeking to radicalize ethnic Azerbaijanis living in Georgia, warning that this could pose a serious threat to Georgia’s statehood and territorial integrity.

“Unable to influence Azerbaijan anymore, Iran is actively pursuing the radical Islamization of Georgian Azerbaijanis, which poses a deadly threat to Georgia’s statehood and territorial integrity. The Islamists here pose a threat to Georgia, Azerbaijan and the entire region,” Saakashvili said.