BAKU—Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has criticized Armenia for purportedly misleading the public regarding the progress of a draft peace agreement between the two nations, signaling continued tensions over the document's terms and the broader peace process.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Aykhan Hajizada, spokesperson for Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responded to local media inquiries about recent statements made by Armenia's Foreign Minister, Ararat Mirzoyan. Mirzoyan had asserted at a press conference that the draft peace agreement submitted to Azerbaijan was fully agreed upon and excluded any foreign oversight of Armenian territories. However, Hajizada contested these claims, stating that Armenia had delayed responding to Azerbaijani comments on the draft for about 70 days and had removed essential provisions from the draft.

The spokesperson elaborated that while 80% of the agreement's provisions have been negotiated, the removal of unresolved clauses by Armenia from the draft is unacceptable for forging a sustainable peace. Hajizada also accused Armenia of maintaining territorial claims and attempting to revive the defunct Minsk Group, which he described as a relic of past conflicts. Furthermore, he refuted Armenia's suggestion that a foreign private company might be involved in guaranteeing secure passage through both countries, clarifying that Azerbaijan has not agreed to third-party involvement in its territories.

For a genuine peace agreement to advance, Azerbaijan insists that Armenia must amend its constitution to eliminate references to territorial claims against Azerbaijan and fulfill its commitments to open communications in the region, which have been stalled for four years.