The restoration has sparked arguments about whether the mosque should be considered “Persian” or “Azerbaijani,” and some locals question whether the Armenian-controlled territory should be rebuilding its mosques at all.
Earlier this year, both sides appeared to be trying to turn down the temperature on their grievances against the other. But now the momentum seems to be going in the other direction.
Samvel Babayan was effectively disqualified after the de facto parliament declined to change a law requiring the president to be resident in the territory for the previous 10 years.
The Turkic history of the khanate – on the territory of modern-day Armenia’s capital – has emerged as one of the Azerbaijani government’s main ideological weapons.
Yerevan has been trying to resist pressure from Washington to cut ties with its southern neighbor. But Armenia's private banks have been making it more difficult to do business.