Iran's Ministry of Intelligence has added Azerbaijan's state television channel AzTV, along with several other foreign media outlets, to its list of "hostile media" and introduced criminal liability for individuals who cooperate with them, Factor.am reported.

Baku responded by declaring the activities of Iran's Səhər television channel and the Mehr news agency illegal.

According to Azerbaijani media, the announcement was made by the Azerbaijan Media Development Agency (MEDIA). The agency stated that while Azerbaijan has continued to uphold the principle of protecting journalists' professional activities, it has also ensured the application of the principle of reciprocity.

"According to Article 11.4 of the Law on Media, if another state imposes special restrictions on the professional activities of journalists registered in the media register, similar restrictions may also be imposed in Azerbaijan on journalists from the state that introduced those restrictions," the agency said in a statement.

The Azerbaijani media outlet added that, based on the requirements of the cited article and the principle of reciprocity, the activities of the Səhər television channel and the Mehr news agency, as well as their representatives in Azerbaijan, are considered illegal because they are deemed to act against Azerbaijan's national interests and to engage in propaganda against the country's sovereignty, constitutional order, territorial integrity and national security.