The BBC said in a statement that the corporation took a “forced decision” to close its office in the country following a verbal order from the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

A BBC spokesman said such a “restrictive measure against press freedom” was “deeply regrettable.”

Azerbaijan's state-controlled media reported that the country's authorities intend to reduce the number of BBC staff working in Azerbaijan to one.

The BBC emphasized that the corporation's journalists in Baku have suspended their activities until the situation is clarified, but the BBC intends to continue reporting in Azerbaijani.

“We deeply regret this restrictive measure against press freedom,” said a BBC spokesman commenting on the decision of the Azerbaijani authorities. - “It will make it very difficult for us to do our job of covering events in and for Azerbaijan, for our audiences both at home and abroad.

The BBC has not received written orders from the Azerbaijani government and has sought clarification through various channels.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.

The BBC News Azerbaijan service has been operating in the country since 1994, providing unbiased coverage and a balanced view of the world - first through radio broadcasting and then through digital platforms.

The service has an average weekly readership of one million people, and the number of readers continues to grow.