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Photos of new banknote designs for Azerbaijani currency, manat, were spread through in the Internet, reports Azerbaijani news website Oxu.az. According to non-official information, the design of manat will be changed starting from 2014.

It is worth mentioning that the banknote for 100 manat will feature the former president Heydar Aliyev, while 5 manat banknote will bear the picture of a classic Iranian poet Nizami Ganjevi, who is considered an Azerbaijani poet in Azerbaijan.

“Based on the photos, 1 manat banknote will feature Uzeira Gajibekova (Soviet Azerbaijani composer, Lezgin by nationality – ed.), 5 manat - Nizami Ganjevi, 10 manat banknote - Zeinalabdin Tagiyev, (Azerbaijani millionaire and sponsor – ed.), 20 manat – Molla Panakh Vagif (poet – ed.), 50 manat – Yusif Mamedaliyev (Azerbaijani chemist – ed.), 100 manat – Heydar Aliyev,” writes the website.

Persian poet Nizami Ganjevi was claimed to be “an Azerbaijani poet” in Azerbaijan. Deputy Minister of culture and Islamic orientation of Iran Bakhman Dari stated in his interview to official information agency “IRNA” that the Republic of Azerbaijan attributes cultural values of Iran to itself. The Iranian official commented on the fact that the monument of Nizami Ganjevi was presented to Rome by Azerbaijan, said:
“Evidence suggests that Nizami Ganjevi is an Iranian poet, and there is no need to prove it. But attributing the cultural values of another country to itself is not a worthy act. Not having any cultural values, Azerbaijan is forced to impute values from other countries. You can’t call Azerbaijan’s given move nothing else but stealing.”

Azerbaijani scientist Sirius Ashemov noted on the topic that the territory of Arana and Shirvana, which the state of Azerbaijan was established on in 1918, was part of Iran, and when Nizami Ganjevi wrote “Hamse,” Gyanja was an Iranian city. “Azerbaijan had a mere 20-year of history, consequently, the poet working 800 years ago cannot be considered Azerbaijani,” he said.