Sabir Rustamkhanly: "Imperialistic ambitions on transformation of modern Iran into 'New Persia' lay a basis of the actions of official Tehran"

- How would you comment on the prohibition of teaching Azerbaijani language and literature in Iran, Tebriz?

- To my deepest regret, this is not the first and the last news about suppressions of Azerbaijanis in Iran. We are regularly receiving information, proving the unprecedented discrimination, imposed on 35,000,000 of our compatriots, living in this country.

And this implies not only the ban for studying in Azerbaijani, but also violation of all rights of Iranian Azerbaijanis. I have personally hold several meetings in the United States, where he met with members with the US congress, during which I expressed my resentment with the fact that 35,000,000 Azerbaijani population of Iran has no school to study their native language.

And this is considering the fact that Armenians, who make up 150,000 people in Iran, have 42 schools, where subjects are taught in their native language! Unfortunately, the policy of the working leadership of this country consists of making promises to settle this problem, in fact, not taking real steps on their prevention.

It seems that the imperialistic ambitions on transformation of modern Iran into "New Persia" form a basis for these actions. Azerbaijanis have their own fault in the established state of affairs. We, as a nation, have demonstrated weakness. But it is now time to put an end to it and we should display firmness in this issue!

- Why don't 35,000,000 of Iranian Azerbaijanis show enough resistance to the discriminative actions of the leadership of this country?

- I would not state that Azerbaijanis, residing in Iran, do not raise a struggle for their rights. But the ruling regime in Iran has always brutally suppressed any attempts of Azerbaijanis to protect justice. Our compatriots are subjected to torture, persecutions and threats and we, representatives of independent Azerbaijan, can not stay indifferent to such actions of official Tehran.

- I will change the question: can any power resist to 35,000,000 people, if they initiate struggle for their rights?

- All attempts to consolidate Iranian Azerbaijanis on the background of the national idea have been presented by the leadership of this country. Our compatriots in Iran have no their national radio, television, educational establishments, where they could study in their native language - on the whole, all components, necessary for formation of national ideology are absent.

And this is the main reason of absence of consolidation among our compatriots, whose rights are consistently violated y the Persian regime of Iran.

- Which mechanisms of pressure on Iran does Azerbaijan have in the issue of protection of the rights of our compatriots, residing in this country?

- We can use the diplomatic ways of settlement of this process, as the violation of the rights of Iranian Azerbaijanis is violation of fundamental norms and rights, approved by the world community. Taking this fact into account, we may try to prevent violation of the rights of Iranian Azerbaijanis from the side of the Persian regime, ruling in this country.

- Relying on a number of international documents, recognizing the territorial integrity of our country, Azerbaijan is still unable to return Nagorno Karabakh under its control. How do you propose to Azerbaijan to attain the settlement of problems of our compatriots, residing in Iran, using basic international norms and rights?

- Despite existence of a small number of our opportunities, we must protect our position firmly in the defense of the rights of Azerbaijanis of Iran. otherwise, in a couple of years, all rights of Azerbaijanis in Iran will be violated and this will lead to the final loss of a chance to form a national ideology from our compatriots, residing in this country, and to their complete assimilation.

/Day.Az/