That is why in September 2020, when the military operations in Karabakh began, the Tehran regime was among those who held their tongue and did not support Azerbaijan.
For some time now, citizens of Azerbaijan have been looking every day for news about provocative actions, disagreeable steps and malicious statements coming from Iran, and… always finding them. Iran’s socio-political and clerical circles never let us down in this regard.
Here we have another provocative move against Azerbaijan made by the Iranian state TV channel. The website of the national broadcaster IRIB News has called Azerbaijan a “puppet of the Zionists”.
Boiling “cauldron of provocations”
The website writes that the population of the township of Galandarabad in the city of Fariman organized a rally in support of the “oppressed” Shia Muslims of Azerbaijan; the rally participants expressed their support for Shahla Farajeva, an Azerbaijani Shia Muslim, saying they were disgusted with the “Zionist moves of the puppet state”.
This is not a Friday sermon of an akhund in some province or a member of parliament addressing a constituency; this is a news story from a media corporation that carries out the state’s information policy and expresses the state’s position. Such materials cannot be disseminated without sanctions in a country that imposes total censorship on political news, i.e., Iran. There must have been relevant instructions from above.
This is another splash from the boiling “cauldron of provocations” of our southern neighbor. Earlier, some Iranian MPs already made provocative statements about raising Hussein’s flags on “the other side of the Araz”.
There was no “red line” when Azerbaijani Shia Muslims were exterminated and driven out of their homes, but now they are back there is one all of a sudden?
Over the last 30 years, since our country gained its independence, the Tehran regime’s cauldron, sometimes boiling openly and sometimes covertly, has cooked up many provocations and instigations against Azerbaijan.
We have not forgotten how, when Armenia consistently occupied Azerbaijan’s lands bordering Iran—villages of Zangilan, Jabrayil and Fizuli, that state remained indifferent to the change of 120-kilometer section of the border and never declared the expulsion of the Shia population from their homeland its “red line”.
Instead, Iran joined Armenia, destroying the infrastructure of the occupied territories, shaping distorted perceptions of these territories and using them for transportation. During the war and after it, it helped to strengthen Armenia in every possible way. Iran openly wanted Azerbaijan to be weak and Armenia to be a strong state.
Some may object here and recall that in 1993-1994 Iran provided aid to the IDPs who lived in the camps of Imishli and Bilasuvar Districts. Yes, it did happen. But that aid was provided through the Red Crescent Society, and under this pretext Iran carried out its propaganda among the people who found themselves in a dire situation, with the aim of forming a sect of the followers of Iranian Shiism among them. But after a while, people recognized the propaganda for what it was and voiced their protests, foiling Iran’s plans.
The US and Iran aligned their views after 1979
From 1994 until September 2000 Iran was right there with the European countries which believed that the Karabakh conflict could not be resolved by military means. Officials of this country kept talking about a peaceful resolution of the conflict and the importance of mutual concessions. This was the only issue after 1979 where the views of Iranian and US politicians did not clash, but rather were aligned. Obviously, this political line was in Armenia’s favor.
That is why in September 2020, when the military operations in Karabakh began, the Tehran regime was among those who held their tongue and did not support Azerbaijan. There was even an attempt by the Iranian military to hinder the advance of the Azerbaijani army. And when the victory of our army was obvious, Iran chose the line of non-acceptance of the restored status in the region. This country joined the biased circles waging an information war against Azerbaijan, spreading fake news in their media (about terrorist groups allegedly transported to Karabakh with Turkey’s help, Israel establishing “secret bases” in the region, etc.), and Iranian political and religious figures suddenly started talking about a “red line”. Here we can add the Iranian military conducting exercises on the border with Zangilan, which happened for the first time in history, as if there was no other training ground for military exercises in all of the vast Iran. Of course, the aim was to put pressure on Azerbaijan. Perhaps, if it were not for the principled policies of the Azerbaijani, Turkish and Russian leaderships, the Iranian authorities would have continued their provocative actions around Zangilan.
Serving the country of Paskevich, the conqueror of Tabriz
There is a strange line in Iran’s pro-Russian policy. The army of Tsarist Russia under the command of General Paskevich once occupied the city of Tabriz, laid harsh conditions before Iran, levied tribute from it (Iranian historians and politicians mention it at every opportunity), but now Iran is acting as Russia’s accomplice, supporting its occupation of Ukraine in every way it can. Where is the historical memory and historical justice now?
Attempts to stop the Turan train
Many questions regarding the Caucasian policy of the Tehran regime remain unanswered. One of them is: why, in the absence of any threat in the territory of Armenia, is Iran clinging so tightly to the border issue and showing such zeal? Azerbaijan is not laying any claims to Zangezur; it is only asking for a corridor through it, which is in compliance with international law and provisions of the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020. There are speculations that with these actions, Iran pursues its own interests rather than cares for Armenia. Iran strongly opposes the communication lines via Zangezur and Nakhchivan to Turkey. If we figuratively call this corridor the Turan train, then Iran’s goal is to stop this train.
It appears that Iran intends to control the events and keep abreast of the situation by opening a consulate in the mountainous Armenian province, in Kafan. There was no need for this consulate until now, but now there is, because Zangezur is in the spotlight.
Long fingers knocking on the London door
Immediately after the attack on our embassy in London, Iranian propagandists tried to prove that Tehran had nothing to do with that act. It was said that the organizers of the attack were in opposition to the Iranian leadership. But the attackers were speaking the language of Iran: their rhetoric and demands were very much in line with the statements coming from Tehran. The same religion card again, the same slogans, the same allegations of ties with the Zionist regime and oppression of the Shia population, and so on.
Iran creates a new religion, revival of the Ali-Allah movement
Reworking Shiism, the Iranian state is steering towards a detachment from Islam. It is a religion whose ideology is rooted in Persian chauvinism, and it means the revival of the Ali-Allah (Alawite) movement. This time they have set their sights on giving a status of prophet to Imam Hussein. Iran has completely turned this ideology into a priority state policy, but in Azerbaijan, where 40% of the population practice orthodox Islam and are followers of Sunni Islam, the implementation of this line is doomed to failure. This ideology is alien to Azerbaijan. We have our own national religious values shaped over many years. There has never been a division between Shia and Sunni Muslims in this country, as all religious denominations in Azerbaijan are tolerant to each other. If there is no interference from outside, there is no reason to expect any confrontation in this area. And punishment of those who create discord does not mean oppression of any sect.
This is not a religious war, this is someone hogging the covers
Iran’s “war” against us is not a war of a religious school—it is a reluctance to accept the independence of a former metropolitan colony, it is a fight to regain past positions and influence. The Tehran regime intends to use our old enemies, the Armenians, to achieve this goal. This is why we all, especially government officials, opinion makers and religious leaders, must be vigilant, resist outside influence and put a stop to any provocation.