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| Alirza Ardabili |
According to Alireza Ardabili, the removal of Azerbaijani Turks and, in general, all Turks living in Iran from the country’s high political elite is not a new process. In an interview with Voice of America, the Azerbaijani journalist, writer, and political activist explained the reasons behind the gradual decrease in the number of Azerbaijani Turks within the ruling elite and the upper political class of the country.
"During the Constitutional Revolution and, in general, before the Pahlavis, Iran’s aristocracy was primarily composed of Turks. Among those who went to Western countries for education, there were hardly any non-Turks," says the journalist from Southern Azerbaijan, emphasizing that the current situation is drastically different: "Once a leader in higher education, Azerbaijan is now considered one of Iran’s most underdeveloped regions in this regard."
According to the spokesperson of the South Azerbaijan National Democratic Union, the exclusion of Azerbaijani Turks from the upper political class has been a fundamental policy of the Iranian government. He referenced a statement made by Ali Akbar Velayati, a key figure in Iran’s foreign policy for many years and a current presidential candidate: "Ali Akbar Velayati once said, ‘We should not invest in Azerbaijan because sooner or later, it will separate from Iran.’"
Alireza Ardabili, who currently lives in exile in Sweden, believes that, in addition to Iran’s Azerbaijani population, the very existence of the Republic of Azerbaijan is a source of concern for the Iranian government.
"This issue is not only present in the high political elite but also within the military. However, a significant portion of the leading generals during the Iran-Iraq War were from Azerbaijan," he added.
The journalist also pointed out that this process of distancing is not solely enforced by the government but is also partially driven by Azerbaijani Turks themselves: "This alienation is two-sided. For example, after Kurdistan Province, Azerbaijani provinces have had the lowest voter turnout in Iranian elections."
Mr. Ardabili also disagrees with foreign media narratives suggesting that Azerbaijani Turks are more integrated into Iran compared to other non-Persian ethnic groups. "The fact that they share the same religious sect and that Turks have historically held influential positions and are dispersed throughout Iran might have contributed to this perception," he noted.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Əlirza Ərdəbilli: Türklər İranın elitasından uzaqlaşdırılır