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| Yunes Shameli |
Yunes Shameli considers moderate and compromise-based approaches in democratic struggles, as well as revolutionary strategies, as complementary to each other, depending on political conditions.
In an interview with Voice of America, the Southern Azerbaijani writer and political analyst discussed the late Professor Javad Heyat’s achievements in preserving the Turkish language and culture in South Azerbaijan and Iran, as well as efforts to restore Turkish names to neighborhoods in Urmia. He also analyzed the Kurdish political movement’s recent successes in Turkey.
According to Yunes Shameli, those involved in national and cultural activities within Iran tend to adopt a reformist approach, considering the prevailing political conditions and working within the legal framework of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“Reformist activists who operate within the legal framework aim to win within the rules of the political game. However, revolutionaries seek major transformations—they aim to win the game entirely by staying outside of its rules,” said the Sweden-based Southern Azerbaijani writer.
He sees these different approaches as complementary rather than conflicting.
The Tabriz-born analyst believes that activists who oppose the entire system should support those who work within the system to advance national interests—or at the very least, should not obstruct their efforts.
Yunes Shameli pointed to the late Javad Heyat’s contributions to Turkish language, culture, and Azerbaijani history as an example.
According to him, Professor Heyat moderately pursued his work, not confined to any specific ideology but instead encompassing broader national interests.
Shameli also evaluated the Urmia City Council’s efforts to restore original Turkish names to neighborhoods and regions that had been renamed in Persian.
He expressed his satisfaction with the placement of Turkish-language signs by an official body in Urmia’s neighborhoods, considering it an important and positive step, and emphasized the need to support such initiatives.
Additionally, Yunes Shameli commented on the recent political gains of Turkey’s Kurdish population.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Yunus Şamili: İslahatçılıq və inqilabi fəaliyyətlər bir-birinin tamamlayıcısıdır