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| Alirza Ardabili |
In an interview with Voice of America, researcher and writer Alireza Ardabili evaluated the activities of political forces belonging to ethnic communities in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. According to him, when comparing recent events concerning ethnic communities in Middle Eastern countries, a negative picture emerges that seemingly justifies the Iranian government’s approach.
He explains that regional countries influence each other in three ways when it comes to ethnic communities.
Regional Countries Influence Each Other on Ethnic Minority Issues
“There are three types of influences. The first is at the level of Iran’s ruling elites and the academic circles they listen to. They observe developments in neighboring countries and draw conclusions. The second influence is on both non-Persian minorities and the Persian majority. They also look at the situation of minorities in Turkey, Iraq, and Syria and draw conclusions. The third influence is at the global level, shaping a broader perspective on ethnic and religious minority issues.”
Ardabili emphasizes that all three types of influence currently have negative implications.
According to him, “Ethnic communities’ political movements in Iran are deeper, more latent, and quieter. In places ruled by dictators, where state repression is effective and dominant, events take longer to surface. However, today, in Turkey, as well as in Syria and Iraq, the relationships between ethnic communities are clear and evolving in full view of the world. This affects Iran as well—its government, its dominant ethnic group, and the academic and literary circles that shape its ideology—all in a negative way.”
Cities in Turkey Became War Zones
The editor of the "Tribun" website highlights developments in Turkey since 2002:
“When we look at Turkey, we see that since 2002, under the names of the 'peace process' and democratization, non-Turkish minorities—especially Kurdish politicians—were granted more opportunities. However, in response, many cities in Turkey’s southeastern regions turned into war zones and weapons depots. Even in Ankara and Istanbul, extreme factions of these political movements carried out terrorist attacks.
We also saw that a party claiming to represent Kurdish interests (HDP) traveled to Moscow and supported Russia’s position at a time of heightened tension between Turkey and Russia. This was during a period when a Russian military jet had been shot down by Turkey, bringing the two countries to the brink of war.”
Ardabili also references certain problems that arose between the Kurdistan Regional Government and Iraq’s central government.
The Conclusions Drawn in Iran Are Disheartening
Comparing these examples to the situation in Iran, the writer adds:
“In Iran, we see that Kurdish MPs in the Islamic Consultative Assembly must constantly praise the government. The Iranian regime, as well as the ruling ethnic group and its intellectual circles, draw the conclusion that the more pressure they apply on minorities, the more peaceful things will be. If there is repression, there will be less terrorism; no political leader from our country will travel to an enemy nation and show solidarity with hostile forces. In other words, the conclusion reached in Iran is entirely disheartening.”
Three Accusations Against Non-Persian Political Groups in Iran
“Since the establishment of Iran’s centralized state structure, whenever non-Persians demand their rights, three accusations are made against them. The first is that they have a hidden agenda—that when they ask for education in their mother tongue, they secretly have other intentions. The second is that they are agents of foreign powers—that external forces use them as tools to create pressure against Iran when needed. The third is that granting ethnic communities their rights and freedoms could lead to ethnic conflict,” says Alireza Ardabili.
According to him, the Iranian government uses the events in Turkey, Iraq, and Syria as an excuse to justify all three of these accusations. “For example, we saw how the Kurdistan Regional Government occupied Turkmen, Arab, and Assyrian areas in Iraq, leading to ethnic conflicts,” he notes.
The writer adds:
“In countries like Syria, Somalia, and Libya, when the state collapses, it is not just the repression or intelligence services that disappear. The healthcare system, medicine supply, education infrastructure, roads, and communication networks also collapse. Police and gendarmerie forces, which ensure individual and collective security, cease to function. Today, in Iraq and Syria, we see bomb explosions in the streets, 'ethnic cleansing,' and 'war crimes' taking place.
Societies Approach Resistance Against Dictators With Caution
According to the researcher, these internal conflicts not only affect governments but also have negative consequences for society, making people question the legitimacy of fighting against dictators:
“In Iran, both Persians and non-Persians see these developments and become more cautious and conservative about resisting the dictatorship. They see that in those countries, when dictatorships collapsed, hospitals, schools, police, gendarmerie, banks, and other essential structures also disappeared, leading to disaster. It’s not just the Persian community—non-Persian groups see this too.”
Alireza Ardabili stresses the importance of democracy and human rights activists acting clearly and sincerely in such times.
“Today, anyone fighting for democracy and human rights must openly and honestly explain to both their supporters and opponents that they seek a better alternative to the current situation. They must be clear about this. They should take a stance against groups engaging in negative actions in the region. In Iran, they need to convey to their supporters that they do not want to repeat those mistakes,” he concludes.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
"Tehranın mövqeyi: Azlıqlara nə qədər artıq basqı olsa, başımız bir o qədər sakit olar"