 |
| Avshar Abbasi |
According to Avshar Abbasi, Shi'ism, along with Persian nationalism, has been one of the fundamental pillars of Iranian nationalism, and this is not exclusive to the era of the Islamic Republic.
In an interview with Voice of America, the research scholar at Germany’s Darmstadt University assessed the recent “anti-Turkish propaganda” in Iranian newspapers, as well as the attitude of reformists towards language rights.
He explained that, since the Pahlavi era, Iranian nationalists have at times emphasized Persian nationalism and, at other times, Shi’ism, depending on the circumstances.
“In recent times, as the influence of Shi’ism has diminished, Persian nationalism has reached its peak. The conditions for this have been in place since the time of Reza Khan,” said Abbasi, evaluating the recent attacks.
Avshar Abbasi pointed out that “even now, the sources used by Younesi and other reformists in this regard are fabrications that were created and written during the Pahlavi era as part of identity construction. Their entire effort is to convince people that the Turkish language is foreign. The lies they tell in the process of changing identities take on a new form every day.”
He added, “One day, they say, ‘You are not Turks.’ When we ask, ‘Then what are we?’ they say, ‘You are Azeris.’ But since the term ‘Azeri’ did not emerge as the result of any scientific research, their lies become evident. Now they turn around and say, ‘You are Turks today, but in the past, you were Azeris. Then the Mongols came and turned you into Turks.’”
Avshar Abbasi emphasized that the fact that “anti-Turkish propaganda” is mostly carried out by reformist-affiliated media is no coincidence:
“There are not many connections between conservatives and Pan-Iranist forces. However, individuals labeled as reformists have close ties with ‘nationalist religious’ figures and Pan-Iranists. If anti-Turkish propaganda does not stem from these connections, then where else would it come from?”
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Avşar Abbasi: Şiəçiliyin rəngi azalıb, şovinizm ən yüksək nöqtəsinə çatıb