The Deputy Head of the East Azerbaijan Department of Iran's Ministry of Culture and Guidance has stated that the approval of Turkish-language book publications will rely on "the true/authentic Turkish of Iranian Azerbaijan and the historical dialect of Tabriz."
According to the official state agency IRNA, Hasan Guli, the Deputy Head of the Ministry's Cultural and Press Department, made this statement during a meeting with writers operating in East Azerbaijan province.
"Taking into account the various dialects of Turkish, as well as the repeated changes to the alphabet in neighboring countries and other factors, the primary standard for writing rules and terminology in Turkish-language books will be based on the true Turkish of Iranian Azerbaijan and the historical dialect of Tabriz," Hasan Guli explained.
IRNA’s report did not provide information about the identities of the writers attending the meeting or whether they shared their opinions on the subject.
Individuals and organizations involved in Turkish-language publishing, distribution, and book sales in Iran frequently face pressure and restrictions. In recent years, several cultural activists who printed Turkish calendars were arrested and prosecuted. Writers emphasize that they are under heavy censorship, not only concerning the content of their works but also regarding the words, terminology, and writing rules they use.
Link to the original news in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Mədəniyyət İdarəsi: Türkcə kitablara çap icazəsi üçün 'İran Azərbaycanının əsil türkcəsi və Təbrizin tarixi ləhcəsi' əsas tutulur