Əlirza Quluncu (Alirza Quluncu) - October 09, 2014
Artum Dinc argues that Iranian officials deny the Turkish identity, language, and socio-historical background of the Turkish population, opting instead to employ the term "Azeri," which was coined by Persian nationalists, as a tool in their politics of Turkophobia. This deliberate misrepresentation of Turkish elements within Iran is often obscured under labels like 'Azeri,' which do not necessarily align with how ordinary people perceive themselves. In an interview with the Voice of America, Dinc, a sociologist, discusses the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran's officials, who deny the existence of ethnic discrimination in the Azerbaijan region of Iran. Additionally, Dinc analyzes the government's identity policies in Azerbaijan and their impact on the region.
Recently, Iran's Vice President for Ethnic Minorities and Religious Affairs Ali Younesi claimed that all residents of East Azerbaijan province are "Shia and Azeri" and are not subjected to any ethnic segregation.
Artum Dinc does not accept the terms used by Younesi for the population of Azerbaijan. According to him, Younesi speaks based on the narratives fabricated by Persian nationalism:
"In Younesi's discussion, specific factors are intentionally emphasized, misrepresented, or ignored in the context of identity politics. The term 'Azeri' originated from Persian nationalism, which focused on the Persian language and Shia-Islam religious aspects while denying or ignoring the importance of the Turkish identity, language, history, and culture in Iran."
The sociologist points to some examples of ethnic discrimination the population faces in Azerbaijan provinces. He highlights instances such as people migrating to central regions of Iran to find work, prohibition of representation in the Turkish language, and non-usage of Turkish names in government circles.
"If there is no ethnic discrimination, how can the influx of workers, employers, capital, and specialists from regions where Turks live to regions where Persians live be explained? Today, according to official statistics, East Azerbaijan is considered one of the provinces with the oldest population in the country. Why can't young people stay in these lands and are forced to migrate away from their families and loved ones to regions where Persians live?" Artum Dinc questions.
Ali Younesi's accusation of 'some' groups inciting conflict between Persians and Turks is also challenged by Dinc. He emphasizes that there is no inherent conflict between Turks and Persians and that the Iranian official's interpretation of the awakening of Azerbaijani Turks and rejection of Persianization policy as an ethnic conflict is a gross misunderstanding. Azerbaijani Turks, in fact, are simply asserting their ethnic rights, a fact that the sociologist concludes should be clear to all.
Link to the original interview: https://www.amerikaninsesi.org/a/2474852.html