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| Ural Hatemi |
Sociologist and political activist Ural Hatemi, in an interview with Voice of America, views the approval of the candidacy of the reformist MP from Tabriz, Masoud Pezeshkian, by Iran’s Guardian Council as a step towards the efforts to restore a significantly weakened Islamic Republic.
Ural Hatemi highlights that the upcoming elections coincide with a very sensitive period for the Islamic Republic, referring to widespread protests against the government in recent years.
“In the previous elections, there was no such sensitivity. Because in the last few years, there were very serious actions and protests. In many places across the country, there was talk of revolution. After the protests where people poured into the streets in hundreds of cities and many lives were lost, I believe the importance of these elections is greater than before. However, the excitement is a bit less... But among the Turks, there is a different kind of excitement compared to previous elections. Whether this is right or wrong, or whether it will have any results, that is another matter, but the reality is that there is some movement among the Turks. However, my personal view is that this is entirely a situation engineered by the [authorities],” Hatemi says.
The political activist draws attention to important questions regarding Iranian Azerbaijan and the elections: “Let’s look at the event that led to these elections. If we assume that Raisi did not die in an accident but was murdered—this probability is quite high—then the main question is, why was Raisi killed in Azerbaijan? Why was he not killed alone, but together with two Azerbaijani figures (the governor of East Azerbaijan and the Friday Imam of Tabriz)? This created a significant impact on social psychology in Azerbaijan. After such an event, the number one candidate in the presidential elections came from Azerbaijan. The question is, why did the Guardian Council approve Pezeshkian’s candidacy? Why didn’t they reject it?”
Ural Hatemi believes that “the cornered Islamic Republic may try to restore itself through Azerbaijan.”
He says, “In the past four or five years, in various debates, many of us had assumed that in the period when the Islamic Republic was cornered and looking for a way to save itself, it would try to restore itself through Azerbaijan… I do not believe in Pezeshkian’s rhetoric regarding reforms or ethnic groups. In my opinion, Pezeshkian is a representative of the restoration and revival of the Islamic Republic.”
Since Pezeshkian’s candidacy was approved by the Guardian Council, he has been accused by some groups of being a separatist, pan-Turkist, and federalist. Recently, during a program on state television, Pezeshkian was confronted with questions about his alleged connections to “pan-Turkist supporters.”
The sociologist views the debate over “pan-Turkism” raised on Iranian state television as a shift in discourse.
“There is a significant shift in discourse. This is a change that works to our detriment. Previously, the issue of the mother tongue was discussed, but today pan-Turkism is being talked about. Turkish culture is not discussed. The rights of Turks are not discussed. The issue of identity is not discussed. The issue of the mother tongue is something that creates a positive atmosphere and affects people. But today, pan-Turkism discussed on television does not carry a positive meaning and instills fear. During the Rouhani era, the issue of the mother tongue was discussed directly on Iranian state television. Our most important issue is the language issue. But this time, on a cultural program on Iranian television, the word pan-Turkism was used, but the issue of the mother tongue was not mentioned. Don’t those who see Pezeshkian as a representative of Azerbaijan see this? This topic is not being discussed. Our activists are not aware of this shift in discourse. I mean, it is truly surprising what kind of reforms these people are hoping for,” Hatemi adds.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Ural Hatəmi: Mənə görə Pezeşkiyan İslam Respublikasının yenidən bərpası və restorasiyasının nümayəndəsidir