Human rights activist from Azerbaijan demands that Iranian authorities should not violate the rights of Azerbaijanis

Novella Jafaroglu, an Azeri human rights activist, has demanded that the government of Iran should not violate the rights of Azerbaijanis who form the majority of the country's population. The human rights activist has informed the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that she already passed her demand to the Iranian embassy in Azerbaijan.

The human rights activist has also noted that, apart from the Azerbaijanis' rights, Iran brutally violates the rights of other peoples, such as Arabs and Kurds: "Today, Iran accuses Israel of Zionism, and yet there are two state languages, Hebrew and Arabic. This is what is needed in Iran. Persian and Azeri must become state languages. However the Iranian government does not agree with this, it is afraid of Azerbaijanis and of Azeri becoming a state language."

Meanwhile, Manuchehr Mottaki, Iranian Minister of External Affairs who is now in Baku, has stated in his interview with journalists that representatives of many peoples live well together in Iran, such as Persians, Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Bellugys, Turkmenians, and others. "They all represent the united Iranian nation and play a major role in managing the country, and attempts to make them quarrel or split their relations are inadmissible and impossible. The mutual understanding among the Iranian citizens and a correct policy of the authorities will not allow this unity to be broken," underlined Mr. Mottaki. The Minister also noted that Iran maintained excellent relations with Azerbaijan and did not think that a threat of separatism comes from Baku.

Meanwhile, according to the information of the Movement for National Emergence of Southern Azerbaijan (MNESA), preparation of Azerbaijanis for the traditional march to the Buzz fortress is under way in Iran. This event is held every year by local Azerbaijanis and bears an obviously nationalistic character. The Iranian authorities have always impeded the action in which hundreds of thousands of people participate.

The MNESA reports that, in the light of recent events in Southern Azerbaijan, the situation this year is especially strained. According to Iranian sources, the authorities already are dislocating military forces along the roads to Buzz in order to prevent the march of Azerbaijanis. According to unofficial data, they have an order to open fire, if necessary. Nevertheless, the organizers do not intend to cancel their plans.

The march is to take place in late June. Its participants plan to march and ascend the unassailable fortress which for many years served as shelter to Babek, the national hero of Azerbaijan.