Manel Msalmi, an international affairs advisor to the European Parliament, recently moderated a panel discussion on “the oppression of minorities in Iran: the Azerbaijani community as an example,” at the European Parliament. In the panel, she proclaimed: “Iran is one of the key destabilizing actors in the Middle East. You can find its footprints in all terrorist organizations and wars in the Middle East and the Ukraine. It creates a refugee crisis.”
According to her, “The Iranian people are suffering from the Iranian regime, as we have seen with the protests since September 2022 and the death of Mahsa Amini. Mahsa Amini was Kurdish and thus a minority just like the Azerbaijanis, Baloch, etc. We witness the execution of so many human rights activists, political dissidents including Azerbaijanis, Balochis, as well as others. The regime targets the Iranian population for so many decades including Azerbaijani, Baloch, Arabs, Kurds, etc. because they do not share the same cultural and religious background.”
In Iran, over 350 executions are carried out annually. A disproportionate number of the victims of members of ethnic and religious minority groups. But these killings are not just happening in Iran. They are also taking place on European soil. It is important to think that there is a tendency to think that the Azerbaijani minority is privileged, but this is far from the case, as demonstrated by the fact that the official Iranian state media portrays Azerbaijanis as insects, which has an uncanny resemblance to Nazi portrayals of Jews during the Holocaust.
An Azerbaijani woman, who wore a face mask and whose name cannot be disclosed for security reasons, appealed to the panel, stressing: “There are 30 million Azerbaijanis facing deportation and other forms of discrimination. There is an ongoing effort to erase our nation from history. They take away our past by destroying our cultural monuments, deprive us of our future by barring us from naming our children with Azerbaijani names. We implore not to let Tehran and its accomplices in Europe silence the issue of discrimination of one third of the Iranian population.”
She noted that she represents a population the size of Sweden, Hungary and Austria combined, who can be imprisoned for the crime of writing poetry in their mother tongue: “Please, do not allow Tehran to silence the crimes against 30 million people in Iran from the eyes of the outside world.” She called upon Europe to impose sanctions against Iran for the crimes that they committed against the South Azerbaijani people: “The only thing that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing. Please do not let evil triumph.”
Afterwards, Dr. Mordechai Kedar, who sits on the board of the Dona Gracia Center for Diplomacy, addressed the European Parliament: “The Azerbaijani people who constitute a significant minority in Iran have endured years of discrimination, marginalization, and cultural suppression, which has hindered their ability to live a life of dignity and equality. Iran is a diverse society with a rich tapestry of ethnic and cultural groups should be a place where all of its citizens can flourish without fear of persecution or discrimination. However, the reality for the Azerbaijani minority tells a different story. Despite their vast contributions, the Azerbaijani people continue to face systematic oppression and exclusion.”
Dr. Kedar noted that “one of the most pressing issues is the denial of their cultural rights. The Azerbaijani language, which is an integral part of their culture and heritage, is often disregarded and marginalized. The Azerbaijani people are forced to assimilate into the Persian language, leaving their mother tongue, neglected and undervalued. This cultural repression perpetuates the sense of alienation and undermines the Azerbaijani people’s sense of belonging to their own country.”
He added: “Moreover, immense disparities further exasperate the Azerbaijani community’s repression. They face limited access to educational and employment opportunities, leaving them trapped in the cycle of poverty and inequality. Discrimination in the job market and in educational institutions prevents them from reaching their full potential. This not only undermines the Azerbaijani people’s livelihood but also hinders the progress of Iran as a whole. Their representation in political office is severely lacking, hampering their ability to advocate for their rights effectively. Dissenting voices within the Azerbaijani community are silenced. Peaceful protests are met with harsh repression.”
Like other ethnic minorities, Dr. Kedar noted that many Azerbaijani people are hung from cranes in the streets of Iran: “It is essential for the international community to recognize and address oppression faced by the Azerbaijani minorities in Iran. We must stand together to condemn any form of discrimination, regardless of its source and demand that the Iranian government takes immediate action to rectify the injustices suffered by all of the minorities in Iran including the Balochis, the Kurds, the Turkmen, the Ahwaz, the Lors and of course the Azerbaijanis, who are especially suffering.”
Dr. Kedar stressed: “We must recognize and address the oppression faced by the Azerbaijani minority in Iran. The denial of their cultural rights, their economic disparity, and political marginalization cannot be ignored any longer. Let us stand united in demanding justice, equality, and the recognition of the Azerbaijani people’s rightful place in Iran. Together, we can create a society that celebrates diversity and fosters a sense of belonging for all of its citizens.”
Dr. Kedar claimed that if Iran continues to repress minorities in Iran, we will continue to see “violence in its streets like we saw over the past year. It might turn into a Yugoslavian scenario if further travesties and atrocities are committed. Whoever supports human rights and political freedom should promote this solution.” Dr. Kedar said Azerbaijanis should not follow Reza Shah Pahlavi, who made a grave mistake by interfering in the signature of 32 Israeli Knesset members, who sought to promote the rights of Azerbaijanis in Iran: “We all need to unite the ranks instead of split the efforts against the mullah’s regime wherever we are.”
As MEP Francesca Donato proclaimed: “Our role as parliamentarians is to protect minorities because it is the essence of democracies to have government and rules that allow all human beings to have dignity and a full life without discrimination and discrimination. Theological regimes and governments produce religious intolerance in their rules and actions. That is really bad. We will fight against any kind of discrimination and persecution against minorities including against Azerbaijanis.”
Andy Vermaut, president of Postversa, concluded, “We have a role to play, a responsibility to uphold for the people of Iran who have endured so much. Let us be a beacon of hope and a force of positive change. When they look back at the darker chapter of history, let us remember not just the hardships they faced but the global coalition that stood by them, fighting for their rights, amplifying their voices and fighting relentlessly for their rights for a just and free Iran.”
Rachel Avraham is the CEO of the Dona Gracia Center for Diplomacy and an Israel-based journalist. She is the author of “Women and Jihad: Debating Palestinian Female Suicide Bombings in the American, Israeli and Arab Media.”
