Azernews.Az

BAKU – Iranian Ambassador in Baku Mahammad Bagir Bahrami has extended his condolences to the Azerbaijani people over January 20, the anniversary of the killings perpetrated in Baku in 1990, the time the Soviet Union was on the brink of collapse.

"Azerbaijan’s independence and territorial integrity is and will be supported," Bahrami said in his appeal. "On this national remembrance day, the time of bitter grief, I consider it my duty to share the grief of the state and people of friendly and fraternal Azerbaijan."

The appeal said that the January 20 developments, which reflected the Azerbaijani people’s struggle for independence aiming to break free from the bondage of foreign colonization, were eternally embedded in history and represent a symbol of pride for Azerbaijanis.

The USSR leadership, which was trying to maintain the Communist regime in Azerbaijan and strangle the unfolding national liberation movement, pulled troops into Baku early on January 20, 1990. 132 people were killed, including women, children and the elderly, and 612 others were injured. 117 of those killed were Azerbaijanis and the rest were people of other nationalities, according to official estimates.