Iranian message a means of pressure, MPs say
Members of the Milli Majlis (parliament) have said
that recent anti-Azerbaijani statements heard in the Iranian
parliament are unfounded.
"The suggestions being expressed in the Iranian parliament concerning the issue of a note to Azerbaijan is yet another means of pressure on the part of Tehran," Panah Huseyn, an MP from the opposition Musavat party, said.
Iranian MPs demanded, during the last parliament session, that a protest note be issued to the Azerbaijani government for alleged mistreatment of Iranians residing in Azerbaijan, the Farsnews agency reports. Seven representatives of the Iranian parliament demanded, during an open session of parliament last Wednesday, that the Foreign Ministry send a protest to Baku. They maintain that Azerbaijan is treating Iranians disrespectfully.
Huseyn added that there is no pressure on foreign citizens working or living in Azerbaijan.
"The Iranian citizens living or working in Azerbaijan have enjoyed certain privileges, albeit unofficial, since the early 1990s. The authorities may have removed the privileges now, and Iran is trying to put pressure on Azerbaijan," Huseyn said.
Fazayil Aghamali, chairman of the pro-government Ana Vatan party, said he considered the discussion in the Iranian parliament "absurd." He added that foreign citizens may freely live, move and work in Azerbaijan. "Instead of conducting such discussions, the Iranian parliament should have responded to the accusations that ethnic Azerbaijanis living in Iran cannot receive education in their native language," he said.
Further, the chairman of the opposition party Umid, Iqbal Agazada, said the Iranian parliament was talking about the breach of human rights of 2,000 Iranians living in Azerbaijan instead of taking steps to secure the rights of Iran`s 30 million ethnic Azerbaijanis.
According to unofficial estimates, Iran is home to about 35 million Azerbaijanis.
"The suggestions being expressed in the Iranian parliament concerning the issue of a note to Azerbaijan is yet another means of pressure on the part of Tehran," Panah Huseyn, an MP from the opposition Musavat party, said.
Iranian MPs demanded, during the last parliament session, that a protest note be issued to the Azerbaijani government for alleged mistreatment of Iranians residing in Azerbaijan, the Farsnews agency reports. Seven representatives of the Iranian parliament demanded, during an open session of parliament last Wednesday, that the Foreign Ministry send a protest to Baku. They maintain that Azerbaijan is treating Iranians disrespectfully.
Huseyn added that there is no pressure on foreign citizens working or living in Azerbaijan.
"The Iranian citizens living or working in Azerbaijan have enjoyed certain privileges, albeit unofficial, since the early 1990s. The authorities may have removed the privileges now, and Iran is trying to put pressure on Azerbaijan," Huseyn said.
Fazayil Aghamali, chairman of the pro-government Ana Vatan party, said he considered the discussion in the Iranian parliament "absurd." He added that foreign citizens may freely live, move and work in Azerbaijan. "Instead of conducting such discussions, the Iranian parliament should have responded to the accusations that ethnic Azerbaijanis living in Iran cannot receive education in their native language," he said.
Further, the chairman of the opposition party Umid, Iqbal Agazada, said the Iranian parliament was talking about the breach of human rights of 2,000 Iranians living in Azerbaijan instead of taking steps to secure the rights of Iran`s 30 million ethnic Azerbaijanis.
According to unofficial estimates, Iran is home to about 35 million Azerbaijanis.
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