Partition Iran?

Another Misguided Plan by Southern California Congressman Rohrabacher

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Partition Iran?
by Touraj Daryaee
29-Aug-2012
 

From time to time it is important that one provide a teach-in to nonacademics and educate those who promote wrong and harmful ideas. As a history professor I would like to teach a history lesson to Mr. Dana Rohrabacher, the honorable Congressional Representative of California’s 46th District in Orange County where I live and work. On July 26, 2012 Mr. Rohrabacher wrote a letter to the US Secretary of the State, Hillary Clinton, informing her that since the “people of Azerbaijan are geographically divided and many are calling for the reunification of their homeland after nearly two centuries of foreign rule,” the United States should help them reach that goal. He then goes on to say that: Russia and Persia divided the homeland of Azeris homeland in 1828, without their consent. “The Azerbaijan Republic won its independence in 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed,” continues the letter “Now it is time for the Azeris in Iran to win their freedom too.” Finally, Rohrabacher states: “Aiding the legitimate aspirations of the Azeri people for independence is a worthy cause in and of itself…yet, it also poses a greater danger to the Iranian tyrants than the threat of bombing its underground nuclear research bunkers.”

Obviously Mr. Rohrabacher is concerned with the immediate issues at hand in the Middle East and the interests of the US and Israel in a very twisted way, because he calls the MEK (Mojahedin Khalq Organization, an Iranian exile group on the US terrorist

list), “Israel’s Friends.” This obviously demonstrates Mr. Rohrabacher’s political stance and the influence of its supporters which is detrimental to the US policy in the Middle East. This short sightedness and lack of knowledge about the region and its history is indeed exactly the reason for which the US has gotten involved in the Middle East (Iraq and Afghanistan), which has bankrupted us. The question is how this kind of interference in different countries and plan of dismantling nation-states, recognized by the UN would help the US? Or does it simply just help other countries in the region? Well, the short answer is that it doesn’t help a bit! Last time I checked, it was the work of colonial powers in the nineteenth century which created and divided countries in Middle East. Even in Orange County it is taught that such ideas and actions were evil and has caused problems in the world for the past two centuries. It has been a long time since any country has thought of such colonial plans.

Mr. Rohrabacher states that the Azeri people have been divided for the past two centuries by Russia and Persia in 1828 (I wonder how much travel he has had in the Republic of Azerbijan and Iran’s province of Azarbijan to make such a claim). Just a short glance in any preparatory college world history book will make it clear that the territory he is discussing was part of Iran (known as Persia then), which was invaded by Russians in 1828 and annexed through a peace treaty. But what is important is that the territory that Imperial Russia took as part of her victory over the Persians was never called Azarbijan. It was the Soviet strongman, Stalin who in order to meddle in Iran’s affairs renamed the region of Arran (historical ancient Albania) as Azerbijan as a thorn on the side of Iran and those allies who disagreed with the USSR, namely US and the UK. It seems Mr. Rohrabacher is following Stalin’s footsteps!

As an ancient historian I am also tempted to give Mr. Rohrabacher a history lesson about the very ancient past. The name Azarbijan (Turkified as Azerbijan), comes from the name of the last Satrap (Persian word now existing in English, check it in any good dictionary) of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, named Aturpat, in the 4th Century BCE. His family stayed on as local rulers even after Alexander the Great’s conquest and hence the region became known as Azarbijan (Old Persian Aturpatakan). The Old Persian terms mean “Protector of Fire.” This, however, is only the region south of the Aras River (Iranian Azarbijan), while to the north; Arran was named Azerbijan by Stalin. The Republic of Azerbijan is a twentieth century creation. Hence, there was never historically a unity or connection between the two. The region was turkified in the medieval period and that is just one more ethnic group among many others in the modern nation-state of Iran and beyond.

But Mr. Rohrabacher should also be told that it was the Azaris of Iran and Arran who in fact invented modern ideas of Iranian nationalism. Akhundzadeh, known in the Republic of Azerbijan as Akhundof, a national hero is the man who perpetuated the intellectual movement behind the idea of the greatness of Iran. Since then, many if not most Iranian statesmen and intellectuals have been of Azai background (Ayatollah Khamenei and the previous presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi are both from Iranian Azarbijan). Many of the most famous Iranian historians, linguists and scholars in modern times have also been ethnically Azari, but none have called for such a separation. I don’t know why Mr. Rohrabacher and his handful of friends (Mojahedin Khalgh in Washington who are spending money trying to buy congressmen and congresswomen, along with Israel), are making such nonsensical statements. They are both incorrect and historically inaccurate.

Furthermore, the Iranian Azarbijan is not only inhabited by Turkic speaking, but also Kurdish people as well as the Christian Assyrian and few remaining Armenians. Mr. Rohrabacher should read a bit on the consequence of promoting a single ethnicity in a multi-ethnic areas and nation-state such as Iran. Lessons from Kosovo and Serbia-Bosnia Herzegovina, as well as Armenia-Azerbijan wars among other, places have shown that such ethnic divisions leads to ethnic cleansing and horrific acts of violence. Iran has been a multi-ethnic civilization for the past 2500 years. It is people like Mr. Rohrabacher who have fallen into the trap of Israel and the Mojahedin Khalgh who seek such divisions for their own opportunistic aims.

US involvement in the Middle East, particularly in Iran in the twentieth century, with a highlight of US backed coup in 1953 which dethroned the only democratically elected prime minister in that nation’s history has made the modern Iran as it is today. I am sure the congressman has heard of the term “blowback,” meaning any shortsighted action could lead to long-term problems in the Middle East and for the US. It should be a lesson to Mr. Rohrabacher to stay out of Iranian affairs and concentrate on unemployment, the broken educational system and poverty in his own county. He is needed more here in Orange County where things are falling apart. His similar ideas about partitioning Afghanistan have made him persona non grata in that country. Let’s save California, before others begin to call for its secession from the US!

First published in counterpunch.org.

AUTHOR
Touraj Daryaee is Professor of History at University of California, Irvine. He can be reached at tdaryaee@yahoo.com

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MaryamJoon

Attaturk was a crypto-Jew ... who called himself a "Turk"

by MaryamJoon on


( see Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's Jewish Roots ) 

Erdogan has no family connection to Mousavi - who is Iranian-Azari.  

Turkmen-Bashi (President of Turkmenistan) looks nothing like Mousavi and Mousavi looks nothing like Erdogan or Attaturk.  

What do you mean by "Turk"?  

Iranian-Azarbaijanis are Iranians.  Azaris original language was an Iranian language.   


aziz

Turks not Azari mr Daryaee

by aziz on

History Students of Mr Touraj Daryaee at the University of California, Irvine, should do themselves a favor for educational sake either talk with great many Azarbaijani turks or travel to Iran to see if they call themselves Azari or Turk. Have you azari kh.. jokes lately from your friends!! In History one can not just invent word for his/her own pleasure, otherwise we would have had in case of Iran, Tehi for tehran, khori for khorasan, khouzi for khouzestan etc. !!


MassudSaad

Partioning

by MassudSaad on

I can not agree more with Dr. Daryaee's article regarding Azarbaijan except for the fact that I believe the Congressman gets his ideas from a different source than MKO; the Congressman's statement and its distorted history sounds more like propaganda being uttered by the ruling clique in  Baku. The policy of annexing the province of Azarbaijan to its northern neighbor, though initiated by Stalin, is now being carried by the former appartchiks now in control of Republic of Azerbaijan and few Iranian traitor who are on their payroll.  It is noteworthy that Turan, the offficial news agency of Republic of Azerbaijan, was first to report the Congressman's Statement!! 


Aarash4545

May be, just may be...

by Aarash4545 on

this is the only way to free oursleves from this nekbat-e Islaami. We cannot free all of Iran at once, but we can do that bit-by-bit.

Can we leave all those nationalistic fervours to rest for strategic reasons, and just get on with the job, starting with Azerbaijan? Then it'll be the turn of Kurdistan, Khuzistan to the West, Mazandaran & Gilan up North, then Pars, Kerman, Sistan and Khurasan and evnentually, when the central government of thugs is weakened enough we can join forces to free Tehran and Isfahan and rid Iran of these Mafiosies. This is achievable withing 1-3 years. In the future free Iran, we form a Federal Governement where all states have equal rights and a level playing field.

Now whether we want a Shah or not can be decided later, and who knows...we might even be able to elect our own state Shahs and a Federal Shah-n-Shah every 4 years. 


arash Irandoost

Thank you Dr. Daryaee for speaking up!

by arash Irandoost on

Dear Dr. Touraj Daryaee,

Thank you very much for taking the initiative to write the article Partition Iran in reaction to Congressman Rohrabacher and in his misguided zeal to advocate for separation of Azarbaijan from Iran. Indeed you were a bit more diplomatic in addressing the issue with him...because as a political activist and and Azari myself, I was outraged and appalled to read and learn about the Congressman's incorrect and simplistic solution to help Israel and the Azarbaijan Republic and hurt the IRI. It is sad to learn how naive [uneducated] some of our politicians are when it comes to foreign policy matters and history.I am also saddened that our political leaders and many organizations have remained silent and not spoken up on the issue of such importance.

Thank you again for your historical perspective, hopefully Congressman Rohrabacher is a bit more informed and would not entertain such irresponsible idea in the future!

Sincerely,

Arash Irandoost

p.s. Below is a copy of letter we sent the Congressman and I believe there is a petition afoot currently collecting signatures.

//www.pdmiran.org/2012/08/letter-of-protest-t...

Letter of Protest To Congressman Dana Rohrabacher On Separation of Azarbaijan from Iran

August 27, 2012

The Honorable Congressman Dana Rohrabacher
Chairman of the Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
101 Main Street, Suite 380
Huntington Beach, CA 92648

The Honorable Congressman Dana Rohrabacher,

The Iranian-American community is appalled to hear that a person of your stature as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations would entertain the absurd notion of separating Azerbaijan from our beloved motherland Iran, simply because of a phone conversation with an ill-educated member of the ruling party of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Mr. Congressman, there are simply so many errors in your short letter to Mrs. Clinton, that one is dumbfounded as to where to start. To begin with, through the course of the history of nations many invasions bring linguistic, if not necessarily language, changes. To assume that someone who speaks a language must be ethnically of a certain origin is a false assumption.

Azerbaijan, the land of Zoroaster, has always, and continues to be, an inseparable part of Iran. Azaris are Iranians first and foremost. The historical account of Azerbaijan belonging to Iran and Azari as Iranians are too numerous to mention here, but for the Congressman’s enlightenment, a few are listed herein:
Ahmad Kasravi, a notable Iranian linguist and historian, known for his solid research on the ancient Azari language, successfully demonstrated that Azari language was an offshoot of Pahlavi language, arguing that the ancient Azari language had been closely related to the Persian language and the influx of Turkic words began only with the Saljuq invasion. Mr. Kasravi proved that the true national language of Iranian Azerbaijan was Persian and, due to this discovery, he was granted membership of the London Royal Asiatic Society and American Academy.

Many other notable Persian, Arab and Western scholars and historians further provide documentation that the entire land called Azarbaijan has always been a part of Iranian territory.

Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn al-Husayn Al-Masudi (896-956), the Arab historian states: The Persians are a people whose borders are the Mahat Mountains and Azarbaijan up to Armenia and Aran, and Bayleqan and Darband, and Ray and Tabaristan and Masqat and Shabaran and Jorjan and Abarshahr, and that is Nishabur, and Herat and Marv and other places in land of Khorasan, and Sejistan and Kerman and Fars and Ahvaz.

Hamzeh Isfahani writes in the book al-Tanbih ‘ala Hoduth al Tashif that five “tongues” or dialects, were common in Sassanid Iran: Pahlavi, Dari, Parsi (Farsi), Khuzi and Soryani. Hamzeh (893-961 A.D.) explains these dialects in the following way: Pahlavi was a dialect which kings spoke in their assemblies and it is related to Fahleh. This name is used to designate five cities of Iran, Esfahan, Rey, Hamadan, Man Nahavand, and Azerbaijan.

According to Professor Tadeusz Swietochowski:…, the name “Azerbaijan” is derived from Atropates, the name of a Persian satrap of the late fourth century B.C. Another theory traces the origin of the name to the Persian word azar (“fire”‘) – hence Azerbaijan, “the Land of Fire”, because of Zoroastrian temples, with their fires fueled by plentiful supplies of oil. Azerbaijan maintained its national character after its conquest by the Arabs and its subsequent forced conversion to Islam. Only in the 11th century, when Turkic tribes under the Seljuk dynasty entered the country, did Azerbaijan acquire a significant number of Turkic inhabitants. The original Persian population became fused with the Turks, and gradually the Persian language was supplanted by a Turkic dialect that evolved into the distinct Azari language.

Furthermore, claiming that East and Western Azarbaijan were named by the Islamic Republic is totally absurd and inaccurate, since the regime came to power only 33 years ago. The Turkomanchai Treaty the Congressman refers to in your letter was a treaty between Russia and Persia ending the Russo-Persian War of 1826–28. According to the terms of the treaty (Article 4 ), Iran lost sovereignty over Yerevan (current capital of Armenia), Nakhichevan, Talysh, Ordubad, and Mughan regions of Arran Province (now part of modern Azerbaijan Republic), in addition to all lands annexed by Russia in the Gulistan Treaty. Further proof that the current Republic of Azarbaijan belonged to Iran and not the other way around.

Congressman, please do not make the same mistake as the current administration. As Iranian-Americans, we believe that President Obama is on the same erroneous foreign policy path as President Carter over three decades ago when it comes to the Middle East. Much like the “gift of Islamic Republic to Iran, the 'gift' of a terrorist organization such as the Muslim Brotherhood over Egypt and Al Qaida in Libya are the very by-products of an ill-informed and naïve President and Democratic administrations. The great majority of Iranians despises the current criminal regime in Iran and do not identify with its leadership’s fanatical and expansionist ideology. We consider the current regime a menace to world peace and are seeking the world’s assistance to get rid of the parasite called the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Congressman Rohrabacher, there are over a million Iranian-Americans living in the United States, indeed, Iranians are amongst the most highly educated ethnic minority groups living in the United States. Most importantly, we are very active in politics, because of the unfortunate imposition of the Islamic Republic government on our country, largely due to President Carter’s ineptitude and lack of knowledge and familiarity with the Middle East.

Mr. Rohrabacher, educated Iranians bear no animosity toward the Republic of Azarbaijan. Our historic cultural and linguistic ties date back centuries. Neither do the Iranian people bear any animosity toward the state of Israel. A great majority of educated Iranians consider Israelis as their friends. Cyrus the Great has been mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as the patron and deliverer of the Jews who ended their captivity. Under our great king the world's first Charter of Human Rights was established. The Congressman might be interested in knowing that prior to the Islamic Republic seizing power 33 years ago, Iran and Israel were the closest ally of the United States in the Middle East.
Please do not equate the people of Iran with the current repressive regime in power.

Various Iranian opposition groups have been fighting the regime inside and outside of Iran. We are opposed to futile dialogue and diplomacy of three decades and are seeking regime change for Iran and have pushed for the strictest sanctions against the regime, including a full embargo of Iranian oil. Of course, the regime has derided the impact of international sanctions on its economy, but that swagger is showing signs of becoming more of a panic as Iran’s currency continues its slide in the wake of new US sanctions targeting the Iranian central bank. We are concerned that, in your misguided zeal to help Israel, you might just provide the Islamic Republic the pretext it needs to mobilize the masses with its anti-Western propaganda and further suppress the opposition groups fighting the regime so valiantly!

Despite your recommendation, it is about time that countries such as the United States publicly align themselves with the democracy-seeking people who have suffered brutally at the hands of dictators and tyrants. It is time to give honor, dignity, moral imperatives and ethical values precedence over lucrative financial contracts that often occur, wrongly, at the expense of ordinary Iranian citizens’ lives.

By supporting pro-democracy Iranian opposition groups, the world community can not only avert a regional and potentially global catastrophe, it will also help establish a democratic system of government in the region. If Iranians are successful in shaking off the yoke of theocracy, their success could herald the failure of a political and militant Islam. Helping Iran become a democracy is not only is a moral imperative, but should be considered an essential foreign policy priority that will bring a sustainable and lasting peace to the Middle East.

A great majority of Iranians do not plan to vote for Mr. Obama as he turned his back on Iranian demonstrators during the June 2009 uprising and stood silent while the regime thugs violently crushed the demonstrators and fatally shot our beloved Neda. He is doing the same in Syria. We are looking forward to Mr. Romney’s presidency and the Republican control of the House and the Senate and are hopeful that he will support the pro-West and pro-democracy Iranian groups to get rid of this rapist regime and help restore peace and order to a troubled region of the world brought on us largely due to foreign policy mistakes of the Democratic administrations. Please do not stoop to their level and make the same mistake.

Sincerely,
The Undersigned
Dr. Arash Irandoost, Founder, Pro-democracy Movement of Iran (PDMI), //www.pdmi.org and www.pdmiran.org, Member, Advisory board of Foundation for Democracy in Iran (FDI)
Kenneth R. Timmerman, Nobel prize nominee, Best selling author, Journalist and 2012 Congressional candidate, DC, MD
Reza Kahlili, Served in CIA Directorate of Operations, as a spy in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, counter-terrorism expert, Author of A Time to Betray; Member, Advisory board of Foundation for Democracy in Iran (FDI)
Walton K. Martin - Director, Iran Information project - USA
Dr. Gill Gillespie - Director, Iran Information project - UK
Amil Imani, Iran Expert, Author of Obama meets Ahmadinejad and Operation Persian Gulf
Parvin Irandoost- Human Rights Activist, USA
Roxanne Ganji, Political Activist, USA
Behdad Morshedi, Human rights defender
Rose Atwood, Political and human rights activist
Shabnam Assadollahi, Human Rights Activist, Freelance Broadcaster, Board Member: Neda for a Free Iran, Former Political Prisoner
Shadi Paveh, Spokesperson for Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran, Canada
Homayoun Mobasseri, Organizing Director: Neda for a Free Iran, www.nfafi.org
Soheila Nikpour, Director, Iranian Refugee Amnesty Network, Representative, Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran
Dr. Bahram Rad, Human Rights Researcher, Sydney University
Firouzeh Ghaffarpour, Human Rights advocate and Political Activist
Sogol Ayrom, Political Activist, Austria
Saied Shemirani, Political and Human Rights Activist, TV Host, Founder: United Persian Organization (Iranbozorg)
Mohammad Taghi Moslehi - Journalist and political activist, Washington DC
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Siyamack Sohrabmanesh
Abbas Khorsandi
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Pardis Irani, Transparent Movement of Iran

Lida K. Ashjaee
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Bruce Davidson
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Abbas Khorsandi

Shohreh Parsinejad
Paolo Morella

Ali Kimiai, Political Activist
Pardis Irani, Transparent Movement of Iran

Lida K. Ashjaee 
Khashak Irani
Homayoun Naderifar 
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Rebecca

Rohrabacher's information

by Rebecca on

Dear Friends,

Please call Congressman Rohrabacher and tell him you don't support his proposal to separate Azarbeijan from Iran. Here is his contact info:

 District Office 
101 Main Street, Suite 380
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(714) 960-6483 
(310) 377-9493
Fax (714) 960-7806

 


Hafez for Beginners

GREAT BRITAIN: Celtic vs. Anglo Saxon

by Hafez for Beginners on

CELTIC Wales/Scotland  Vs.  ANGLO SAXON England:

I grew up in Great Britain: Wales
and Scotland are "Celtic" people. The English are "Anglo-Saxon." The
difference is far more distinct and  pronounced than the Azari/Persian
differences.

Some foreign leader calling for the cutting off of Wales or Scotland - would be just as ludicrous. In other words, before proposing this kind of chewing up of nations, why not be consistent and apply it to All? My guess is that won't happen, because it would look really silly.


Anonymous Observer

Aziz

by Anonymous Observer on

Isfahan is an example of the brutality of Turkish rule.  The population of Isfahan at the time was majority Jewish.  They were force converted by the Turks to Shia Islam.  Not a very good example of Turkish inclusiveness.  And Ferdowsi...Please.  The Ghaznavis had put a price on his head.  


aziz

Wrong

by aziz on

Anonymous this statement unfortunately is not true "Persian are tolerant, inclusive people, as our long history has conclusively demonstrated" As a Persian, we have generally shown zero tolerance to the mere existence and flourishing of our countrymen culture in the past 100 years. I am indebted to Turks for all their accommodation in reviving my Farsi language (Ferdosi by the gaznavian) and making the Isfahan what it is now that we are proud of. How are we treating the neighboring Afghani people are not indicative of our tolerance or inclusiveness. We should cherish the diversity of our culture and respect the differences, People have the birthright to determine their own destiny and their desire for better life and whether you wanted or not human being are not tied up to SOIL as it is apparent from millions of immigrant. Cherry picking from history has no bearing determining full rights of people.


Bavafa

+1 for Reality-Bite comment in its entirely....

by Bavafa on

and one particular sentence that I specially appreciate and believe.

"So to use the IR as a pretext for whatever separatist agenda, is nothing but a cop out"

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad


Anonymous Observer

Turks established religious/racial bigotry & oppression in Iran

by Anonymous Observer on

Persian are tolerant, inclusive people, as our long history has conclusively demonstrated.  From Cyrus the Great's declaration of human rights and his allowing different races and religions to coexist in peace to the Sassanid Empire, where the majority of the population of their own capital city, Ctisephon, was Christian.  

Relgious and racial bigotry and oppression began when Turks took power power in Iran, with their ethnocentric and tribal mentality.  Up until the time of the Turk Safavid rulers, more than fifty percent of Iran's population was still Zoroastrian.  Safavids were the ones who, for political and power consolidation reasons, created the menace of political Shia relgion and converted millions of Iranian Zoroastrians, Christians, Sunni Muslims and Jews by force to Shiism.  Something that the Muslim invaders never even dreamt of doing.  The religious supremicist theocracy that we see in today's Iran is a legacy of Safavid Turks.  

Turks also rule by tribal mentality and throughout history of their centuries long domination and rule of Iran--which continues today in the person of Khamnei, another Turk--have discriminated against Persian participation in high office.  Turks have also given us such superstars as Shah Sultan Hussein Qajar, Sadegh Khalkhali and Seyyed Ali Khamenei.  Turks have been oppressing and ruling Iran for centuries now--with the minor exception of the Pahlavi dynasty.  And they have the audacity to complain about discrimination!!  What else do you want?  You are a minority, elite clube that has been ruling the majority of a country's population for centuries. That's not enough for you?!!  

Savalan:  did I touch a nerve by declaring myself a Person of pure Persian background?  Did I?  Good!  The only racist here is you, who wants to break up a country along racial lines.  Now THAT's what Hitler wanted.  And the link that you posted about Khamenei proves what exactly?  It says he was a Turk who was born in Mashhad.  It says that his family only spoke Turkish.  So, you're trying to show what exactly?!!

Also, question for you and Leili: If Iran is so bad and racist, why don't the two of you hold hands & move to the Azarbijan Republic, which you consider to be your racial kin?  I'm sure they will give you citizenship.  Problem solved.  In the meantime, never forget this:  Azarbaijan belongs to Iran and all Iranians.  It was the site of our main royal fire temple.  Your Turkish culture is a foreign import.  Not that we have a problem with multi-culturalism, but educate yourself about what you're trying to talk about before you spew your racist rants.  


Reality-Bites

The ugly side of Nationalism

by Reality-Bites on

Or more accurately, overt nationalism. Lots of over emotional and personal insults in the comments posted, which is sad to see.

Whilst patriotism and love for one's country are noble sentiments, insistence on division based on ethnicity is often the thin end of the wedge of racism.

As someone who is part Pars, part Turk and part Kurd, I know a thing or two about such things and let me tell those who keep banging drums of separation and disunity that Iranians of ALL ethnicities have suffered under the Islamic Republic's repression. So to use the IR as a pretext for whatever separatist agenda, is nothing but a cop out.

I support everyone's rights to their views, even those who yearn to tear Iran apart, just for the sake of having a tiny patch of land where they don't want to have anything to do with anyone else but their own ethnic batch of master race. What I will never support is the disintegration of the ancient and homogenous land that is Iran, which has been a nation for 3000 years.

Destroying our home land, after all the spilt blood and sweat of millions of its sons and daughters to ensure its survival throughout her eventful and long history, just for some Iran-hating people to have their ethnically "pure" whatever, is not and will not be an option.

Like all parts of the country, Azarbijan is an integral part of Iran and belongs to all Iranians. Like wise Tehran's population is half Azari and the city belongs to them as much as anyone else. Indeed Azaris are spread all over Iran, because it is their country. Many of the greatest Iranians have been/are Azari/Turk. Azaris are in the DNA of Iran and there would be no Iran without them. I'm proud to be their fellow countryman. If certain individuals wish to go and become citizens of the Republic of Azarbijan, they are free to do so. Good riddance to them. But if they think they will take Iran's Azarbijan with them any time soon, they are deluding themselves.


Cost-of-Progress

Thanks Islamist pukes

by Cost-of-Progress on

Even the thought, the talk and debate of taking Iran apart should send a chill down EVERY Iranian in every corner of the globe.

Here's yet another effect of having a bunch of anti nationalist clergy as "leaders" of an ancient culture and people who seem to be slowly (or may be rapidly) going down the drain of history.

After a few thousand years, this is what we as a nation have to show for ourselves.

Shame on ALL of us. 


alimostofi

The Treasurer and Governor vs Mullahs.

by alimostofi on

A: well they have to say that sort of thing. I think that is standard procedure for terrorists. Lol.

What grandad did that really pissed them off was he created the first Edareh Sabt Asnad in Iran. The Moslem form of social administration was always via their so called holy buildings. Everytime someone was born married or died they had to go to some person who hated Iran and prefered to face Mecca and pay him to get the birth marriage or death registered.

Grandad realised that a huge amount of money was being siphoned off into the pockets of those people's own priorities. The money you would pay let's say to register the birth of your new born Kourosh would go to pay for some kabab for some mullah.

The secularization of Iran needed a proper administrative procedure. Mostofis were administrators. We were not into politics. The Chief Treasurer was Mostofi. As such our duty was to hold the seal of Treasury and make sure money was handled appropriately.

The mullahs lost a lot of money when Edareh Sabt Asnad was created by grandad. Maybe you can find out more mud and paste on these walls for us to laugh at. Or maybe you can read the books that grandad has written and other Mostofis in the history of Iran. Or maybe better still speak about your grandad openly and honestly and reply responsibly. Show me who can?

Show me one person on any Iranian forum who writes as much, says and is who he is, and proudly takes any comment. We are all threatened every day. The enemy knows all of you. But not one of you steps out of your pseudonyms and comes forward to save Iran. You have all abandoned Iran and are ignoring Iran. You can write in glorious Persian but you have not got the guts to stand and be counted. And that is the truth.

@alimostofi
FB: astrologer.alimostofi


anglophile

Of governors and their advice

by anglophile on

 

Mr Mostofi's comments about granpa made me curious and did a Google search. Among the results couple of them caught my attention:

 

 //shirindil.blogfa.com/post-89.aspx

 

//www.ostan-as.gov.ir/?PageID=100

 


Soosan Khanoom

Leili, I wish I was Turk !! It's not fair

by Soosan Khanoom on

that you guys become so Europian and I stay in that shitty hellhole called Iran. 

Whom should I see to become a Turk?

lol 


Darius Kadivar

By Abolishing the Monarchy you encouraged Separatism

by Darius Kadivar on

Republic Federal, Secular, Green or Blue My Ass ! 

 

Thank Your Own Clueless Namaknashnass and immature Parents and Anyone who advocated a Republic ( Secular or Not) for this situation ...

 

This is only the begining ... 

 

All this is bound to continue under the banner of the Un Iranian Flag and 3 decades of a Masochistic Hatred and Self Denial encouraged by the IRI and the Revolution it was born out.

 

2nd Arab Invasion indeed ...

 

Iran will never be the same again ...

 

Sigh ...  

 

 


leili2012

and you mis-quoted my message. Did I say "All" and "always"?

by leili2012 on

 I said "people" based on my personal experiences and travels but if there is a free refrundum, then you might get shocked by the results. Hellhole shitty called "Iran" is incapable of ever being a federal. Whether IR is ruling or ignorant "Aryan" persians (haha), it would be the same for Azeri Turks. We need our own state with North Azerbaijan with the capital of Tabriz.       


alimostofi

Kujirasan and Governor of Azarbaijan

by alimostofi on

K: fyi I have written on the ancient roots. Please note that the oldest and most sacred archaelogical remains of human beings on Earth is in this area namely The Throne of Solomon. The Temple of Anahita and Azargoshtasp are there.

The ancient Iranian tradition has it that the most learned person in Iranian history becomes the governor of Azarbaijan. My grandad was one of them. The Prince of Persia accordingly spends many years at the governor mansions, to learn about keeping Iran united under one culture, and watching the exploits of separatists operating in Azarbaijan.

In fact MRP did spend a long time with my grandad. Grandad wrote a huge book on the modern political history of Iran. On the day MRP had to become King he asked my grandad what final advice do you have. My grandad said that there are times when Iran and the people of Iran need Kings who rule and there are times when Kings should reign.

There is more. ...

@alimostofi
FB: astrologer.alimostofi


Roozbeh_Gilani

leili2012: You seem to be mis quoting your own link!

by Roozbeh_Gilani on

The link you supplied only states:

 "In the northwest, that sense of hopelessness has led some young Iranians of ethnic Turkish origin to favor seceding and joining Azerbaijan. In soccer games in Tabriz, fans sometimes outrage the authorities by roaring secessionist slogans."

So please note: "Some" and "Sometimes"  is vastly different from "all" and "always"...!

As a Gilak, myself subject to petty "rashti Jokes" as a child growing up in tehran, my advice to  those young Azari hamvatans who are falling for narrow minded ultra nationalistic/pan-turkik sentimenst is this: We, all as Iranians have one common enemy: the fascist islamist regime. We all neeed to be united together to overthrow  this Islamist shame on our nation and replace it with a secular democracy. In my own opinion, a Federal republic of Iran, is the correct system of government for our country. A system of government to build fraternity, amongst all Iranian people and build a strong, free country under one national flag, yet respecting the diversity of our national groups (Azaris, Kurds, Arabs, Balooch, Fars...) post islamist regime... 

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."


leili2012

Azerbaijan will be united

by leili2012 on

Azerbaijan will be united one day. South Azerbaijan will join North and live free from ignorant persian hegemony, oppression, religious bigotry. Whether Iranians like it or not. We want SEPARATION from IRAN. 


leili2012

South Azerbaijan wants seceding.

by leili2012 on

 I have vastly traveled South and North Azerbaijan and I attest that people in south wants separation from Iran and joining North.

Kristof in his recent trip to Tabriz testifies to this. 

 

//www.nytimes.com/2012/06/21/opinion/kristof-...


Savalan

Hahaha Anonymous Observer

by Savalan on

So, you are pure pure pure Persian right?! :D pure Aryan race! Like Hitler, right?! Stupid racist! hahah

For your attention: 

https://www.qirmiz.com/modules/upload/attachments/551876_427634763953680_1136003470_n.jpg 


Anonymous Observer

End the long Azari /Turkish dictatorship &oppression of Persians

by Anonymous Observer on

which began with the Saljooghis, and continued with the Afshar, the Savaids, the Qajar, and which continues to modern day with homicidal criminals such as Khalkhali, Mousavi  and Khamenei.  

Time for us Persians to take our country back from Savalan's brothers who have been oppressing us and have been our overlords for centuries.   

PS- Savalan: I'm as pure a Persian as they come.  My home village is about 40 minutes drive from Persepolis. My family even sepaks an ancient Persian dialect.  Ta cheshmet koor! 


kujirasan

The Vermin and the Last Zoroastrian Genocide

by kujirasan on

What is unbelievable, is that no one has ever mentioned that this region is the birth of the Iranian Culture and Civilization,  and it is spiritual and physically occupied by the TURKS, it is time to resurect it at any cost, and return it to its rightful pedestal.

Just have a look at this statements but forward by this charter, indication of baseness of  parasitic enties not only they have occupied and desecrated the spiritual heartland of a nation, but want it for ever, take look, of squalid filth printed by Savalan.

Since early childhood, I have been exposed to the racial discrimination
against the ethnic group into which I was born. As a school boy, I was
not allowed to speak my mother tongue, Azerbaijani Turkic. I never saw
text books written in my language. I was not taught to read and write my
language or learn about my culture and history. As Iran’s only official
language Farsi, the Persian language was imposed on us. We were forced
to learn Persian language, Persian history, and Persian culture as the
common identity of all Iranians. 

Before I go further, a look to the North of the border, one will find the only intact structure in it pristine form from the Sassanian Era that is still standing,  is on the shores of Caspian sea in Modern Dagestan, if was built by Khosrov I, also known as Anushirvan called the DERBAND Fortress(DARBAND), around there are Ossett people , the Ossett is Russian Georgian name, they call themselves IRONI , and at home they speak Ironi! 

But who invasive species that have ruined and defiled the land? where they come from, how they got there, and what happened to the Persian Speaker? This none of the historians talk about write about now have been researched! But if one managed to get to it, there one most Herodotus and tragic events that took place, committed by these filthy invader, these blood thirty vermin.

I don't have time to go into it took 4 years of research to find the what befell to the Zoroastrians, I first became interested in their fate, when I landed by parachute in Ghabustan, in Azerbaijian undergoing mountain warfare training, I came across a beautiful littl temple still standing and a flame flickering from a methane gas coming out of ground , yes it was a Zoroastrian temple , and near it there was a engraving, into the rock in Latin, went like this Legia XII Titus Flavius Caesarum, That meant 12 Legion, at the time of Titus Flavius, that was clue that helped me to get closer to faith of the ones that built that beautiful structure. The search took me to China where the grave of last Sassian King who was Grand son of Yazgerd, the epitaph on his Grave was He fought the DA SHU WEI , which Chinese word for Persian Tazi, or Arabs.

Another people that lived in That region, were Assyrians, their books give some indication to the faith of the Persians, they divided the history of the area in two eras, the Time of Greatness and Peace,  the time of PARSAY, which means Persians, And the Time of Catastrophe and famine, the time and era of HO SHA RA, meanting these people in California further helped, it was that HOSHARA gave the clue to the identity of the invasive pest, it means AFSHAR Turkmen,  I managed to locate their original homeland it is around Kashgar and Urumechi(URUMQI) in China, there two thing that distigushes them from other Turkish ..... , one is for GOOD they use YAKHCHEH and for bread use CHORAG , and the other group that use that , are those around Kashgar, the city of Urumiah is in their tongue means fine pasture  or Martaeh Marqub and was named after the area, they are called UYGHER, which come from the word TEN ARROWS(ON OK LARI), these are nomadic pastoralists who take the goat and seep to pasture and sit watch them graze and bring them home where the women milked them, in the winter it was raiding and looting Iranian cities and villages, when they expel and butcher the Zoroastrian, the wheat production was wiped out for few year and the famine followed!  It should be added these closely related to Gavanlus better knows as Ghajas, who were removed by the Afshars and settled in Gorgan, the Ghajars were in Ganjeh and Baku, 

The Zoroastrians were take to Isfahan and massacred there along the river,  a French priest throw himself at the feet of Shah Abbas and saved few of them, the y head to YAZAD another group was taken to Modern ILAM and perished there.

It should be noted all the young women take to sexual slavery by the trash, wonder if this great historian will get off his arse and work it out , or will read the shah nameh and base his garbage mythology, the accounts of that French is in Vatican library!  it wasn’t the Arabs that did the damage, it was the Turks and the grazing animals they brought with them that destroyed the environment and caused deforestation. They are as far South as Shiraz, the Ghashghai tribe.

Wonder if Shiraz and Isfahan be next on the hit least.

My apologies for miss spelling and grammar etc, 

I point out to you as battle experienced officer I never was traumatized to that extend of the massacre in Isfahan, the account which was given by that priest. 


kujirasan

The Vermin and the Last Zoroastrian Genocide

by kujirasan on

What is unbelievable, is that no one has ever mentioned that this region is the birth of the Iranian Culture and Civilization,  and it is spiritual and physically occupied by the TURKS, it is time to resurect it at any cost, and return it to its rightful pedestal.

Just have a look at this statements but forward by this charter, indication of baseness of  parasitic enties not only they have occupied and desecrated the spiritual heartland of a nation, but want it for ever, take look, of squalid filth printed by Savalan.

Since early childhood, I have been exposed to the racial discrimination
against the ethnic group into which I was born. As a school boy, I was
not allowed to speak my mother tongue, Azerbaijani Turkic. I never saw
text books written in my language. I was not taught to read and write my
language or learn about my culture and history. As Iran’s only official
language Farsi, the Persian language was imposed on us. We were forced
to learn Persian language, Persian history, and Persian culture as the
common identity of all Iranians. 

Before I go further, a look to the North of the border, one will find the only intact structure in it pristine form from the Sassanian Era that is still standing,  is on the shores of Caspian sea in Modern Dagestan, if was built by Khosrov I, also known as Anushirvan called the DERBAND Fortress(DARBAND), around there are Ossett people , the Ossett is Russian Georgian name, they call themselves IRONI , and at home they speak Ironi! 

But who invasive species that have ruined and defiled the land? where they come from, how they got there, and what happened to the Persian Speaker? This none of the historians talk about write about now have been researched! But if one managed to get to it, there one most Herodotus and tragic events that took place, committed by these filthy invader, these blood thirty vermin.

I don't have time to go into it took 4 years of research to find the what befell to the Zoroastrians, I first became interested in their fate, when I landed by parachute in Ghabustan, in Azerbaijian undergoing mountain warfare training, I came across a beautiful littl temple still standing and a flame flickering from a methane gas coming out of ground , yes it was a Zoroastrian temple , and near it there was a engraving, into the rock in Latin, went like this Legia XII Titus Flavius Caesarum, That meant 12 Legion, at the time of Titus Flavius, that was clue that helped me to get closer to faith of the ones that built that beautiful structure. The search took me to China where the grave of last Sassian King who was Grand son of Yazgerd, the epitaph on his Grave was He fought the DA SHU WEI , which Chinese word for Persian Tazi, or Arabs.

Another people that lived in That region, were Assyrians, their books give some indication to the faith of the Persians, they divided the history of the area in two eras, the Time of Greatness and Peace,  the time of PARSAY, which means Persians, And the Time of Catastrophe and famine, the time and era of HO SHA RA, meanting these people in California further helped, it was that HOSHARA gave the clue to the identity of the invasive pest, it means AFSHAR Turkmen,  I managed to locate their original homeland it is around Kashgar and Urumechi(URUMQI) in China, there two thing that distigushes them from other Turkish ..... , one is for GOOD they use YAKHCHEH and for bread use CHORAG , and the other group that use that , are those around Kashgar, the city of Urumiah is in their tongue means fine pasture  or Martaeh Marqub and was named after the area, they are called UYGHER, which come from the word TEN ARROWS(ON OK LARI), these are nomadic pastoralists who take the goat and seep to pasture and sit watch them graze and bring them home where the women milked them, in the winter it was raiding and looting Iranian cities and villages, when they expel and butcher the Zoroastrian, the wheat production was wiped out for few year and the famine followed!  It should be added these closely related to Gavanlus better knows as Ghajas, who were removed by the Afshars and settled in Gorgan, the Ghajars were in Ganjeh and Baku, 

The Zoroastrians were take to Isfahan and massacred there along the river,  a French priest throw himself at the feet of Shah Abbas and saved few of them, the y head to YAZAD another group was taken to Modern ILAM and perished there.

It should be noted all the young women take to sexual slavery by the trash, wonder if this great historian will get off his arse and work it out , or will read the shah nameh and base his garbage mythology, the accounts of that French is in Vatican library!  it wasn’t the Arabs that did the damage, it was the Turks and the grazing animals they brought with them that destroyed the environment and caused deforestation. They are as far South as Shiraz, the Ghashghai tribe.

Wonder if Shiraz and Isfahan be next on the hit least.

My apologies for miss spelling and grammar etc, 

I point out to you as battle experienced officer I never was traumatized to that extend of the massacre in Isfahan, the account which was given by that priest. 


Roozbeh_Gilani

No to separatism! No to ultra nationalistic Chauvinism

by Roozbeh_Gilani on

Yes to Federalism, where the national rights of all diverse cultures of our people, and the geographical integrity of our country  is guaranteed under the flag of Federal Republic of Iran. 

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."


Savalan

Why Not?

by Savalan on

Is there any denial that the greater Azerbaijani Turkish people are a large enough population, with a unique cultural distinctive differentiation, that deserve to have their own state? Even the repressive USSR accepted the ultimate right for Azerbaijanis to have their own country, which is in fact a country now, in case you thought to check, and Azerbaijan is a thriving republic in the world today. South Azerbaijanis by getting their independence would have far greater civil and human rights and freedoms, than staying in Iran under the oppressive rule of religious and racists who institutionally and systematically distribute hate against the country non-Persian  ethnic groups like Azerbaijani Turkish people.


omeedvar

Not only Azarbaijan, but

by omeedvar on

Not only Azarbaijan, but several other countries that were dsintegrated from Soviet Union in 1991, were a part of Persia.

In the sixties and seventies, when many foreign nationals and companies used to come to Iran for work, and economic opportunities, an American  professor who was visiting Iran, told us about his memory of working in Soviet Union, years ago.

Apparently, an epidemic disease had spread in large areas of Southern Soviet, killing people. They had asked for help from US and WHO, and he was sent there with a group of specialist. He Said, "during the day we were working in the field, collecting samples from patients, etc. and at nights they took us to theaters and music halls for entertainment".

"we could not underestand their language, but one of the representatives from WHO, seemed to follow the dialogues, and responded accordingly. I asked him if he knows Russian, he replied that the dialogue is in Persian language, and he underestood because he was a Persian. He was surprised that after decades of annexation of large areas of Iran to USSR, those people still kept their own language".

Unfortunately, dsintegration of Soviet happened after the revolution, otherwise, most of those people would favor return and cooperation with Iran, their motherland. Iran has also lost majority shares of its natural resources in the Caspian region (oil, gas, other minerals, and caviar) due to the weakness of its present regime.

.


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