“There are apparent and less apparent nuances in Iran and Turkey’s attitudes towards Azerbaijan. Over time, research must establish the nature of these issues more precisely.”
Political commentator Aziz Alibeyli made the remarks to Globalinfo.az.
He said there were various approaches, and the issue had become a subject of discussion in recent days:
“ ჩვენი geographical position and the constitutional system we have chosen as a state — that is, the principles by which society has chosen to live — cause serious irritation among our neighbours. This is because we have a national identity and state model that are incompatible with imperial thinking. On one side stands a strong Shia ideology, and on the other, Ottomanism and other forms of imperial thought. One of the main features of the imperial approach is that, at a certain stage, it seeks to exert pressure on states that choose a different path of development and turn another way of life into an example.”
The expert said one reason for Iran’s biased attitude towards Azerbaijan was its secular state model:
“This model is also enshrined in our country’s Constitution. The 1995 Constitution is one of Azerbaijan’s key documents in terms of building a secular and democratic state.
At that time, Azerbaijan was in a difficult situation. The country was facing the problem of refugees and internally displaced persons, and thousands of people were forced to leave their homes and native lands. Despite all these difficulties, national leader Heydar Aliyev met with these people at the time. He was a great politician who could meet and speak with people who had lost their homes and belongings. Azerbaijan was trying to shape its model of statehood. At the same time, our country faced the influence and pressure of its neighbours in those years as well.”
According to him, another aspect of the issue concerns ideology:
“For many years, the transformation of Shia ideology into the foundation of state policy in Iran and the shaping of society’s way of life on the basis of this ideology have been promoted. However, as time passes and information barriers weaken through social media, a question arises even within Iranian society: if neighbouring Azerbaijan exists, with its Shia population and its choice of a secular state model, why are such severe restrictions and repression needed to govern society? This comparison may be ideologically troubling for the Iranian authorities.
Aziz Alibeyli
To some extent, similar processes are taking place in Turkey. The country’s economic situation, issues of migration and deportation, tensions within society, pre-election political tensions and social problems give rise to various discussions. Against this backdrop, Turkish society compares itself with Azerbaijan, examining the governance and development models of the two countries.
All this shows that in both Iran and Turkey, Azerbaijan-related issues may be used for domestic political purposes. At certain times, Islamist political camps and ideological groups may also raise this issue in line with their own interests. Unfortunately, discussions surrounding Azerbaijan sometimes become a tool for precisely such manipulation.”
Safura Bannayeva
Globalinfo.az
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