Protests continue in Iran. Questions such as what the outcome of the protests will be, as well as how our compatriots living there will be affected by the process, are of interest.
Sayman Aruz, Chairman of the Southern Azerbaijan Community, stated in a statement to Modern.az regarding the events that what is happening in Iran is a tragedy for the people:
"The record depreciation of the Iranian rial is not merely an economic event. It is the emptying of people's pockets, the shattering of their hopes, and the collapse of their faith in tomorrow. They are patient when bread prices rise, they endure when medicine is unavailable, but when it becomes impossible to live, people cannot remain silent. These protests are precisely that “enough is enough” point. Expecting a miracle in a short time would be naive. The regime in Iran is experienced in suppressing such protests. But this wave is different from previous ones. Because it is no longer just about salaries and inflation. Beneath the protests lies distrust of the regime, fear of the future, and a sense of national humiliation. This process is an irreversible psychological breakdown. The regime might suppress this protest, but it will never be able to restore the anger accumulated within the people to its previous state".
S. Aruz noted that the protest of Southern Azerbaijanis is doubly painful:
"On one hand, like all Iranian people, they suffer from poverty, unemployment, and the depreciation of the rial; on the other hand, they suffer from the trampling of national rights. There is no education in their mother tongue, national identity is systematically suppressed, and regions are deliberately kept economically underdeveloped. People think: “I am a citizen of this country, so why has writing, reading, and even speaking in my own language become a problem?” As long as this question remains unanswered, the protest will not subside".
The Chairman of the Southern Azerbaijan Community noted that Azerbaijanis have acted cautiously and wisely regarding these protests:
"The cities of Southern Azerbaijan have historically been at the forefront of such processes. There is discontent in cities like Tabriz, Urmia, and Ardabil, and this discontent is not silent. Simply put, people there know well that every slogan, every step, can have a heavy price. Therefore, activity sometimes manifests not in the streets, but in a general spirit of protest, in behavior of rejection, in turning away from the system. However, this does not mean that Southern Azerbaijan will maintain its silence until the end. As processes advance, our compatriots in the south will also take the necessary steps to determine their own destiny.
These protests may not yet overthrow the regime. But they have already changed one truth: fear in Iranian society is no longer as strong as before. People, including Southern Azerbaijanis, now understand that silence does not save them. And this understanding is more dangerous for the regime than any slogan. This is not just a protest; it is the voice of a people's exhausted patience”.
Southern Azerbaijani ozan Araz Elsəs , however, emphasized that Azerbaijanis are waiting for the opportune moment:
“Large waves of protests are occurring in different regions of Iran. In Southern Azerbaijan, protests are fewer, almost non-existent. There are reasons for this. Southerners have always been at the forefront of movements before this – in past decades. Because they received no share after the movements ended, Azerbaijanis are more vigilant than before. Now they are carefully observing the events and waiting for the opportune moment. When the moment arrives, our people will assert their dignity and achieve their rights.
Protests continue due to issues such as high prices and inflation. The Iranian economy is in a very bad state. It has never experienced such a situation in its history. This is a result of the Iranian government's misguided policies. The
events in Venezuela, the removal of Maduro from politics, and subsequently Trump's support for the protest waves in Iran have given hope to all nations in Iran. Azerbaijani Turks, too, when the moment is right, will stand up, rise, and demand their national rights. In short, the Iranian government has reached a point where it must either make major changes and undertake reforms, or it must go”.
