SYMBOLS
OF THE SOUTHERN AZERBAIJANI TURKS
BANNED
IN IRAN
In Iran ,
the Military Intelligence Department for the Protection and
Arrangement of Public Places in the province of Sulduz/Nagadeh
located in Western Azerbaijan has banned the symbols of the
“ Babek Castle ” and the “Wolf” to which the Turks in
Southern Azerbaijan add a lot of importance to. In this
framework, it is learnt that it is also banned to wear or
sell clothes that have these symbols. According to received
information, the Trade Unions Department in Sulduz/Nagadeh
has sent a letter to the clothes stores stating that “it is
necessary to abide to the regulations put forth by the
Military Intelligence Department for the Protection and
Arrangement of Public Places and to refrain from selling
clothes with pictures of the Babek Castle and the Wolf”.
Meanwhile,
there were ongoing discussions because the local television
channels broadcasting in Tabriz in the center of the Eastern
Azerbaijan Province used Azerbaijani Turkish in the children
programs as well as the symbol of the “Grey Wolf”. It was
noted that the Iranian press demanded the increase of the
inspections claiming to have observed separatist tendencies
in these programs.
As it is
known, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad was protested
with the symbol of the “Grey Wolf” by the Southern
Azerbaijanis in Tabriz in the month July and this caused
reactions within the administration. However, it is
noteworthy that one of the local press organs in Maku
published in the first page a picture of Ahmedinejad
saluting the Azeri demonstrators with the symbol of the grey
wolf. It has been learnt that the Iranian Intelligence Units
have collected the copies of this newspaper.
