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EurasiaNet.org, NY
Feb 14 2013
Iran Denies Interest In "Return" of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan
February 14, 2013 - 12:28pm, by Joshua Kucera
A minor diplomatic kerfuffle has arisen over an Iranian presidential
candidate's campaign promise to "return" Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Tajikistan if he is elected. The candidate, Ayatollah Sayyid Mohammed
Bokiri Kherrozi, promised that:
`If I am elected as president, I will return the lands of Tajikistan,
Armenia and Azerbaijan, which were separated from Iran...
He said the return of the territories separated from Iran will be the
major program of his pre-election campaign.
`I will get back these lands without any bloodshed.'
Naturally, this was not well received in Baku, Dushanbe or Yerevan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan responded with a
statement calling Kherrozi an "intriguer, an ignoramus and an unaware
person" (according to BBC Monitoring's translation). Asked about
Kherrozi's claim, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman
Abdullayev said that he "doesn't comment on absurd and groundless
statements."
And Iran's ambassador to Yerevan had to clarify that Kherrozi's
remarks did not reflect official policy:
Speaking about the mentioned remark, Ambassador Mohammad Raiesi said
Kherrozi is not an official but religious figure, thus he cannot
express the position of the state.
`Iran is a free country. Everyone can say whatever he wants. Iran has
no such plans. We respect territorial integrity of the states. Iran's
official policy is voiced by president and foreign minister,'
Ambassador emphasized.
Kherrozi is a fairly marginal figure; he isn't even included in this
pretty extensive list of potential presidential candidates. His
chances of becoming president, and realizing his expansionist dream,
seem slim. But one wonders why his ambitions are so modest: Persia
has, at its greatest extent, included not only the countries in
Kherrozi's sights but also Turkey, the Levant, Egypt, much of South
and Central Asia and some of the Balkans. Perhaps that would be in his
second term?
http://www.eurasianet.org/node/66554
Feb 14 2013
Iran Denies Interest In "Return" of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan
February 14, 2013 - 12:28pm, by Joshua Kucera
A minor diplomatic kerfuffle has arisen over an Iranian presidential
candidate's campaign promise to "return" Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Tajikistan if he is elected. The candidate, Ayatollah Sayyid Mohammed
Bokiri Kherrozi, promised that:
`If I am elected as president, I will return the lands of Tajikistan,
Armenia and Azerbaijan, which were separated from Iran...
He said the return of the territories separated from Iran will be the
major program of his pre-election campaign.
`I will get back these lands without any bloodshed.'
Naturally, this was not well received in Baku, Dushanbe or Yerevan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan responded with a
statement calling Kherrozi an "intriguer, an ignoramus and an unaware
person" (according to BBC Monitoring's translation). Asked about
Kherrozi's claim, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman
Abdullayev said that he "doesn't comment on absurd and groundless
statements."
And Iran's ambassador to Yerevan had to clarify that Kherrozi's
remarks did not reflect official policy:
Speaking about the mentioned remark, Ambassador Mohammad Raiesi said
Kherrozi is not an official but religious figure, thus he cannot
express the position of the state.
`Iran is a free country. Everyone can say whatever he wants. Iran has
no such plans. We respect territorial integrity of the states. Iran's
official policy is voiced by president and foreign minister,'
Ambassador emphasized.
Kherrozi is a fairly marginal figure; he isn't even included in this
pretty extensive list of potential presidential candidates. His
chances of becoming president, and realizing his expansionist dream,
seem slim. But one wonders why his ambitions are so modest: Persia
has, at its greatest extent, included not only the countries in
Kherrozi's sights but also Turkey, the Levant, Egypt, much of South
and Central Asia and some of the Balkans. Perhaps that would be in his
second term?
http://www.eurasianet.org/node/66554