Azerbaijan leaders plagued by US, Zionist mentality: Iranian MP

An Iranian lawmaker has slammed the recent forum of the separatist and anti-Iran South Azerbaijan National Liberation Movement in Baku, saying the leaders of the neighboring country are suffering from “corrupt” US and Zionist views.

“The contrived trend against Iran, spearheaded by some anti-Iran groups in this country (Azerbaijan), shows that Azerbaijan’s leaders are afflicted by the corrupt mentality of the US and Zionism,” said Mansour Haqiqatpour, a member of Iran’s Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee on Thursday.

Haqiqatpour further criticized the Azerbaijani authorities for attempting to hinder the expansion of bilateral ties between Tehran and Baku.

“They [leaders of Azerbaijan] do not even allow the opening of border crossings and markets,” said the Iranian lawmaker, adding that Baku tries to provoke Iranophobia.

The conference in question was held in Baku on March 30. The anti-Iran elements participating in the forum sought to separate Iran’s East and West Azerbaijan provinces from the Islamic Republic.

On April 3, Haqiqatpour strongly reacted to Azerbaijan’s move, saying young people in Iran’s Azari provinces, including in the northwestern cities of Ardebil, Tabriz, Orumieh and Zanjan, are prepared to respond to the treacherous measure of the Azerbaijani officials.

On March 31, Director of the Media Section of the Iranian Embassy in Baku Seyyed Mohammad Ayatollahi also strongly condemned the anti-Iran forum in a statement, saying the Islamic Republic would officially complain to the Republic of Azerbaijan over the meeting.