PROTESTS IN IRAN CONTINUE TO MAKE NEWS IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000782 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM PINR ASEC IR AJ SUBJECT: PROTESTS IN IRAN CONTINUE TO MAKE NEWS IN AZERBAIJAN REF: BAKU 762 Classified By: Charge d,Affaires Jason P. Hyland, reasons 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (U) The protests by Azeri-Iranians in northern Iran continue to supply a steady diet of news stories to an interested readership in Azerbaijan. The TURAN news agency cites unnamed Iranian sources to the effect that "tens of thousands" participated in a major protest in the Iranian city of Parsabad. TURAN also claimed that the Iranian Government brought "special troops" into the city, who fired into the crowd, killing four and wounding dozens. The same story claims that the crowd then set several bank offices on fire. Reportedly the Parsabad demonstrators called for the establishment of Azeri as a state language and were protesting the Persian-only language policy of the school system. ¶2. (U) Meanwhile, TURAN claims demonstrations have continued in the cities of Akhar, Meshkin, Urmiya and Sulduz - the latter supposedly where 5-10 demonstrators died after police fired on the crowd. TURAN also cites the deteriorating health of one arrested protester, Manukheckr Azizi and says there has been no news about "famous lawyer" Akhmed Heydaroglu, arrested in Tabriz on May 22. Turan asserts that arrests are continuing in Tabriz, Khoy and Ardebil. ¶3. (C) Although the GOAJ is keeping quiet on the issue of the Azeri-Iranian protests, Azerbaijan's political parties are monitoring them with interest. Asim Mollazade, member of Parliament and leader of Azerbaijan's Democratic Reforms Party, told Emboff that the protests are widespread in northern Iran. He cited as significant a recent public statement by Iranian President Ahmadinejad (which post has been unable to obtain) where the Iranian leader acknowledged the death of four protesters in Tabriz - contradicting Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Suleymani, who asserted none has died (reftel). Mollazade says he has information that 14 protesters have been killed, but it is unclear whether he meant in Tabriz or if he was aggregating the figures in the open press for Sulduz and Parsabad. ¶4. (U) Finally, on May 26, the opposition Liberal Party of Lala Shovket issued a statement condemning the actions of the Iranian authorities. The Liberal Party demanded an end to the "repression" of Azeri-Iranians, and argued that Iran must grant the "national and political rights" of Azeri-Iranians, including the right to receive education in the Azeri language and the granting of an official status to the Azeri language. The Liberal Party also called upon progressive societies worldwide to support the struggle of the Azeri-Iranians. HYLAND