Protest Gathering Held in Front of Azerbaijani Consulate in Tabriz

A group of religious delegations, clerics, and Basij members in Tabriz protested against the killing of several Shia Muslims in the 'Nardaran' region of Azerbaijan on Thursday, December 10. According to Fars News Agency, a group of mourning delegations and 'students and scholars' held a mourning ceremony for the 28th of Safar in front of the Azerbaijani consulate, protesting the deaths of Shia Muslims in the 'Nardaran' region. The protesters read a statement demanding the Azerbaijani government to end its 'anti-Islamic' actions and release the prisoners from the recent events in 'Nardaran'. The statement also called on the Iranian government and parliament to 'reduce pressure on the Shia Muslims of Azerbaijan through legal and diplomatic actions'. In recent days, several Iranian parliament members and Friday prayer leaders have also protested the arrests and killings of Shia Muslims in 'Nardaran'. Reports indicate that on December 5, at least six people were killed in clashes between police and supporters of the 'Muslim Unity Movement' in the Nardaran region, two of whom were police officers. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that supporters of this group intended to prevent the arrest of their leader and clashed with the police. The police of Azerbaijan arrested 'Talib Baqerzadeh', the leader of this group, and 13 others. Azerbaijani officials claim that this group intended to disrupt the stability of the country through provocative operations and sabotage. Talib Baqerzadeh, who has been arrested several times before, was born in 1984 and studied religious sciences in Qom and Najaf in 2010 and 2011. Azerbaijani officials have repeatedly criticized Iran's 'influence' in the 'Nardaran' district, located 45 kilometers from Baku. This village has long been a place for training Shia religious students, and its residents have revolted against the central government several times, including in 2002. Meanwhile, the Iranian embassy in Baku stated on Tuesday, December 1, that the Islamic Republic had 'no role' in the recent events in this region. According to Fars News Agency, the protesters in front of the Azerbaijani consulate also demanded that the government of this country focus on the liberation of Karabakh instead of what they described as 'cooperation' with Israel. In 1992, 20% of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions, was occupied by Armenian forces. The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994, but military clashes between the parties still result in dozens of casualties each year.