Actions in support of Azerbaijan in Iran — support rallies for Azerbaijan, actions and demonstrations against Iran and Armenia by Iranian Azerbaijanis after the Battle of Tovuz and the Second Karabakh War in 2020.

Demonstrations were prevented in several cities. The security forces intervened in more than ten city, broke up the action and arrested its participants. The participants of the action showed their support for the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan and shouted slogans against Armenia and Iran. Hundreds of detained citizens included women, elderly and children. Many of them faced violence during their detention. Some of them were tortured and beaten when the demonstrations were broken up, while others were in prison. Sajjad Colani, who is visually impaired, was beaten and his nose was broken during his arrest. Fatma Ibrahimzade, detained in Tabriz, was interrogated and tortured in front of her 13-year-old daughter Kovsar Nemati. 74-year-old Parviz Siyabi, who was arrested in Ardabil, was beaten in prison. Most of the participants of the action were also subjected to flogging. According to human rights defenders Jala Tabrizli and Sahin Khiyavli, the purpose of the courts in imposing this punishment was to humiliate the honor of national activists.

In October, Amnesty International expressed concern over the large-scale arrest of Azerbaijani national activists in various cities in Iran and demanded their unconditional release. A group of Iranian Azerbaijanis feminists issued a statement about the Karabakh conflict and demanded the implementation of UN resolutions and an end to the occupation in order to ensure peace. 100 Azerbaijani cinematographers living in Iran issued a statement of support for the Azerbaijani incorporation of Karabakh. 669 Iranian Azerbaijani poets, writers and scientists living in Iran made a statement in support of Azerbaijan under the organization of South Azerbaijan Union of Poets and Writers. The Azerbaijan Student Movement also issued a statement of support for Azerbaijan. The statement of the Student Movement was signed by various student organizations, magazines and associations established by Iranian Azerbaijanis operating in universities located in cities such as Tabriz, Urmia, Gilan, Zanjan, Ardabil, and Tehran.

On October 14, 2021, human rights defenders living in the Republic of Azerbaijan appealed to the UN Human Rights Committee, Amnesty International and Iran regarding the arrest of Iranian Azerbaijanis activists. They strongly condemned the use of physical force, torture, and inhumane treatment by security forces, denouncing their arrest as a violation of human rights, and called for their immediate release.

History Both during the First Karabakh War and during the occupation of Karabakh, there were protests against Iran's assistance to Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh in Karabakh. These protests were made at various times by Azerbaijani citizens, at the state level or by world Azerbaijanis as well as Iranian Azerbaijanis. In addition, the events that took place in Azerbaijan at different times were supported by the Iranians Azerbaijanis. Often these support actions were broken up, and those who took part in them were either arrested, tortured or persecuted.

In the following years, the Karabakh issue remained a constant topic of concern in the regions where Iranians Azerbaijanis reside. In June 2004, Armenian state officials visited Ardabil to discuss and promote economic cooperation. However, when it was revealed that the Armenian delegation included representatives from Artsakh Republic, the local population protested. When these protests failed to achieve their goal, demonstrators gathered in Ardabil's Sarchesme  Mosque. Security forces stormed the mosque, beating and arresting those inside. Among them was national cultural activist Abbas Lisani, who was brutally beaten until he lost consciousness. The assault left him with broken ribs, a fractured nose, and damage to his lungs and kidneys. He was arrested and held in solitary confinement at an undisclosed location for two days before being transferred to the 7th department of the Ardabil Revolutionary Court, where his detention was extended by another month. Lisani remained in solitary confinement in Ardabil prison, and despite repeatedly requesting medical treatment and going on a hunger strike to demand it, his request was not granted.

On July 22, 2004, he was released on bail set at 200 million rials. Later, he was fined 800,000 rials and sentenced to 15 lashes for "disturbing public order.

Nikol Pashinyan on February 27, 2019 He met with the Armenian community at the Ararat sports complex in Tehran. At this meeting, he took a picture with a banner with the slogan "Karabakh is Armenia and the end". Later, there were protests against it both in the Republic of Azerbaijan and by the Iranian Azerbaijanis. On March 1, 2019, activists wrote the slogan "Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan" on the wall of that complex located in Tehran.

Ehsan Ismaildokht, who was released after 1 month and 10 days of imprisonment, left the country and later took a picture of the torture marks on his back and shared it. During the game, the fans in the stadium chanted "Karabakh is ours, it will be ours!" chanted. They raised 2 banners and the flag of Azerbaijan.

On September 3, 2020, the final match of the Iran Cup was held in Tehran.

In April 2020, video footage taken in Khankendi, which was occupied by the Armenian Armed Forces, caused protests in Azerbaijan. In these images, Armenian activists protested their arrival in Khankendi by filming Iranian fuel trucks.

Tofig Zulfugarov, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, who gave an interview in June 2020 of Russia He noted that the weapons provided to Armenia were delivered through Iran.

After the start of the Second Karabakh War, video footage and images taken by Iranian Azerbaijanis began circulating on social networks, allegedly showing weapons, ammunition, and military equipment purchased from Russia being transported to Armenia via the Nurduz border crossing in Iran. On September 29, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied these claims. However, Azerbaijani media later shared additional footage showing military equipment being transferred through Iranian territory to Armenia. Azerbaijani MP Sabir Rustamkhanli accused Iran of facilitating the transport of weapons to Armenia from various countries. In response, Mahmoud Vaezi, head of the Iranian President's Affairs Department, denied these allegations during a phone call with Azerbaijan's Deputy Prime Minister, Shahin Mustafayev, stating that such rumors aimed to disrupt relations between the two countries. On October 5, Saeed Khatibzadeh, the spokesman for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated at a press conference in Tehran that Iran does not permit the transfer of weapons or military vehicles to Armenia through its borders. Iranian state-affiliated media also addressed the issue, asserting that the trucks shown in the footage were Kamaz trucks that the Armenian government had previously purchased from Russia. Reports further claimed that a total of 670 trucks were involved.

During July clashes in 2020 After the Tovuz battles that started on July 12, 2020, Azerbaijanis living in Iran called for support actions for Azerbaijan in the cities of Tabriz, Urmia, Ardabil, Zanjan, Sulduz and Tehran. Before the day of the action, Iranian security forces called and threatened some national activists in these cities and demanded that they refuse to participate in the rally. The citizens who participated in the rally and gathered in the predetermined places were subjected to a very harsh reaction and were beaten, and the march was not allowed.

On July 16, a demonstration in support of Azerbaijan was held by local residents in front of the Azerbaijani consulate in Tabriz. The participants condemned Armenia's occupation policies, chanting slogans such as "Long live Azerbaijan, let those who oppose it be blind!" and "Karabakh is ours, it will be ours!" Several demonstrators, including Hakima Ahmadi, Yaseman Zafari, Sadullah Sasaniyan, Rahim Sasaniyan, and Mehdi Purali, were detained during the protest. In January 2021, the Second Criminal Court of Tabriz (Department No. 112) sentenced them to one year in prison and 60 lashes on charges of "violating public order," "participating in illegal gatherings," and "rebelling against officers."

On July 21, each of them was temporarily released until the day of the trial in exchange for a guarantee of 50 million tomans. Both national activists were charged with "propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran" and "undermining national security and public order". In August, national activist Farid Khorshidi was acquitted due to lack of evidence against him. Salar Tahir Afshar was sentenced to 3 years in prison in 2021.

Huseyn Shahidi, Hadi Alishi and Yagub Majidi were arrested and taken to Evin prison at the rally in support of Azerbaijan held in front of the Armenian embassy in Tehran on July 16. Until July 20, their relatives were not told where they were kept. Huseyn Shahidi, Hadi Alishi, Yagub Majidi were released on July 20, but Hamid Jabbarli was not released. Hamid Jabbarli called his family that day and said that Evin was in prison. Because he spoke Azerbaijani, he was told by the prison guards that he should speak Persian and the call was cut off. Later, he was kept in the same cell with two ISIS members.

During the Second Karabakh War At various times, Azerbaijanis living in Iran held demonstrations in multiple cities, including Tehran, in support of the Azerbaijani Army and in protest against Iran's assistance to Armenia. Protesters chanted slogans such as "Karabakh is ours, it will be ours!" and "Supporting Armenia is a crime, a crime." The demonstrators also protested the transfer of military cargo from Russia to Armenia through Iran and demanded the closure of the Norduz border crossing. In cities like Ardabil, Tabriz, Urmia, Zanjan, Julfa, Alamdar, Khiyav, Kaleybar, Maki, Maragha, Marand, Sulduz, Parsabad, and Tehran, hundreds of Azerbaijani protesters were arrested, beaten, and subjected to torture. Not all detainees were arrested during the protests—many Turkish national cultural activists were apprehended at their homes or workplaces, either before or after the demonstrations.

In October 2020, a group of Iranian Azerbaijani feminists released a statement regarding the Karabakh conflict. In this statement, they condemned the war and called for an end to the occupation, urging the implementation of UN resolutions to ensure peace.

Ardabil

On September 29, 2020, activists held a demonstration in support of the Azerbaijani Army and to protest Iran's aid to Armenia in Ardabil's Jiral Park. The security forces of the Iranian regime responded by beating and arresting the participants. After the activists were beaten, they were confined to a room where pepper spray was released, intensifying their suffering. The gas caused severe reactions, with some participants' facial skin peeling off due to its effects. Among those arrested was Sajjad Colani, a visually impaired activist, who was also beaten and his nose was broken.