IRGC-Affiliated Javan Daily: Erdoğan 'Is In Pursuit Of Creating His Delusional State,' His 'Imaginary New Ottoman Empire'

On December 12, 2020, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-affiliated Javan daily published an editorial, titled "The Delusional Sultan," accusing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with his "multiple military adventures" ranging from the Horn of Africa and Mediterranean to the Caucasus, of being in pursuit of creating his "delusional state."

The Javan's article was written in reaction to Erdoğan's speech in Baku, Azerbaijan. On December 10, 2020, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan went to Baku to preside over a military parade organized to celebrate Azerbaijan's victory over Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh. On that occasion, addressing the Victory Parade, Erdoğan recited a poem, which Iran regarded as support for the secession of Azerbaijani ethnic parts of Iran.[1] "They separated the Aras River and filled it with rocks and rods. I will not be separated from you. They have separated us forcibly," the poem reads.[2]

Javan further commented: "With a recitation of a separatist-inspiring poem in Baku, the theme of which, in his view, was the violation of the territorial integrity of Iran and the cessation of Azerbaijan, [Erdoğan] tried to include this area in his imaginary 'New Ottoman' empire. Erdoğan's delusional separatist views, even though his tenure in power is due to Iranian support, were strongly condemned by the Foreign Ministry."

It is worth noting that, on December 11, 2020, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded on Twitter to the poem recited by Erdoğan. "Pres. Erdoğan was not informed that what he ill-recited in Baku refers to the forcible separation of areas north of Aras from Iranian motherland. Didn't he realize that he was undermining the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan? NO ONE can talk about OUR beloved Azerbaijan," Zarif tweeted.

This is just one of the latest spats between Turkey and Iran. Lately, tension in Iran's relations with Turkey was given public expression in the Iranian media. The Iranian regime is alarmed by the expansionist ambitions of Erdoğan's Sunni Islamist government, which come at the expense of Shi'ite Islamist Iran and its resistance axis.[3]

(Source: Javanonline.ir)

Following is a translation of Javan's article:[4]

"Erdoğan's Delusional Separatist Views... Were Strongly Condemned By [Iran's] Foreign Ministry"

"The ambitious Turkish president, with his multiple military adventures ranging from the Horn of Africa and Mediterranean to the Caucasus, is in pursuit of creating his delusional state. This time he has taken blind aim at Iran's beloved Azerbaijan. With a recitation of a separatist-inspiring poem in Baku, the theme of which, in his view, was the violation of the territorial integrity of Iran and the cessation of Azerbaijan. He tried to include this area in his imaginary 'New Ottoman' empire. Erdoğan's delusional separatist views, even though his tenure in power is due to Iranian support, were strongly condemned by the Foreign Ministry. The Turkish ambassador in Tehran was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to explain the remarks.

"Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish president, who in recent years with his ambitious acts has created tensions with his neighbors rather than trying to develop a 'zero tension' environment, has now selected Iran for his interventionist policies. Erdoğan, who on Thursday [December 10, 2020] travelled to Baku to participate in a military parade marking the victory of the Republic of Azerbaijan in its war against Karabakh enclave, made statements in connection to Iran's national integrity which could lead to political tensions between the two countries.

"The President of Turkey, at the start of his interventionist speech in interfering in the internal affairs of Armenia, wished for the people of Armenia to break the yoke of their current leaders and attain freedom. The most provocative part of his speech related to Iran which was clearly evident by reading between the lines of the recited the Turkish poem. According to the reports by [Iranian news agency] Tasnim, as part Erdoğan's speech, which was delivered in the presence of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, he recited a verse from a separatist poem about the Aras River which is the border between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan which read: 'They separated the Aras River and filled it with rocks and rods / I would not have separated from you, they separated us by force.'

"This poem is considered to be known in the realm of separatist literature. This poem relates to the period when the Caucasus region was separated from Iran in accordance with the terms of the 1813 Treaty of Golestan which established the borders between Iran and Russia and later based on the terms of the Treaty of Turkmenchay of 1828 which severed the areas north of the river from Iran and annexed them to Russia."

"It Is Apparent That Erdoğan Has Forgotten History"

"The Meddlesome Statements of the Turkish President about the Northern Regions of Iran Elicited a Strong Reaction from Iranian Authorities.

"Mohamad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, in a remark made on Twitter told Erdoğan: 'They did not inform Erdoğan that his erroneously recited poem in Baku refers to the forcible separation of areas north of Aras from Iranian motherland.' Zarif added: 'Didn't he realize that he was undermining the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan?' He reiterated that: 'No one can talk about our beloved Azerbaijan.' The Turkish ambassador was also summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explain Erdoğan's meddlesome remarks.

"According to Fars News, Saeed Khatibzadeh, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated: 'When he was summoned, it was communicated to the Turkish ambassador that the era of territorial claims and expansionist war-mongering are long gone.' The spokesman for the Ministry further added that: 'It was emphasized to the ambassador that Iran forbids anyone to interfere in its territorial integrity, as evidenced by its illustrious history in connection with defending its national security at all costs.'

"It is apparent that Erdoğan has forgotten history. On the 15th of July 2016, when there was a coup by the Turkish military against his rule, Iran was the first country that condemned the coup and offered its full diplomatic and military support to the Erdoğan government. Despite the past ill-advised and adventurous statements by the Turkish president, Iranian authorities had not allow these statements to affect their bilateral relationship.

"In the last decade, Erdoğan, by interfering in the domestic affairs of the regional countries, wishes to revive the New Ottoman Empire with him as its leader. Meddling in the internal affairs of Syria, Libya, and the oil and gas drilling in the Mediterranean, is part of Erdoğan's project to form his empire in the region. The desire of cessation of the Iranian Azerbaijan expressed by Erdoğan is part of his illusionary empire, even though this part of Azerbaijan was never a colony of the Ottoman Empire and was always at war with the Ottoman government. In the last decade, Erdoğan has shown how well he knows and can use religion and ethnicity in this region to create havoc and division among the countries. Syria stands as a prime example of this policy."

"The Totalitarian Policies Of Erdoğan... Have Been Condemned Not Only By The Regional Leaders, But Also By Western Governments"

"The totalitarian policies of Erdoğan to advance Turkey's dominance in the Middle East and the Caucasus have been condemned not only by the regional leaders, but also by Western governments. In the same vein, diplomatic sources on Friday [December 11, 2020] announced an agreement among the European Union leaders to expand sanctions on Ankara.

"Reuters announced yesterday [December 11, 2020] that according to Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, the leaders of the European Union have agreed to review the export of military equipment to Turkey within the framework of NATO and in coordination with the incoming U.S. administration. According to Merkel, the European Union members' countries will undertake further to exchange their views on this matter. These European actions regarding Turkey's policies in the Mediterranean, have elicited an angry reaction from Ankara.

"According to a report from SkyNews network, on Friday [December 11, 2020] the Turkish Foreign Ministry, in a statement about what they consider to be a biased and illegal act of the leaders of the European Union stated: 'This biased and illegal act undertaken at the conclusion of the EU meeting of December 10, is not acceptable to us.' The Turkish Foreign Ministry requested that the EU play the role of an honest mediator, with an intelligent and strategic outlook on the current conflicts East of the Mediterranean."