Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 6
By Umid Niayesh- Trend: New governor of Iran's East Azerbaijan Province, Esmaeil Jabbarzadeh said that he is obligated to establish the Academy of Azerbaijani language and literature, Entekhab News portal reported today.
He also mentioned Iranian president Hassan Rouhani`s promise on establishment of the Azerbaijani language and literature academy, saying he will try to realize the promise.
Jabbarzadeh urged Azerbaijani language and literature experts to help him on the issue.
Rouhani promised to provide Iranian Azerbaijanis with an Azerbaijani language academy in Iran during his presidential campaign.
He also emphasized the right of Iranian ethnic minorities to mother language education.
On October 7, Iranian Jamaran news portal quoted country's Education Minister, Ali Asghar Fani as saying that teaching ethnic languages at Iranian schools is priority of the Ministry.
He went on to note that it is time to execute the article 15 of Iran's constitution.
Article 15 of Iran's constitution states that the "Official language (of Iran)... is Persian...[and]... the use of regional and tribal languages in the press and mass media, as well as for teaching their literature at schools, is allowed in addition to Persian.
In a decree issued on October 3, Rouhani appointed former intelligence minister Ali Younesi as special aide for the affairs of ethnic groups and religious minorities.
It is the first time that the Iranian president has appointed an aide for the affairs of ethnic groups and religious minorities.