Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 28 / Trend K.Zarbaliyeva /
Iran stands behind the religious parties distributing appeals against the secular state and secular education in Azerbaijan. These are specially trained people, head of the Azerbaijani Centre for Strategic Studies in Canada, political scientist Aslan Khalidi said at the news conference today.
Since 1991, the Iranian secret services have begun to sabotage in Azerbaijan, he said.
"Since then, Iran wants to turn Azerbaijan into a small Palestine. Iran has tried to prepare in Azerbaijan forces against Israel, the U.S. and other countries wishing to cooperate with us," Khalidi said.
Khalidi said the Iranian side is opposed to the arrests of religious persons, in whose houses the law enforcement officers found weapons and ammunition, and who call for a change of government in Azerbaijan. But the Azerbaijanis voiced similar calls in Iran, they would be executed.
"The regime of mullahs" must know that by putting pressure on Azerbaijan, it can not bring to power Khomeinism, the pressure on Azerbaijan will give a negative effect and cause protests in the Southern Azerbaijan, Khalidi said.
He denounced the support of some political scientists and intellectuals to the artificially issue of hijab created by Iran in Azerbaijan.
Turning to the religious parties, he urged them not to fall under the influence of Iranian intelligence.
Khalidi said instead of holding protest outside the Israeli embassy, let the believers raise their voice of protest against Iran's supports to Armenia, and hold a protest outside the Iranian Embassy.