Reports on separation of Azeri-populated regions 'slander' - Iranian official

The Iranian Ministry of Defense officially stated the seriousness of the issue for the first time, AssA-Irada reports.

"Iran's armed forces are ready to secure the country's territorial integrity," said Najjar, who accompanied President Mahmud Ahmadinejad during a visit to the historic city of Tabriz populated by Azeris.

The statement was part of an address to the servicemen of a division called "Ashura Lashkari", which was deployed earlier in the Kaleybar province to break up ethnic Azeris' march to the Babak Tower. The units were later stationed in Tabriz during the Iranian President’s visit to this city.

Ethnic Azeris traditionally march to the Bazz (Babek) Tower near the town of Ahar, a site dedicated to the historical national liberation movement.

/AzerNEWS/