Posters of Erdogan, Aliyev cover streets in Iran’s Tabriz: ‘Conqueror of Damascus’

Tabriz, a city in Iran known for its significant Turkish population, recently became the center of attention when posters of Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev appeared on the streets.

The posters featured slogans such as “Conqueror of Damascus Erdogan” and “Hero of Karabakh Aliyev.”

This surprising display comes at a time when regional dynamics in Syria are shifting, with Türkiye gaining recognition for its role in the reconstruction efforts following the fall of the Assad regime.

Unexpected scenes in Iran

According to reports from Azerbaijan’s Yeni Avaz, the sight of these posters in Tabriz, given Iran’s historical support for the Assad regime, has raised eyebrows.

Observers noted that the imagery stands in stark contrast to Tehran’s official stance on regional developments.

“Following the insulting statements of Ardabil Friday imam Hassan Ameli and his henchmen against Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, activists of the South Azerbaijan National Movement displayed pictures of both heads of state and posters with the campaign flag of the South Azerbaijan National Movement in various parts of Tabriz,” the Telegram channels said.

The slogans and the prominent placement of the posters highlight a show of support from the Turkish-speaking community in Tabriz for both leaders.

Social media reactions

Images of the posters quickly circulated on social media, drawing numerous reactions. One user commented, “Tabriz has never looked so beautiful.”

Another post read, “Southern Azerbaijan Turks have decorated Tabriz’s walls with the images of our esteemed presidents, calling them the Conqueror of Damascus and Hero of Karabakh.”