Iranian President Pezeshkian warned while reciting Turkish poem in Tabriz

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was warned by an official while reciting a famous Turkish poem during a cultural event in Tabriz, sparking applause from the audience.

Pezeshkian recites Azerbaijani Turkish poem

During the closing ceremony of Tabriz Culture Week, Pezeshkian read from “Heydar Baba’ya Selam,” a poem by renowned Tabriz-born poet Mohammad Hossein Behjat Tabrizi, known as Shahriyar.

The poem, written in Azerbaijani Turkish, is widely celebrated among Azerbaijani communities in Iran and beyond.

Before beginning, Pezeshkian mentioned he had been advised against reciting Turkish poetry, as some in the audience might not understand the language. Despite this, he proceeded to read:

“Heydar Baba, igit emek itirmez / Omur gecer efsus bere bitirmez / Namerd olan omru basa yetirmez / Biz de vallah unutmarık sizleri / Gorenmesek helal edin bizleri.”

Official intervention and audience response

As Pezeshkian continued reciting, an official approached him and appeared to issue a warning.

In response, Pezeshkian smiled and remarked, “There is no problem; reciting two Turkish poems won’t cause any issues.” His lighthearted response drew applause from the attendees.

Historical context of Turkish poetry in Iran

The incident echoes a similar moment from 2006 when former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Tabriz and also recited a poem by Shahriyar in Azerbaijani Turkish.

On that occasion, the audience joined in reciting the poem, highlighting its cultural significance.

Cultural, linguistic sensitivities

Iran is home to a large Azerbaijani Turkish-speaking population, particularly in the northwest regions, including Tabriz.

While Persian is the official language of Iran, Azerbaijani Turkish is spoken by millions and holds deep cultural importance.

The recitation of Turkish poetry in official settings has occasionally sparked political and social debates within the country.