Araz News: The Azerbaijan National Resistance Organization (ANRO), or “Diranish” as it is popularly referred to in South Azerbaijan, has joined Azerbaijani rights organizations and declared its support for a new Azerbaijani rights campaign.

The “Red Card Campaign,” influenced by Friday’s soccer game where Tractor Sazi team midfielder Andranik “Ando” Teymourian was suspiciously red carded, costing the team a championship win, aims to snub Iranian President Hassan Rouhani upon his visit to Tabriz. Thousands of ethnic Azerbaijanis have embarked on a social media campaign to show  the Rouhani the red card, and aim to do so again in person during the President’s speech.

The ANRO issued the following statement:

On Friday, the twenty-fifth of May, the sports mafia and political power of Iran, in a pre-planned program, manipulated the feelings of millions Azerbaijani Turks, fought against the protest in sports stadiums, and mocked the dignity and honor of  the millions Azerbaijani Turks.

Azerbaijani sports teams routinely face play by the Iran Sports Federation, political authority, and security forces. Azerbaijan will never forget the events during the final match between volleyball teams, of the Municipality of Urumia and Paykan Tehran on Wedensday, 18th of March, 2015 in Tehran city.

The command was given to beat and arrested supporters of the Urmia Municipality volleyball team and the same thing happened again for Azerbaijan’s soccer team (Tractor Sazi Azerbaijan) in the final match.

Unfortunately, the sound of Azerbaijanis protesting for these unfairly results was censored.

It was nasty and aimed at hurting the pride of millions of Azerbaijani Turks.

These actions insult the national identity of millions Azerbaijani Turks, and unfortunately Iran’s government is actively supporting the sports mafia in favor of Persian teams.

As a result of these injustices against Azerbaijani team, Azerbaijani activists have created “red card campaign” on social media for Hassan Rohani (president of Iran), during his visit to Tabriz. Thousands of people have supported the “red card” campaign and have changed their profile pictures to red cards to join the campaign.

The Azerbaijan National Resistance Organization (DIRANISH) objects to the actions of the sports mafia and political power of Iran against Azerbaijan and supports the “red card campaign” by  civil Azerbaijani activists against the Iranian President during a visit to Tabriz.

Millions Azerbaijani Turks know that the Iranian regime never keeps its promises, such as saving Lake Urmia, allowing for native language instruction in schools and the establishment of the Turkish Language and Literature Academy for Azerbaijani people. Once again, they will attend and participate in the campaign with a red card for the Iranian president to protest their right.

The Azerbaijan National Resistance Organization (ANRO), or “Diranish” as it is popularly referred to in South Azerbaijan, has joined Azerbaijani rights organizations and declared its support for a new Azerbaijani rights campaign.