TEHRAN- Ali Akbar Velyati, a senior foreign policy advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has denied claims that Iran planned to invade the Republic of Azerbaijan, saying that “every Azeri is Iranian and every Iranian is an Azeri.”

Writing an article in the Tasnim News Agency, Velayati hailed the significant role the Azeri people played in Iranian history as well as their significant contributions to the nation's defense and promotion of Iran's strength and regional relevance.

Velayati also dismissed contrived allegations that Iran wanted to invade the Republic of Azerbaijan or grab power in the neighboring nation.

He reiterated that all Iranians, regardless of their ethnicity, are considered Iranians in response to the political and media tensions that have developed between the two countries. Second up, he asserted, Iran has never harbored envy toward its neighbors, rather it has consistently demonstrated regard for them and a willingness to sustain cordial ties with all of them.

“Every Azeri is Iranian and every Iranian is Azeri" is appropriate today, the former foreign minister pointed out.

The Leader's advisor added, "I am Azeri too. This is true even if they hold a non-Iranian passport or live outside of Iran."

Velayati made comments in reaction to the contentious remarks made by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, at the 9th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, a pan-Turkic organization that promotes Turkish unity and integration in response to a recent military exercise by Iran that was planned and held on the borders of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Here are some excerpts from the article:

I can state with pride that, like many Iranians, I identify as an Azeri. Although I was born in the Alborz Mountain foothills, I now count all of Iran my home. Like other Iranians, I will devote my life to protect my country, which I see as a corner of my soul and heart.

Iran has seen a rebirth and strengthening of its national identity and independence since Shah Ismail's accession to the throne in Tabriz, and its history has entered a glorious era of its culture. This is particularly true in light of Shah Ismail's arrival in Tabriz, which was a crucial moment in Iranian history because the newly elected king's first official act was to acknowledge the blessed Shia faith in the entirety of the nation.

When studying this key period in Iranian history, one of the remarkable elements of history that comes to light is how a strong religious belief can successfully erase the severe divisions between a country's diverse ethnic groups and help the country recover.

Shia believers made an effort to resurrect the Iranian national identity by progressively putting aside their political, racial, and social biases in order to identify themselves as "Iranians".

The most important resource for someone who wants to comprehend the profundity of Shiism and the righteousness of Ahl al-Bayt is Allameh Abdul Hossein Amini Tabrizi's book Al-Ghadir (1281/1320 AH Tabriz – 1349/1390 AH Tehran). It will be required to refer to Allameh Mohammad Taghi Jafari Tabrizi's writings if one wants to relate them to Western philosophy.

Shiite scholars would surely include Seyed Ali Qazi Tabatabai Tabrizi, the pioneer in this discipline, while looking for the main source of spirituality in the contemporary age that taught people like Imam Khomeini.

All of the aforementioned occurrences highlight the significance of Azeris in Iran, and it is time to declare out loud that every Azeri is an Iranian and every Iranian is an Azeri. Even if such people are Azeris or Iranians who are not Iranian citizens or who are traveling on a different passport.

Whether the enemies of Iran and our beloved Azerbaijan want it or not, if any Azeri can freely express their thoughts wherever in the world, they are either Iranian citizens or, even if they are not, they have a particular place in their hearts for Iran.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has continually worked to strengthen ties with all of its neighbors, including Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia, and to resolve any issues that may have arisen.