SAEDNEWS: In a surprising and noteworthy move, Bahram Sarmast, the governor of East Azerbaijan, chose to speak in Azerbaijani during an official meeting on the revival of Lake Urmia."
According SaedNews, Javan newspaper reported: In this national working group meeting—which Reza Rahmani, Governor of West Azerbaijan and Secretary of the Urmia Lake Revival Working Group, also attended—Mr. Sarmast acknowledged the necessity of synergy between West and East Azerbaijan provinces for the revival of Lake Urmia, stating, “We need national and even international support in this regard.” However, he delivered these remarks not in Persian, but in Azerbaijani!
The behavior of the Governor of East Azerbaijan in using the Azerbaijani language in an official meeting, which by his own admission has a national character, is subject to serious criticism. According to Article 15 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the official language of the country is Persian, and all officials and administrators are required to use this language in official and administrative interactions.
This legal requirement serves not only to preserve national unity but also to ensure clear and equal communication among all individuals and regions of the country.
While linguistic and ethnic diversity in Iran is a recognized and valuable reality that must be respected, the use of local languages should not lead to the marginalization or weakening of Persian in official and managerial settings. A national meeting on an important issue such as the revival of Lake Urmia is not an appropriate venue for using a local language, as the presence of representatives and officials from different provinces, along with the media and a wide audience, requires communication that is uniform and understandable to all.
This action, besides ignoring the law, can send a misleading message about the status of the official language and principles of national governance and may ultimately contribute to administrative fragmentation and reduced national cohesion. Observing Persian in official meetings is a guarantee for maintaining unity, transparency, and efficiency in the administrative system, which should not be overlooked. Therefore, it is expected that the country’s officials adhere strictly to the Constitution and managerial principles by using Persian in official environments while honoring local languages within their appropriate cultural and social contexts—not in meetings and administrative affairs of national and inclusive nature.
