Match between Tehran’s Esteghlal and Tabriz’s Tractor Sazi team within the 6th round of the Iranian football championship caused the mass riots. APA reports that the clash which started between the fans after the victory of Tabriz’s team with 3:2 score, spread to the streets.
The Iranian security agencies took serious measures after the news on plan of Azerbaijanis to hold a protest action during and after the match against the government which don’t prevent the drying up of Urmia lake. Many Azerbaijani fans, who came in order to watch the match, were not allowed to the stadium. The first clash started here. The search of Azerbaijani fans’ pockets by police at the entrance of the stadium and tearing their tickets caused the protest of fans of “Tractor Sazi” team. Our compatriots wanted to enter to the stadium by breaking the barriers upon hearing the news that the police will allow the limited number of fans of Tractor Sazi team. More than ten thousand fans chanted sounded slogans such “Long live Azerbaijan” and etc. then the police started to use force against the fans. Many Azerbaijanis were wounded in the clashes.
The reliable sources in Iran say that one more clash is occurring in Tehran graveyard, near the grave of Iranian national freedom movement’s leader Sattarkhan. The Azerbaijani, who attempted to hold action, wanted to assemble near Sattarkhan’s grave, the government which attracted a lot of police officers around the graveyard, didn’t allow it. Many Azerbaijanis were arrested and carried to to the police stations.
The Iranian security agencies started to arrest the activists of the national movement in various cities after clashes near the stadium where “Esteghlal-Tractor Sazi” match was held as well near Sattarkhan’s grave. Abbas Lisani, who was released on bail before, is also among arrested.
“Tractor Sazi” team’s victory was celebrated in Tabriz. Tabriz residents celebrated this victory by sounding various slogans. The police tried to arrest some fans on pretext of disturbance of public peace. It caused the increase of clash. According to the information given from Tabriz, the military car which carried the soldiers, started to enter to the streets after sounding of political slogans, the unofficial emergency situation regime is in the city. The population from outside districts started to came to the city center, but the police prevented them. The clashes occurred in some posts, some were arrested. The clashes started in various places of Tabriz are still continuing. The government brought military equipment to the city center in order to prevent the clashes.
The actions are also planned in various cities of Iran for the purpose of condemning the government’s indifferent attitude in Urmia lake’s drying up.
