Iran Steps Up Its Criticism of Soviet Actions in Azerbaijan

Hard-line voices in Tehran on Wednesday notched up their criticism of the Soviet military crackdown in Azerbaijan, the Muslim-dominated republic on Iran’s northern border.

The morning after an open letter by members of the Iranian Parliament demanded that Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev “deal with the Muslims of the Soviet Union with compassion,” an editorial in the daily Kayhan International condemned Moscow’s handling of the unrest.

“What the (Soviet) empire is facing now is basically due to the nature by which it was created, namely annexations,” the newspaper said. “Large parts of Iran in the north were separated into the Soviet empire.”

By contending that the 7 million Soviet Azerbaijanis were clipped off from Iranian Azerbaijan and its 9 million Muslims, the editorial raised border questions that Moscow and Tehran have both sought to suppress.

Already stung by statements of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Shiite spiritual leader, and other Tehran leaders on the religious aspects of the turmoil among Soviet Azerbaijanis, Moscow officials were taking a harder tone too.

Moscow Radio warned Iranian listeners: “Any unconsidered nationalistic or religious appeals would be dangerous. . . . Brutal and illusory nationalistic flights of fancy have dragged the people to the brink of the precipice.”

In Moscow, First Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander A. Bessmertnykh met Wednesday with the Iranian ambassador, Naser Heirany Nobari. The Soviet news agency Tass, reporting the meeting, gave no details on what was discussed. It said the two took up the border crisis and that Nobari delivered a note from Iranian authorities.

Iran’s ruling political circle has taken a cautious line on the Azerbaijani developments, supporting the religious rights of the Soviet Muslims but avoiding outright criticism of the crackdown itself and even expressing understanding of the need for control.

The Tehran Times, which generally supports the line taken by President Hashemi Rafsanjani, has said that Iran seeks no change in the present borders. Rafsanjani himself has so far made no public comment on the situation.