The following is the stamement released by the small business owners and marchants of Tabriz Bazar (Mall):

The Turkic nation of Azerbaijan!

The merchants of Tabriz have always been at the forefront of the identity-seeking movements of Azerbaijani Turkish youth and have defended our national rights. During the First of Khordad uprising, the Fitileh incident, and other events, the Tabriz Bazaar led strikes and identity-based movements of Azerbaijani Turkish youth. More recently, in step with the national joy of supporters of the great Tractor team, Tabriz merchants hung the flags of our beloved team on their shopfronts. Despite intimidation and threats by intelligence forces, they did not abandon their demands—until intelligence agents removed our identity symbols from the Tabriz Bazaar at night.

Compatriot Turks of Azerbaijan, the Tabriz Bazaar has been experiencing hard times since the era of the traitor Rafsanjani, who closed the Jolfa customs and blocked the direct export of Tabriz carpets to Germany and the United States. Outside the Mozaffariyeh Bazaar—once the beating heart of Iran’s carpet trade—shops have now turned into sellers of potatoes and onions. Who brought this calamity upon the Tabriz Bazaar? Do not doubt it: fascist Persians who cannot tolerate Azerbaijan’s economic progress.

In support of the positions of the people of Azerbaijan, and declaring that Tehran-based currents have always held negative views toward Azerbaijan, the merchants of Tabriz announce strikes and protests with the central slogan “Freedom – Justice – National Self-Governance” and call on fellow citizens and all merchants of Ardabil, Urmia, Zanjan, Ahar, Heris, Khiyav (Meshgin Shahr), Khoy, Maragheh, and others—centered on Tabriz—to join the protests.