An Ahwazi Delegation Led by Al-Kaabi Discusses the Future of the Ahwazi Cause in the U.S. Congress
In a historic visit reflecting the evolving situation in the region and the geography of what is known as Iran, as well as the future of the Ahwazi cause, an Ahwazi delegation led by Dr. Aref Al-Kaabi, Head of the Executive Committee of the State of Ahwaz, visited the U.S. Congress.
Al-Kaabi and the delegation met with Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate to shed light on the difficult conditions faced by the Ahwazi people under Iranian occupation and the repressive policies imposed on them since Iran’s occupation of Ahwaz in 1925.
During the meetings with members of the House and Senate, the Ahwazi delegation highlighted the ongoing suffering of the Ahwazi people. A comprehensive report was presented, containing evidence and documentation of the violations and crimes committed by the Iranian occupation against the Ahwazi people.
The delegation emphasized that Ahwaz was occupied by Iran in 1925 during the reign of Shah Reza Pahlavi I, with Iranian dominance continuing under Shah Reza Pahlavi II and persisting after the rise to power of Khomeini in 1979, followed by Ali Khamenei and up to the present day.
The Ahwazi report discussed with Republican members of Congress detailed Iran’s systematic policy of Persianization, aimed at erasing the Arab identity in Ahwaz.
The delegation explained to U.S. lawmakers the forced changes to place names and regions, as well as the pressure on the Ahwazi people to impose the Persian language as a tool of cultural and social domination.
Additionally, the delegation shed light on the Iranian occupation’s policy of demographic displacement, aiming to alter Ahwaz’s population composition by increasing the settlement of Persian inhabitants while working to displace Ahwazis from their homeland. This is intended to preempt any future developments that could lead to self-determination by the Ahwazi people. The Iranian occupation has also divided Ahwazi geography to fragment the historical unity of Ahwazi territories.
The delegation informed Republican lawmakers about Tehran’s exploitation and plundering of Ahwaz’s resources, including oil and gas, which rightfully belong to the Ahwazi people. Despite this, the Ahwazi people are deprived of development, infrastructure, and access to employment opportunities in the institutions operating in the occupied Ahwazi territories.
The delegation emphasized to several Republican members of Congress that the Ahwazi people aspire to be part of a project for democracy and peace in the Middle East, ensuring the rights of all peoples within what is known as Iran.
The delegation called for the Ahwazi people to be a fundamental part of any future political changes in Iran and the region. They stressed that the Ahwazi people should be included in any political processes aimed at achieving peace and security in the Middle East, particularly in the Arabian Gulf, a vital and strategic region for the entire world.
The delegation also insisted that any political transformation in Iran must recognize the rights of the Ahwazi people, urging U.S. lawmakers to support the rights of the Ahwazi people, who have been under occupation since 1925.
In response, members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate expressed great interest in the issues raised by the Ahwazi delegation, led by Dr. Aref Al-Kaabi.
The members of Congress assured the Ahwazi delegation of their readiness to support the rights of the Ahwazi people.
