Lord Jackson calls for supporting Ahwaz’s right to self-determination and holds Iran responsible for “decades of repression”

During a meeting held in the British Parliament with an Ahwazi delegation led by the Head of the Executive Council of the State of Ahwaz, Arif Al-Kaabi, Lord Jackson, a member of the UK House of Commons, stressed the need to support the Ahwazi people’s right to self-determination and to hold Iran accountable for what he described as “systematic violations” against the Arab population of Ahwaz.

Lord Jackson began his speech by thanking those in attendance, affirming that the Ahwaz issue deserves international attention and genuine justice, noting that ignoring the suffering of this people for more than a century is no longer acceptable.

He highlighted the importance of understanding Ahwazi history, pointing out that Ahwaz was once an independent emirate with significant natural wealth before it was forcibly annexed in 1925 by the Iranian state, which subsequently removed its ruler and subjected its people to “systematic oppression and injustice.”

He emphasized that despite the region’s massive oil wealth, Ahwazi Arabs live in conditions of poverty and marginalization, while Iranian authorities seize the oil resources and deprive the population of basic services such as education and healthcare.

The British MP also referred to the policies of erasing national identity practiced by the Iranian government, including banning national celebrations and attempts to impose cultural and linguistic changes on Ahwazi society.

He further mentioned the seizure of hundreds of thousands of hectares of fertile agricultural land and the diversion of river courses to other regions, which has deprived residents of their livelihoods and access to water.

Jackson spoke in detail about the “brutal repression” faced by the Ahwazi people, including arrests, torture, and exile, stressing that these violations are well-documented by international organizations and human rights groups.

He underscored that the right to self-determination is clearly enshrined in the UN Charter, emphasizing that the issue is not only about independence, but about “dignity, justice, and proper representation.” He declared his full support for the Ahwazi people’s right to speak their language, engage in political participation, assemble without fear, and build a dignified future for their children.

He called for the voices of the Ahwazi people to be heard at the United Nations, the European Parliament, and all international human rights forums, urging the international community to stand with the Ahwazi people and demand an end to violations in Tehran, respect for cultural and linguistic rights, the restoration of confiscated lands, environmental improvements, and the guarantee of Ahwaz’s right to determine its own fate.

Lord Jackson concluded his remarks by stressing that the time has come for the international community to assume its moral and political responsibility toward the Ahwazi people and to “stop leaving them to face their fate alone after a hundred years of injustice.”