The Governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan Province has said that the people of Azerbaijan feel marginalized and discriminated against, citing decades of inadequate state investment and economic inequality.
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The Governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan Province has said that the people of Azerbaijan feel marginalized and discriminated against, citing decades of inadequate state investment and economic inequality.
Speaking at a Provincial Council for Government-Private Sector Dialogue meeting, Governor Bahram Sarmast emphasized that the region’s economic potential has long been overlooked. “Given East Azerbaijan’s significant capabilities and the government’s failure to invest in infrastructure and key industries, people here feel a sense of injustice and discrimination. They believe their historical contributions have been ignored in national economic indicators,” he stated.
Sarmast noted that the private sector drives 94% of the province’s economy, highlighting the government’s severe underperformance. “The imbalance is striking — such a dominant private-sector share reveals just how minimal the state’s involvement has been. This negligence must be corrected,” he added.
Referring to Tabriz and the wider province’s historical and industrial potential, the governor lamented that the last meaningful state investments in core industries date back to the 1960s and 70s. He criticized central government policies, citing legal and structural barriers contributing to continued neglect.
“We need a shift in mindset toward Azerbaijan,” he said, arguing that centralized policymaking is incompatible with the region’s development needs.
Sarmast further criticized East Azerbaijan’s tiny share — just 0.2% — of funding from the National Development Fund, calling it “disappointing and disproportionate” considering the province’s vast resources.
In closing, he expressed the local administration’s strong commitment to supporting investment. “There is a shared understanding between the government and the private sector here. Together with provincial leaders, we are determined to encourage investment and support the private sector’s role in advancing East Azerbaijan’s development.”
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