An Azeri studies expert commented on recent statement of U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) who introduced a House Concurrent Resolution urging the U.S. and Iranian leadership to organize a referendum to annex Azeri-populated Iranian territories to Azerbaijan.

At a September 19 news conference, Sargis Asatryan characterized the Congressman’s initiative as a part of U.S.-led policy aiming to weaken and destabilize Iran.

“The proposition is initially faulty considering there’s no Azeri population in Iran, but rather Turkish-speaking Iranians,” an Iranian studies expert Vardan Voskanyan added.