Arab separatism in Khuzestan | |||||||
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Map of Iran with Khuzestan highlighted | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Sublime State of Persia (1922–1925) |
1922–1924 Sheikhdom of Mohammerah | ||||||
Imperial State of Iran (1925–1979) |
1950s–1960s
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Interim Government and Council of the Islamic Revolution (1979–1980) Islamic Republic of Iran (1980−2020) |
1979–1980 1998–2020 | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Ruhollah Khomeini |
Oan Ali Mohammed † Habib Jabr al-Ka'bi Ahmad Mullah Nissi † Salah Abusharif Habib Chaab Hesham Azizi † (2013–2015) Qanbarzehi † (2015–2017) |
Arab separatism in Khuzestan[4] was a decades-long separatist Arab movement in the western part of the Khuzestan Province in Iran.
From the 1920s to the early 2020s, tensions have often resulted in violence and attempted separatism, including the insurgency in 1979, unrest in 2005, terrorist bombings in 2005–2006, protests in 2011, assassinations in 2017, and the 2018 Ahvaz military parade attack.
Iran officially denied any discrimination or the existence of conflict within the country.[4] It drew strong criticism from human rights organizations including accusations of ethnic discrimination and ethnic cleansing.[5]
Ansar al Furqan states that "a major oil pipeline was blown up in Omidiyeh region of occupied Ahvaz, Iran." The group added that it had established a new unit, the Ahwaz Martyrs Brigade. The area of Ahvaz has historically had a large Arab population.