Ahwaz Between Iranian Centralism and the Right of Peoples to Self-Determination

Introduction

(A Historical, Legal, and Economic Study on Resource Monopoly and the Struggle for Sovereignty)
Prepared by the Media Committee of the National Ahwazi Union

The issue of Ahwaz—or Arabistan, as it appears in many historical and diplomatic documents—is one of the complex political and economic issues in the contemporary Middle East. It is not only a political dispute over sovereignty but also closely linked to the structure of the modern Iranian state, which was established in the early twentieth century on a highly centralized model of power and wealth.

The process of building the modern Iranian state, beginning with the era of Reza Shah, marked a fundamental turning point in the relationship between the center and the peripheral regions. A political and economic model was established, concentrating decision-making and administration in the capital, Tehran, while transforming resource-rich peripheral regions into mere sources of wealth extraction. In this context, the Ahwaz region is considered one of the most significant areas, representing the backbone of the Iranian economy due to its vast reserves of oil, gas, and other natural resources.

Despite this vital economic role, the inhabitants of the region, along with other non-Persian peoples within Iran, have experienced prolonged political, economic, and cultural marginalization. Even a century after the military occupation of Ahwaz by the Iranian state in 1925, the question of political and economic rights for the Ahwazi people remains a prominent issue in international legal and political discussions, particularly in light of international law principles affirming peoples’ right to self-determination and sovereignty over their natural resources.

I. Political and Economic Centralism in Iran

Political and economic analyses indicate that the structure of the modern Iranian state has been based since its inception on a strict centralist model aimed at concentrating power and wealth in a single geographical point—the capital, Tehran. This model has been accompanied by a political discourse emphasizing the concept of “territorial unity,” often presented as a sacred value that must not be challenged.

However, many studies argue that this political discourse often serves as a cover to protect the central economic structure, allowing the authorities in Tehran to control the natural resources located in peripheral regions. Border regions in Iran, such as Ahwaz, Kurdistan, Balochistan, and the Persian Gulf coasts, contain the majority of natural wealth, including oil, gas, minerals, water, and forests.

Conversely, the so-called “central plateau”—the geographic center of political power—lacks most of these natural resources, making it almost entirely dependent on extracting resources from the peripheries and transferring their revenues to the center.

In this sense, the struggle over decentralization or federalism in Iran cannot be understood merely as a political debate about the form of the state; it is essentially a conflict over the management of national wealth. Calls for distributing authority or giving regions a greater role in managing their resources are often met with accusations of separatism because such demands directly threaten the financial monopoly enjoyed by the political and economic elite in the center.

Thus, it can be said that the centralist currents’ real concern is not Iran’s territorial unity, but the potential loss of revenue flows derived from exploiting resource-rich regions.

II. Ahwaz Before 1925 – An Arab Sovereign Entity

Regarding the Ahwaz region, or Arabistan, historical documents indicate that it enjoyed a significant degree of political independence before 1925. Arab families ruled the region for centuries, exercising de facto authority over the territory and its administration, with regional and international recognition of its special political status.

Sheikh Khazal bin Jabir al-Kaabi was the last ruler of the region before its annexation to the Iranian state. He exercised actual sovereign authority, maintaining an independent local administration and political relations with regional and international powers, especially under British influence in the Gulf at that time.

However, this period ended abruptly with Reza Shah’s rise to power and the beginning of his project to build a strong central state in Iran.

III. The Occupation of Ahwaz in 1925 and the End of Arab Rule

In 1925, Persian forces invaded Ahwaz, a step that marked a decisive turning point in the region’s history. The military occupation ended the independent Arab rule that had lasted for centuries.

In April of the same year, Sheikh Khazal was arrested and transferred to Tehran, where he was placed under house arrest. His property was confiscated, and his political authority was nullified. Arab rule in Ahwaz thus came to an end after decades of legal recognition and effective administration.

Since then, the region has been fully subject to the central Iranian authority within a broader political project aimed at unifying the country under a strong centralized state.

IV. Assessing the Dispute from the Perspective of International Law

The Ahwaz issue can be analyzed through several fundamental principles of international law, including:

1. The Principle of Acquired Rights
2. Royal decrees and historical documents indicate that Arab rule in Arabistan enjoyed acquired rights, including long-standing possession and effective administration of the land, as well as periods of autonomy during the Musha’sha’i and Al- Nasir al-Ka’bi eras. According to international law, these rights cannot be arbitrarily revoked or overridden by military force.
3. The Principle of Regional Stability
4. The forced termination of semi-autonomous rule in Ahwaz led to a radical change in the region’s political structure, raising legal questions about the legitimacy of this transformation.
5. The Right to Self-Determination
6. The right of peoples to self-determination is a fundamental principle of contemporary international law. The people of Ahwaz were not consulted about their political future when the region was annexed by Iran, raising serious questions about the legitimacy of this annexation.

V. Ahwaz and the Iranian Economy

Ahwaz, administratively known as Khuzestan, is one of Iran’s most important economic regions. The area contains the majority of the country’s oil and gas reserves and constitutes a primary source of foreign currency for the Iranian economy.

Estimates suggest that over 80% of Iran’s oil and gas reserves are located in the southern and southwestern regions, particularly in Ahwaz and the Persian Gulf coasts.

Despite this critical role, all decisions regarding the management of these resources or the expenditure of their revenues are made entirely in Tehran, without meaningful participation from the local population.

This economic model clearly reflects the centralized system, which relies on extracting resources from the peripheries and accumulating wealth in the center.

VI. Water and Natural Resource Policies

Central monopoly is not limited to oil and gas; it also includes water resources. Water originating from the Zagros Mountains and feeding Ahwaz is entirely managed by central ministries in Tehran.

The diversion of water to other parts of Iran has caused severe environmental and economic impacts on the region, including the degradation of agricultural land, increased desertification, and dust storms.

Many researchers emphasize that these policies reflect a broader model of centralized control over natural resources.

VII. The Accusation of Separatism as a Political Tool

The central authority in Iran uses the accusation of “separatism” as a political tool to silence any demands related to regional rights or power distribution.

Any discussion of federalism or decentralization is immediately portrayed as a threat to national unity. However, many studies indicate that federalism does not mean dividing the country or changing its borders; it aims to distribute authority and involve regions in managing their resources.

Thus, the use of this accusation serves as a political instrument to preserve the economic monopoly of the center.

VIII. Federalism as a Potential Political Solution

Many studies suggest that federalism could provide a suitable framework to address political and economic imbalances within Iran.

This system does not alter geographic boundaries but grants regions a greater role in managing their affairs and natural resources. It also allows for a more balanced relationship between the center and the peripheries.

International experiences in various countries have demonstrated that federalism can enhance political stability and achieve fairer development.

IX. The Ahwazi People’s Right to Self-Determination

In light of international law principles, the right to self-determination remains one of the most important legal foundations for discussing Ahwaz’s future.

This right means that peoples have the authority to freely choose their political system and manage their economic resources without coercion or discrimination.

For the Ahwazi people, this right also entails ending a century of political, economic, and cultural marginalization, and establishing a political system that reflects the will of the inhabitants and ensures their participation in managing their wealth.

Conclusion

The Ahwaz issue is not merely a regional dispute or a historical matter related to events in 1925; it is part of a broader problem concerning the nature of the centralized Iranian state and its relationship with peripheral regions.

The centralist model established since the era of Reza Shah has created deep imbalances in the distribution of power and wealth, with natural resources concentrated in the peripheries while political and economic authority is concentrated in the center.

A century later, it is evident that continuing this model threatens political and social stability within the country and deepens the sense of marginalization among non-Persian peoples.

In this context, the right to self-determination—alongside principles of justice in the distribution of wealth and authority—emerges as a viable legal and political pathway for addressing this issue, ensuring respect for the rights of the Ahwazi people and other non-Persian peoples in Iran, and laying the foundation for a more just and balanced political future in the region.