The newspaper ‘Tajaddod’ was established in the city of Tabriz under the management of Sheikh Mohammad Khiabani, and its first issue was published in Jumada al-Akhir of the lunar year 1335. Despite extensive efforts, the author has not yet succeeded in finding even a single copy of this newspaper. However, what is certain is that the ‘Tajaddod’ newspaper was published weekly in Tabriz from the aforementioned year until the time of Sheikh Mohammad Khiabani’s assassination, and it was one of Iran’s good and useful newspapers.
The story of the establishment of this newspaper by Khiabani is as follows: After Khiabani and his colleagues succeeded in forming a provincial conference with 480 representatives from the city of Tabriz and the provinces of Azerbaijan, a committee called the Provincial Committee was elected. Khiabani acquired the licence for the ‘Tajaddod’ newspaper to enlighten minds and promote the committee’s doctrine and agenda, and he made it the party’s organ. This newspaper served the country’s education for nearly five years under Khiabani’s management and supervision.
One of the writers for the ‘Tajaddod’ newspaper was the late Mirza Taqi Khan Raf’at, the editor of the ‘Azadistan’ magazine, about whom and his magazine detailed information has been provided in the first volume of the book. The late Tarbiat, in his list of Azerbaijan periodicals, has also mentioned Mr Abolghasem Feyuzat as the editor of the ‘Tajaddod’ newspaper. Feyuzat, who according to the late Tarbiat was Khiabani’s colleague, was one of the high-ranking officials and members of the Ministry of Culture and had been in charge of the education departments of Azerbaijan, Shiraz, and Khorasan for many years.
Regarding the biography and actions of Sheikh Mohammad Khiabani, the editor of the ‘Tajaddod’ newspaper, various articles and treatises have been written and published to date. Among these articles is one titled ‘Mokhber al-Saltaneh, Enemy of Freedom’, which was published in issue 18 of the third period of the ‘Parvaresh’ newspaper and spoke in detail about Khiabani’s services. Among the publications of Iranshahr, a treatise written by several of Khiabani’s friends about his biography and actions was published in Berlin, containing useful information about his life. This treatise also includes an account of Khiabani’s killing.
