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There are several separatist movements in Iran, most of which are associated with a particular minority ethnic group. Iran is a highly diverse country: in 2015, it was estimated that Persians―Iran's dominant ethnic group―only made up about 61% of the Iranian population.^[1]

Some researchers believe that Iran's ethnic divisions present a viable threat to the country. They argue that the economically disenfranchisement of ethnic minorities, combined with policies to limit political, social, and cultural rights, promote further unrest.^[2]^[3] A 2005 report by Amnesty International found that Iranian government supported policies that economically disenfranchised ethnic minorities and limit their political, social, and cultural rights.^[3] Brenda Shaffer contends that ethnic divisions are a driving force behind the Mahsa Amini protests.^[4]

Other researchers argue that the ethnic divide in Iran is overstated, pointing to a study which found that many people in Iran identify with more than one ethnic group.^[5]^[6]

Khuzestan province

Khuzestan is a region in the southwest which is inhabited by Khuzestani Arabs, who comprise about 33% of its population.^[7] Arabs have lived the area that now consists of the Khuzestan province before it was conquered by the Rashidun Caliphate in the 7th century.^[8] Arab immigration continued during the Safavid and Qajar dynasties. These dynasties were not concerned with the language spoken in the region, and the region was not economically important until the early 20th century.^[9] Supported by the British, Khuzestan was semi-autonomous until it became occupied by Pahlavi Iran in 1924. It was then fully incorporated into Iran, and the Iranian government tried to Persianize the region, changing place names from Arabic to Farsi.^[9] Following the Islamic Revolution and Saddam's invasion, Arab nationalisms and demands for autonomy grew. Several periods of unrest and insurgency took place in the region in the 21st century, including protests and an attack on the Revolutionary Guard^[10] in 2018.

Groups like the Democratic Solidarity Party of Al-Ahwaz (which is a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization) advocate for Khuzestan's independence^[11] under the name Ahwaz.^[12] Militant organization advocating for Khuzestani independence include the National Liberation Movement of Ahwaz and the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz.^[13]^[14]^[15]

Kurdistan

Historians debate when Kurdish separatism began to emerge, but most agree that it emerged as an ideology sometime in the early 20th century.^[16] Following World War II, the Soviet Union established the Republic of Mahabad, an unrecognized puppet state, under which Kurdish nationalist sentiment grew. The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDP or KDP-I), which led the Kurdish nationalist movement at the time, did not engage in serious conflict or government opposition until the Iranian revolution.^[17] Kurdish anti-government action resumed in 1979, with the KDP even laying out a plan for an independent Iranian Kurdistan. However, the Iranian government cracked down on the insurgency, with some reports saying that thousands of Kurds were arrested, imprisoned, or killed.^[18] In the 1980s, Iran legalized Kurdish-language publishing to quell domestic nationalist sentiment and, during the Iran-Iraq war, even provided monetary support to Iraqi Kurdish separatist groups in an effort to destabilize Iraq.^[18] In the 2000s, the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) formed and has been engaged in a conflict with the Iranian government. Iranian officials have claimed that the PJAK is an Israeli and U.S. proxy,^[19] and there are reports of both Israeli and U.S. involvement with the group, but this topic remains debated.^[20]^[21]^[22] The U.S. designated the PJAK as a terrorist organization in 2009.^[23]

Many current separatist movements advocate for the unification of Kurds in Turkey, Iraq and Syria to form Kurdistan or to create the Commonwealth of East Kurdistan.^[24] Some political parties advocating for Kurdish independence from Iran include the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, which is a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization. Militant organizations advocating for Kurdish independence include Kurdistan Free Life Party and the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan.

Iranian Azerbaijan

This movement advocates for the independence of Azerbaijani majority territories in Iran. Separatists propose either an independent South Azerbaijan or unification with Azerbaijan.^[25]^[26]^[27] Some political parties and militant organizations advocating for Azerbaijani separatism are the Southern Azerbaijan National Awakening Movement and the Azerbaijan National Resistance Organization.

Sistan and Baluchestan

Separatists in Sistan and Baluchestan mainly advocate for the creation of a ethnically Baloch country called Balochistan, which would also include the Balochistan province of Pakistan and ethnically Baloch territories in Afghanistan.^[28]^[29] Militant organizations advocating for Baloch independence is Jaish ul-Adl and Jundallah. Because Balochistan spans both Iran and Pakistan, the insurgency complicates relations between the two countries. Iran has accused Pakistan of not doing enough to prevent Baloch separatists from attacking Iran.^[30]

References

^ "Iran". CIA World Factbook. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ Bradley, John R. (2007). "Iran's Ethnic Tinderbox" (PDF). The Washington Quarterly. 30 (1). The Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: 181–190. Archived from the original on 26 Sep 2007.
^ ^a ^b "Iran New government fails to address dire human rights situation". Amnesty International. February 16, 2006. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007.
^ Shaffer, Brenda (October 19, 2022). "How Iran's Ethnic Divisions Are Fueling the Revolt". Foreign Policy.
^ Zimmit, Raz (August 2, 2021). "The 'Balkanization' of Iran is a fantasy. Here's why". Atlantic Council. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023.
^ Rasmus, Elling; Harris, Kevan (10 Mar 2021). "Difference in difference: language, geography, and ethno-racial identity in contemporary Iran". Ethnic and Racial Studies. doi:10.1080/01419870.2021.1895275.
^ Bahrani, Nawal; Modarresi Ghavami, Golnaz (August 2021). "Khuzestani Arabic". Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 51 (2): 299–313. doi:10.1017/S0025100319000203. S2CID 235915108.
^ E. L. Daniel. "ARAB iii. Arab settlements in Iran". Encyclopaedia Iranica.
^ ^a ^b Svat Soucek (Spring–Summer 1984). "Arabistan or Khuzistan". Iranian Studies. 17 (2/3). JSTOR 4310441.
^ "Iran's Revolutionary Guards targeted in Ahvaz military parade | News | al Jazeera". Archived from the original on 22 September 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
^ "Iran's Troubled Provinces: Khuzestan".
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 August 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) National Libration [sic] Movement of Ahwaz
^ "Poverty, Separatism, And Bloody Memories Of War: Why Iran's Khuzestan Matters".
^ "Iran says it captured Arab separatist group leader suspected of military parade attack".
^ "Iranian Arab Separatism Through the Lens of Ahvaz".
^ Entessar, Nader (2010). Kurdish Politics in the Middle East. Lanham: Lexington Books. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-7391-4039-0. OCLC 430736528.
^ Chelkowski, Peter J.; Pranger, Robert J. (1988). Ideology and Power in the Middle East: Studies in Honor of George Lenczowski. Durham: Duke University Press. p. 397-401. ISBN 978-0-8223-0781-5. OCLC 16923212.
^ ^a ^b Stokes, Jamie (2009). Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and the Middle East: p.390. ISBN 978-1-4381-2676-0. Archived from the original on 2016-04-30. Retrieved 2015-06-20.
^ "Iran kills, arrests people linked to gas pipeline blast". Reuters. August 1, 2011. Archived from the original on November 24, 2015. Retrieved October 27, 2017.,
^ Wood, Graeme (June 12, 2006). "Iran Bombs Iraq: Meet the Kurdish guerrillas who want to topple the Tehran regime". Microsoft. Archived from the original on March 11, 2007. Retrieved December 2, 2006.
^ Hersh, Seymour M. (November 20, 2006). "The Next Act". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on November 23, 2006. Retrieved November 19, 2006.
^ Gunter, Michael M. (2020). "Iran's Forgotten Kurds". Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. 43 (2): 54–67. doi:10.1353/jsa.2020.0009. eISSN 2766-0176.
^ Treasury Designates Free Life Party of Kurdistan a Terrorist Organization (press release), U.S. Department of the Treasury, (February 4, 2009)
^ "Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan". Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan. Archived from the original on 1 April 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
^ "Whole Azerbaijan Pdf".
^ "Bütöv Azerbaycan!". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2021-05-12.
^ "Elçibey'in "Birleşmiş Azerbaycan" ideolojisi – KAFKASSAM – Kafkasya Stratejik Araştırmalar Merkezi". 5 May 2020. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
^ Aryan, Hossein (22 October 2009). "Iran Offers Short-Term Solutions To Long-Term Problems". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
^ SAAG (2016-11-16). "Greater Balochistan: A Quiet Frontier Set To Explode – Analysis". Eurasia Review. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
^ Masood, Salman (2024-01-18). "Pakistan Retaliates With Strikes Inside Iran as Tensions Spill Over". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-01-18.

[cia-1] "Iran". CIA World Factbook. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[2] Bradley, John R. (2007). "Iran's Ethnic Tinderbox" (PDF). The Washington Quarterly. 30 (1). The Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: 181–190. Archived from the original on 26 Sep 2007.

[amnesty-3] "Iran New government fails to address dire human rights situation". Amnesty International. February 16, 2006. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007.

[4] Shaffer, Brenda (October 19, 2022). "How Iran's Ethnic Divisions Are Fueling the Revolt". Foreign Policy.

[5] Zimmit, Raz (August 2, 2021). "The 'Balkanization' of Iran is a fantasy. Here's why". Atlantic Council. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023.

[6] Rasmus, Elling; Harris, Kevan (10 Mar 2021). "Difference in difference: language, geography, and ethno-racial identity in contemporary Iran". Ethnic and Racial Studies. doi:10.1080/01419870.2021.1895275.

[Journal-7] Bahrani, Nawal; Modarresi Ghavami, Golnaz (August 2021). "Khuzestani Arabic". Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 51 (2): 299–313. doi:10.1017/S0025100319000203. S2CID 235915108.

[8] E. L. Daniel. "ARAB iii. Arab settlements in Iran". Encyclopaedia Iranica.

[svat-1984-9] Svat Soucek (Spring–Summer 1984). "Arabistan or Khuzistan". Iranian Studies. 17 (2/3). JSTOR 4310441.

[10] "Iran's Revolutionary Guards targeted in Ahvaz military parade | News | al Jazeera". Archived from the original on 22 September 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2018.

[11] "Iran's Troubled Provinces: Khuzestan".

[12] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 August 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) National Libration [sic] Movement of Ahwaz

[13] "Poverty, Separatism, And Bloody Memories Of War: Why Iran's Khuzestan Matters".

[14] "Iran says it captured Arab separatist group leader suspected of military parade attack".

[15] "Iranian Arab Separatism Through the Lens of Ahvaz".

[entessar-16] Entessar, Nader (2010). Kurdish Politics in the Middle East. Lanham: Lexington Books. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-7391-4039-0. OCLC 430736528.

[17] Chelkowski, Peter J.; Pranger, Robert J. (1988). Ideology and Power in the Middle East: Studies in Honor of George Lenczowski. Durham: Duke University Press. p. 397-401. ISBN 978-0-8223-0781-5. OCLC 16923212.

[stokes-18] Stokes, Jamie (2009). Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and the Middle East: p.390. ISBN 978-1-4381-2676-0. Archived from the original on 2016-04-30. Retrieved 2015-06-20.

[19] "Iran kills, arrests people linked to gas pipeline blast". Reuters. August 1, 2011. Archived from the original on November 24, 2015. Retrieved October 27, 2017.,

[slate_pjak-20] Wood, Graeme (June 12, 2006). "Iran Bombs Iraq: Meet the Kurdish guerrillas who want to topple the Tehran regime". Microsoft. Archived from the original on March 11, 2007. Retrieved December 2, 2006.

[hersh_next_act-21] Hersh, Seymour M. (November 20, 2006). "The Next Act". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on November 23, 2006. Retrieved November 19, 2006.

[Gunter2020-22] Gunter, Michael M. (2020). "Iran's Forgotten Kurds". Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. 43 (2): 54–67. doi:10.1353/jsa.2020.0009. eISSN 2766-0176.

[23] Treasury Designates Free Life Party of Kurdistan a Terrorist Organization (press release), U.S. Department of the Treasury, (February 4, 2009)

[24] "Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan". Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan. Archived from the original on 1 April 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2009.

[25] "Whole Azerbaijan Pdf".

[26] "Bütöv Azerbaycan!". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2021-05-12.

[27] "Elçibey'in "Birleşmiş Azerbaycan" ideolojisi – KAFKASSAM – Kafkasya Stratejik Araştırmalar Merkezi". 5 May 2020. Retrieved 2021-05-12.

[28] Aryan, Hossein (22 October 2009). "Iran Offers Short-Term Solutions To Long-Term Problems". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 2022-02-19.

[29] SAAG (2016-11-16). "Greater Balochistan: A Quiet Frontier Set To Explode – Analysis". Eurasia Review. Retrieved 2022-02-19.

[30] Masood, Salman (2024-01-18). "Pakistan Retaliates With Strikes Inside Iran as Tensions Spill Over". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-01-18.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Various separatists movements in Iran}}
-[[file:Blank-Map-Iran-With-Water-Bodies.PNG|thumb|240px|Administrative divisions of [[Iran]]]]
+{{Use American English|date=November 2023}}
+{{Politics of Iran}}
-This is a list of [[Separatism|separatist]] movements for the country of [[Iran]]. [[Persians]] comprise around half of Iran's population, but many other ethnic groups live within the country.
+[[File:Iran ethnoreligious distribution 2004.jpg|thumb|260px|Iran ethnoreligious distribution (2004)]]
+There are several [[Separatism|separatist]] movements in [[Iran]], most of which are associated with a particular [[Ethnic minorities in Iran|minority ethnic group]]. Iran is a highly diverse country: in 2015, it was estimated that Persians―Iran's dominant ethnic group―only made up about 61% of the Iranian population.<ref name="cia">{{cite web|website=CIA World Factbook|title=Iran|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129054052/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html|archive-date=January 29, 2015|url-status=unfit | url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html}}</ref>
+Some researchers believe that Iran's ethnic divisions present a viable threat to the country. They argue that the economically disenfranchisement of ethnic minorities, combined with policies to limit political, social, and cultural rights, promote further unrest.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Iran's Ethnic Tinderbox|first1=John R.|last1=Bradley|journal=The Washington Quarterly|publisher=The Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology|volume=30|issue=1|pages=181–190|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926131746/http://www.twq.com/07winter/docs/07winter_bradley.pdf|year=2007|archive-date=26 Sep 2007|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1162/wash.2006-07.30.1.181}}</ref><ref name="amnesty">{{cite web|title=Iran New government fails to address dire human rights situation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012203327/http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE130102006?open&of=ENG-IRN|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde13/010/2006/en/|date=February 16, 2006|archive-date=October 12, 2007|website=Amnesty International}}</ref> A 2005 report by [[Amnesty International]] found that Iranian government supported policies that economically disenfranchised ethnic minorities and limit their political, social, and cultural rights.<ref name="amnesty"/> [[Brenda  Shaffer]]  contends that ethnic divisions are a driving force behind the [[Mahsa Amini protests]].<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Brenda|last1=Shaffer|journal=Foreign Policy|title=How Iran's Ethnic Divisions Are Fueling the Revolt|date=October 19, 2022|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/10/19/iran-protests-persians-minorities-ethnic-language-discrimination-regime-separatism/}}</ref>
+Other researchers argue that the ethnic divide in Iran is overstated, pointing to a study which found that many people in Iran identify with more than one ethnic group.<ref>{{cite web|title=The 'Balkanization' of Iran is a fantasy. Here's why.|first1=Raz|last1=Zimmit|website=Atlantic Council|url=https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/the-balkanization-of-iran-is-a-fantasy-heres-why/|date=August 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201184909/https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/the-balkanization-of-iran-is-a-fantasy-heres-why/|archive-date=February 1, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Difference in difference: language, geography, and ethno-racial identity in contemporary Iran|doi=10.1080/01419870.2021.1895275|date=10 Mar 2021|journal=Ethnic and Racial Studies|first1=Elling|last1=Rasmus|first2=Kevan|last2=Harris}}</ref>
 == Khuzestan province ==
@@ Line 7: / Line 16: @@
 {{main|Arab separatism in Khuzestan}}
+[[Khuzestan province|Khuzestan]] is a region in the southwest which is inhabited by [[Khuzestani Arabs]], who comprise about 33% of its population.<ref name="Journal">{{cite journal |last1=Bahrani |first1=Nawal |last2=Modarresi Ghavami |first2=Golnaz |date=August 2021 |title=Khuzestani Arabic |journal=Journal of the International Phonetic Association |volume=51 |issue=2 |pages=299–313 |doi=10.1017/S0025100319000203 |s2cid=235915108}}</ref> Arabs have lived the area that now consists of the [[Khuzestan province]] before it was [[Muslim conquest of Khuzestan|conquered]] by the [[Rashidun Caliphate]] in the 7th century.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|author= E. L. Daniel|contribution=ARAB iii. Arab settlements in Iran|title=Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/arab-iii}}</ref> Arab immigration continued during the Safavid and Qajar dynasties. These dynasties were not concerned with the language spoken in the region, and the region was not economically important until the early 20th century.<ref name="svat-1984">{{cite journal |author=Svat Soucek|journal=Iranian Studies |volume=17 |issue=2/3 |title=Arabistan or Khuzistan|date=Spring–Summer 1984 |jstor=4310441}}</ref> Supported by the British, Khuzestan was semi-autonomous until it became occupied by [[Pahlavi Iran]] in 1924. It was then fully incorporated into Iran, and the Iranian government tried to [[Persianize]] the region, changing place names from Arabic to [[Farsi]].<ref name="svat-1984"/> Following the [[Islamic Revolution]] and [[Iraq-Iran War|Saddam's invasion]], Arab nationalisms and demands for autonomy grew. Several periods of unrest and insurgency took place in the region in the 21st century, including [[protests]] and an attack on the [[Iranian Revolutionary Guard|Revolutionary Guard]]<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/09/state-tv-gunmen-attack-military-parade-iran-ahvaz-180922061107370.html | title=Iran's Revolutionary Guards targeted in Ahvaz military parade &#124; News &#124; al Jazeera | access-date=22 September 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922165547/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/09/state-tv-gunmen-attack-military-parade-iran-ahvaz-180922061107370.html | archive-date=22 September 2018 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}</ref> in 2018.
-[[file:IranKhuzestan-SVG.svg|thumb|240px|Khuzestan]]
-[[Khuzestan province|Khuzestan]] is a region in the southwest which is inhabited by [[Khuzestani Arabs]]. Local advocacy groups like the [[Democratic Solidarity Party of Al-Ahwaz]] (which is a member of the [[Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization]]) advocate for [[Khuzestan province|Khuzestan]]'s independence<ref>{{cite web|title=Iran's Troubled Provinces: Khuzestan|url=https://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2020/jul/29/iran’s-challenges-converge-khuzestan}}</ref> under the name [[Ahvaz|Al-Ahwaz]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.al-ahwaz.com/english/2009/index.php?page=news&a_p_no=1&w_p_no=1&ar_p_no=23-1-2008-1 |title=Archived copy |access-date=28 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812065826/http://www.al-ahwaz.com/english/2009/index.php?page=news&a_p_no=1&w_p_no=1&ar_p_no=23-1-2008-1 |archive-date=12 August 2010 }} National Libration{{sic}} Movement of Ahwaz</ref> Some militant organization advocating for Khuzestani independence are [[National Liberation Movement of Ahwaz]] and the [[Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz]], among others.<ref>{{cite web|title=Poverty, Separatism, And Bloody Memories Of War: Why Iran's Khuzestan Matters|url=https://www.rferl.org/amp/iran-khuzestan-poverty-separatism-bloody-war-memories/29515269.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Iran says it captured Arab separatist group leader suspected of military parade attack|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/iran-security-arrest-int-idUSKBN27S25K}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Iranian Arab Separatism Through the Lens of Ahvaz|url=https://www.globalriskintel.com/insights/iranian-arab-separatism-through-lens-ahvaz}}</ref>
+Groups like the [[Democratic Solidarity Party of Al-Ahwaz]] (which is a member of the [[Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization]]) advocate for [[Khuzestan province|Khuzestan]]'s independence<ref>{{cite web|title=Iran's Troubled Provinces: Khuzestan|url=https://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2020/jul/29/iran's-challenges-converge-khuzestan}}</ref> under the name [[Ahvaz|Ahwaz]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.al-ahwaz.com/english/2009/index.php?page=news&a_p_no=1&w_p_no=1&ar_p_no=23-1-2008-1 |title=Archived copy |access-date=28 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812065826/http://www.al-ahwaz.com/english/2009/index.php?page=news&a_p_no=1&w_p_no=1&ar_p_no=23-1-2008-1 |archive-date=12 August 2010 }} National Libration{{sic}} Movement of Ahwaz</ref> Militant organization advocating for Khuzestani independence include the [[National Liberation Movement of Ahwaz]] and the [[Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Poverty, Separatism, And Bloody Memories Of War: Why Iran's Khuzestan Matters|url=https://www.rferl.org/amp/iran-khuzestan-poverty-separatism-bloody-war-memories/29515269.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Iran says it captured Arab separatist group leader suspected of military parade attack|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/iran-security-arrest-int-idUSKBN27S25K}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Iranian Arab Separatism Through the Lens of Ahvaz|url=https://www.globalriskintel.com/insights/iranian-arab-separatism-through-lens-ahvaz}}</ref>
 == Kurdistan ==
@@ Line 15: / Line 24: @@
 {{main|Kurdish separatism in Iran}}
+Historians debate when Kurdish separatism began to emerge, but most agree that it emerged as an ideology sometime in the early 20th century.<ref name="entessar">{{cite book|last=Entessar|first=Nader|title=Kurdish Politics in the Middle East|publisher=Lexington Books|location=Lanham|page=17|year=2010|isbn=978-0-7391-4039-0|oclc=430736528}}</ref> Following World War II, the [[Soviet Union]] established the [[Republic of Mahabad]], an unrecognized puppet state, under which Kurdish nationalist sentiment grew. The [[Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan]] (KDP or KDP-I), which led the Kurdish nationalist movement at the time, did not engage in serious conflict or government opposition until the [[Iranian revolution]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chelkowski|first1=Peter J.|last2=Pranger|first2=Robert J.|title=Ideology and Power in the Middle East: Studies in Honor of George Lenczowski|publisher=Duke University Press|location=Durham|year=1988|page=[https://archive.org/details/ideologypowerinm0000unse/page/397 397]-[https://archive.org/details/ideologypowerinm0000unse/page/401 401]|isbn=978-0-8223-0781-5|oclc=16923212|url=https://archive.org/details/ideologypowerinm0000unse/page/399}}</ref>
-[[File:Map of Iranian Kurdistan.png|thumb|240px|Iranian Kurdistan]]
+Kurdish anti-government action resumed in 1979, with the KDP even laying out a plan for an independent Iranian Kurdistan. However, the Iranian government cracked down on the insurgency, with some reports saying that thousands of Kurds were arrested, imprisoned, or killed.<ref name="stokes">{{Cite book |last=Stokes |first=Jamie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=stl97FdyRswC&pg=PA390 |title=''Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and the Middle East'': p.390 |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-4381-2676-0 |access-date=2015-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430080335/https://books.google.com/books?id=stl97FdyRswC&pg=PA390 |archive-date=2016-04-30 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the 1980s, Iran legalized Kurdish-language publishing to quell domestic nationalist sentiment and, during the [[Iran-Iraq war]], even provided monetary support to Iraqi Kurdish separatist groups in an effort to destabilize Iraq.<ref name="stokes"/> In the 2000s, the [[Kurdistan Free Life Party]] (PJAK) formed and has been engaged in [[Iran-PJAK_conflict|a conflict]] with the Iranian government. Iranian officials have claimed that the PJAK is an Israeli and U.S. proxy,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-pipeline-arrest-idUSTRE7703BX20110801 |work=Reuters |title=Iran kills, arrests people linked to gas pipeline blast |date=August 1, 2011 |access-date=October 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124033600/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/01/us-iran-pipeline-arrest-idUSTRE7703BX20110801 |archive-date=November 24, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }},</ref> and there are reports of both Israeli and U.S. involvement with the group, but this topic remains debated.<ref name="slate_pjak">{{cite news | first=Graeme| last=Wood| title=Iran Bombs Iraq: Meet the Kurdish guerrillas who want to topple the Tehran regime| date=June 12, 2006| publisher=Microsoft| url=http://www.slate.com/id/2143492/?nav=fo| access-date=2006-12-02| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311124713/http://www.slate.com/id/2143492/?nav=fo| archive-date=March 11, 2007| url-status=live| df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="hersh_next_act">{{cite news|first=Seymour M.|last=Hersh|title=The Next Act|date=November 20, 2006|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|url=https://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/061127fa_fact|access-date=2006-11-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061123003130/http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/061127fa_fact|archive-date=November 23, 2006|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Gunter2020">{{cite journal | last1 = Gunter | first1 = Michael M. | title = Iran's Forgotten Kurds | journal = Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies | date = 2020 | volume = 43 | issue = 2 | pages = 54–67 | eissn = 2766-0176 | doi = 10.1353/jsa.2020.0009 | url = https://muse.jhu.edu/article/779644}}</ref> The U.S. designated the PJAK as a terrorist organization in 2009.<ref>[https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg14.aspx Treasury Designates Free Life Party of Kurdistan a Terrorist Organization] (press release), U.S. Department of the Treasury, (February 4, 2009)</ref>
-This separatist movement advocates for the [[Kurds]] of Iran to unify with Kurds in [[Turkey]], [[Iraq]] and [[Syria]] to form [[Kurdistan]] or to create the [[Kurdistan|Commonwealth of East Kurdistan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pdki.org/lang.php?lang=1 |title=Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan |publisher=Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan |access-date=11 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401225906/http://pdki.org/lang.php?lang=1 |archive-date=1 April 2009 }}</ref> Some political parties advocating for Kurdish independence from Iran include the [[Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan]], which is a member of the [[Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization]]. Militant organizations advocating for Kurdish independence include [[Kurdistan Free Life Party]] and the [[Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan]]
+Many current separatist movements advocate for the unification of Kurds in [[Turkey]], [[Iraq]] and [[Syria]] to form [[Kurdistan]] or to create the [[Kurdistan|Commonwealth of East Kurdistan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pdki.org/lang.php?lang=1 |title=Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan |publisher=Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan |access-date=11 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401225906/http://pdki.org/lang.php?lang=1 |archive-date=1 April 2009 }}</ref> Some political parties advocating for Kurdish independence from Iran include the [[Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan]], which is a member of the [[Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization]]. Militant organizations advocating for Kurdish independence include [[Kurdistan Free Life Party]] and the [[Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan]].
 == Iranian Azerbaijan ==
 {{main|Whole Azerbaijan}}
+{{see also | Azerbaijan National Resistance Organization | Southern Azerbaijan National Awakening Movement}}
-[[File:Map of the historical region of (Iranian) Azerbaijan.png|thumb|240px|South Azerbaijan]]
 This movement advocates for the independence of [[Azerbaijani people|Azerbaijani]] majority territories in Iran. Separatists propose either an independent [[Iranian Azerbaijan|South Azerbaijan]] or unification with [[Azerbaijan]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Whole Azerbaijan Pdf|url=https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/1320027}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Bütöv Azerbaycan!|url=https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/yazarlar/mustafa-balbay/butov-azerbaycan-1769883|access-date=2021-05-12|website=www.cumhuriyet.com.tr|language=tr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Elçibey'in "Birleşmiş Azerbaycan" ideolojisi – KAFKASSAM – Kafkasya Stratejik Araştırmalar Merkezi|date=5 May 2020 |url=https://kafkassam.com/elcibeyin-birlesmis-azerbaycan-ideolojisi.html|access-date=2021-05-12}}</ref> Some political parties and militant organizations advocating for Azerbaijani separatism are the [[Southern Azerbaijan National Awakening Movement]] and the [[Azerbaijan National Resistance Organization]].
@@ Line 30: / Line 39: @@
 {{main|Insurgency in Balochistan}}
+{{see also|Baloch nationalism}}
+Separatists in [[Sistan and Baluchestan province|Sistan and Baluchestan]] mainly advocate for the creation of a ethnically [[Baloch people|Baloch]] country called [[Balochistan]], which would also include the [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]] province of [[Pakistan]] and ethnically Baloch territories in [[Afghanistan]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Iran Offers Short-Term Solutions To Long-Term Problems|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/Iran_Offers_ShortTerm_Solutions_To_LongTerm_Problems_Of_Baluch_Minority/1858243.html|access-date=2022-02-19|newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=22 October 2009 |language=en|last1=Aryan |first1=Hossein }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=SAAG|date=2016-11-16|title=Greater Balochistan: A Quiet Frontier Set To Explode – Analysis|url=https://www.eurasiareview.com/16112016-greater-balochistan-a-quiet-frontier-set-to-explode-analysis/|access-date=2022-02-19|website=Eurasia Review|language=en-US}}</ref> Militant organizations advocating for Baloch independence is [[Jaish ul-Adl]] and [[Jundallah (Iran)|Jundallah]]. Because Balochistan spans both Iran and Pakistan, the insurgency complicates relations between the two countries. Iran has accused Pakistan of not doing enough to prevent Baloch separatists from attacking Iran.<ref>{{cite web | last=Masood | first=Salman | title=Pakistan Retaliates With Strikes Inside Iran as Tensions Spill Over | website=The New York Times | date=2024-01-18 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/17/world/asia/pakistan-iran-strike.html | access-date=2024-01-18}}</ref>
-[[file:IranSistanBaluchistan-SVG.svg|thumb|240px|Sistan and Baluchestan]]
-Separatists in [[Sistan and Baluchestan province|Sistan and Baluchestan]] mainly advocate for the creation of a ethnically [[Baloch people|Baloch]] country called [[Balochistan]], which would also include the [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]] province of [[Pakistan]] and ethnically Baloch territories in [[Afghanistan]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Iran Offers Short-Term Solutions To Long-Term Problems|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/Iran_Offers_ShortTerm_Solutions_To_LongTerm_Problems_Of_Baluch_Minority/1858243.html|access-date=2022-02-19|newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=22 October 2009 |language=en|last1=Aryan |first1=Hossein }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=SAAG|date=2016-11-16|title=Greater Balochistan: A Quiet Frontier Set To Explode – Analysis|url=https://www.eurasiareview.com/16112016-greater-balochistan-a-quiet-frontier-set-to-explode-analysis/|access-date=2022-02-19|website=Eurasia Review|language=en-US}}</ref> One militant organization advocating for Baloch independence is [[Jaish ul-Adl]].
 == References ==
@@ Line 40: / Line 48: @@
 [[Category:Kurds in Iran]]
 [[Category:Balochistan]]
-[[Category:Khuzestan Province]]
+[[Category:Khuzestan province]]