Jump to content

Azerbaijan (Iran): Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 37°36′N 47°00′E / 37.6°N 47.0°E / 37.6; 47.0
Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
No edit summary
correct links and meaning of Khata'i: there is no such word as خطائي in Arabic meaning “the sinful” (the Arabic word for that is خطاء khaṭṭāʾ’; his pen name was خطایی and Iranian and Azerbaijani scholars agree that it was a reference to Cathay where Turks were thought to originate from, as a way of claiming Turkic heritage (add sources and rm broken link)
 
Line 1: Line 1:
{{about|the region in Iran||Azerbaijan (disambiguation)}}
{{short description|Historical region in northwestern Iran}}
{{distinguish|text=the [[Azerbaijan|Republic of Azerbaijan]]}}
{{pp-semi-sock|small=yes}}
{{other uses|Azerbaijan (disambiguation)}}
'''Azerbaijan''' or '''Azarbaijan''' ({{lang-fa|آذربایجان; ''Āzarbāijān''}}; {{lang-az2|آذربایجان}} , [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]]: ئازه‌ربایجان ), also '''Iranian Azerbaijan''', '''Persian Azarbaijan'''<ref>James Minahan. "Miniature Empires", Published by Greenwood Publishing Group, 1998.</ref> ([[Persian language|Persian]]: آذربایجان ایران; ''Āzarbāijān-e Irān''), is a [[region]] in northwestern [[Iran]]. It is also historically known as ''[[Atropatene]]'' and ''[[Aturpatakan]]''.
{{pp-move-indef}}
The region is referred to by some as ''South Azerbaijan'' or ''Southern Azerbaijan'',<ref>Encyclopaedia Iranica: "Azerbaijan", viii "Azerbaijan Turkish", Doerfer, G. page 246, ([http://www.iranica.com/newsite/search/searchpdf.isc?ReqStrPDFPath=/home1/iranica/articles/v3_articles/azerbaijan/azeri_turkish&OptStrLogFile=/home/iranica/public_html/logs/pdfdownload.html LINK])</ref><ref>Brown, Cameron S. 2002 (Dec.). "Observations from Azerbaijan." ''[[Middle East Review of International Affairs]]'': v. 6, no. 4, ([http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2002/issue4/jv6n4a7.html LINK])</ref> however some scholars and sources view these terms as being irredentist and politically motivated.<ref>Michael P. Croissant, "The Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict: Causes and Implications", Praeger/Greenwood, 1998. excerpt from pg 61: "During the Soviet-era historical revisionism and myth-building intended to denounce imperialism, the notion of a "northern" and "southern" Azerbaijan was created and propogated throughout USSR. It was charged that the "two Azerbaijanis" once united were separated artificially by conspiracy between imperial Russia and Iran".</ref><ref>''Ethnic Conflict and International Security'', Edited by Michael E. Brown, Princeton University Press, 1993</ref><ref>Bert G. Fragner, ‘Soviet Nationalism’: An Ideological Legacy to the Independent Republics of Central Asia ’ in” in Van Schendel, Willem(Editor) . Identity Politics in Central Asia and the Muslim World: Nationalism, Ethnicity and Labour in the Twentieth Century. London , GBR: I. B. Tauris & Company, Limited, 2001. Excerpt from pg 24: "Under Soviet auspices and in accordance with Soviet nationalism, historical Azerbaijan proper was reinterpreted as 'Southern Azerbaijan', with demands for liberation and, eventually, for 're'-unification with Northern (Soviet) Azerbaijan a breathtaking manipulation. No need to point to concrete Soviet political activities in this direction, as in 1945-46 etc. The really interesting point is that in the independent former Soviet republics this typically Soviet ideological pattern has long outlasted the Soviet Union."</ref> For more information see the article [[History of the name Azerbaijan]].
{{pp-semi-indef}}
[[File:Map of the historical region of (Iranian) Azerbaijan.png|thumb|right|Three provinces of Iranian Azerbaijan region]]
{{Azerbaijanis}}
{{Coord|37.6|47.0|scale:5000000|display=title}}
'''Azerbaijan''' or '''Azarbaijan''' ({{langx|fa|آذربایجان|translit=Āzarbāyjān|label=[[Persian language|Persian]]/[[South Azerbaijani|Azerbaijani]]|italic=no|link=yes}}, {{IPA|fa|ɒːzæɾbɒːjˈdʒɒːn}}, {{IPA|az|ɑːzæɾbɑjˈdʒɑn}}), also known as '''Iranian Azerbaijan''',<ref>James Minahan. "Miniature Empires", Published by Greenwood Publishing Group, 1998.</ref> is a [[historical region]] in northwestern [[Iran]] that borders [[Iraq]] and [[Turkey]] to the west and [[Armenia]], [[Azerbaijan]], and the Azerbaijani exclave of the [[Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic]] to the north.

Iranian Azerbaijan includes three northwestern Iranian provinces: [[West Azerbaijan province|West Azerbaijan]], [[East Azerbaijan province|East Azerbaijan]] and [[Ardabil province|Ardabil]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Azerbaijan: Region, Iran |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Azerbaijan-region-Iran |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |language=en |access-date=2019-10-06 |archive-date=2020-04-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200420212241/https://www.britannica.com/place/Azerbaijan-region-Iran |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Volume XI (Brill Publishers, Leiden, 2002). Article: "Zandjan", page 446: <blockquote>The mediaeval geographers mostly placed Zandjan in Djibal province, usually linking it with Abhar [q.v] or Awhar some 80 km/50 miles to its south-east, but they usually stated that it was on the frontier with Adharbaydjan, and some authorities attributed it to Daylam or to Rayy.</blockquote></ref> Some authors also include [[Zanjan province|Zanjan]] in this list, some in a geographical sense,<ref name="SwietochowskiCollins1999">{{cite book|author1=Tadeusz Swietochowski|author2=Brian C. Collins|title=Historical Dictionary of Azerbaijan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yjIZ6ymyNO8C|year=1999|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-3550-4|page=65|access-date=2019-11-02|archive-date=2017-04-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406113843/https://books.google.com/books?id=yjIZ6ymyNO8C|url-status=live}}</ref> others only culturally (due to the predominance of the Azeri Turkic population there).<ref name="Atabaki2000">{{cite book|author=Touraj Atabaki|title=Azerbaijan: Ethnicity and the Struggle for Power in Iran|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MybbePBf9YcC|date=4 November 2000|publisher=I.B.Tauris|isbn=978-1-86064-554-9|pages=8, 90 and 112|access-date=2 November 2019|archive-date=26 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226225450/https://books.google.com/books?id=MybbePBf9YcC|url-status=live}}</ref> The region is mostly populated by [[Iranian Azerbaijanis|Azerbaijanis]], with minority populations of [[Kurds]], [[Armenians]], [[Tat people (Iran)|Tats]], [[Talysh people|Talysh]], [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]] and [[Persians]].

Iranian Azerbaijan is the land originally and historically called Azerbaijan; the Azerbaijani-populated Republic of Azerbaijan appropriated the name of the neighbouring Azerbaijani-populated region in Iran during the 20th century.<ref name="I.B.Tauris">{{cite book|last1=Atabaki|first1=Touraj|title=Azerbaijan: Ethnicity and the Struggle for Power in Iran |date=2000|publisher=I.B.Tauris|isbn=9781860645549|page=25}}</ref><ref name="I.B. Tauris">{{cite book|last1=Dekmejian|first1=R. Hrair|last2=Simonian|first2=Hovann H.|title=Troubled Waters: The Geopolitics of the Caspian Region|date=2003|publisher=I.B. Tauris|isbn=978-1860649226|page=60|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4_jdnke35AgC&q=azerbaijan+name+used+1918|quote=Until 1918, when the Musavat regime decided to name the newly independent state Azerbaijan, this designation had been used exclusively to identify the [[Iranian Azerbaijan|Iranian province of Azerbaijan]].|access-date=2020-11-08|archive-date=2021-01-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119105746/https://books.google.com/books?id=4_jdnke35AgC&q=azerbaijan+name+used+1918|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Amsterdam University Press">{{cite book|last1=Rezvani|first1=Babak|title=Ethno-territorial conflict and coexistence in the caucasus, Central Asia and Fereydan: academisch proefschrift|date=2014|publisher=Amsterdam University Press|location=Amsterdam|isbn=978-9048519286 |page=356|quote=The region to the north of the river Araxes was not called Azerbaijan prior to 1918, unlike the region in northwestern Iran that has been called since so long ago.}}</ref> Historic Azerbaijan was called ''[[Atropatene]]'' in antiquity and ''Aturpatakan'' ([[Adurbadagan]]) in the pre-Islamic Middle Ages. Some people refer to Iranian Azerbaijan as [[Azerbaijan (toponym)#Southern Azerbaijan|South (or Southern) Azerbaijan]] and the Republic of Azerbaijan as Northern Azerbaijan,<ref name="Brown 2002">{{Cite journal |last=Brown |first=Cameron S. |date=December 2002 |title=Observations from Azerbaijan |url=http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2002/issue4/jv6n4a7.html |journal=[[Middle East Review of International Affairs]] |volume=6 |issue=4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030223221730/http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2002/issue4/jv6n4a7.html#Cameron%20S.%20Brown |archive-date=23 February 2003 |access-date=2020-02-02}}</ref> although others believe that these terms are [[irredentist]] and politically motivated.<ref>Michael P. Croissant, "The Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict: Causes and Implications", Praeger/Greenwood, 1998. excerpt from pg 61: "During the Soviet-era historical revisionism and myth-building intended to denounce imperialism, the notion of a "northern" and "southern" Azerbaijan was created and propagated throughout USSR. It was charged that the "two Azerbaijanis" once united were separated artificially by a conspiracy between imperial Russia and Iran".</ref><ref>''Ethnic Conflict and International Security'', Edited by Michael E. Brown, Princeton University Press, 1993</ref><ref>Bert G. Fragner, ‘Soviet Nationalism’: An Ideological Legacy to the Independent Republics of Central Asia’ in Van Schendel, Willem (Editor). Identity Politics in Central Asia and the Muslim World: Nationalism, Ethnicity and Labour in the Twentieth Century. London, GBR: I. B. Tauris & Company, Limited, 2001. Excerpt from pg 24: "Under Soviet auspices and in accordance with Soviet nationalism, historical Azerbaijan proper was reinterpreted as 'Southern Azerbaijan', with demands for liberation and, eventually, for 're'-unification with Northern (Soviet) Azerbaijan – a breathtaking manipulation. No need to point to concrete Soviet political activities in this direction, as in 1945–46 etc. The really interesting point is that in the independent former Soviet republics this typically Soviet ideological pattern has long outlasted the Soviet Union."</ref>

Following military defeats at the hands of the [[Russian Empire]], [[Qajar Iran|Qajar Persia]] ceded all of its territories in the [[North Caucasus]] and [[Transcaucasia]] to Russia via the [[Treaty of Gulistan]] of 1813 and the [[Treaty of Turkmenchay]] of 1828.<ref name="Swietochowski Borderland">{{cite book|last=Swietochowski|first=Tadeusz|author-link=Tadeusz Swietochowski|year=1995|title=Russia and Azerbaijan: A Borderland in Transition|pages=69, 133|publisher=[[Columbia University Press]]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FfRYRwAACAAJ&q=Russia+and+Iran+in+the+great+game:+travelogues+and+orientalism|isbn=978-0-231-07068-3|access-date=2020-11-08|archive-date=2015-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713174716/https://books.google.com/books?id=FfRYRwAACAAJ&dq=Russia+and+Iran+in+the+great+game:+travelogues+and+orientalism|url-status=live}}</ref> The territories south of the [[Aras River]], which comprised the region historically known as Azerbaijan, became the new north-west frontier of the Persian Empire and later Iran.<ref name="books.google.nl">Timothy C. Dowling [https://books.google.com/books?id=KTq2BQAAQBAJ&dq=russo+persian+war+1804-1813&pg=PA728 ''Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160903022939/https://books.google.com/books?id=KTq2BQAAQBAJ&pg=PA728&dq=russo+persian+war+1804-1813&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=QnOXVJXpCcz7UPevhPAK&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=russo%20persian%20war%201804-1813&f=false |date=2016-09-03 }} pp 728–729 ABC-CLIO, 2 dec. 2014 {{ISBN|1598849484}}</ref> The territories north of the Aras River, which were not known by the name Azerbaijan at the time of their capture by Russia, were absorbed into the Russian Empire, renamed the [[Azerbaijan Democratic Republic]] during the country's short-lived independence from 1918 to 1920,<ref name="Siavash Lornejad p 10">Siavash Lornejad, Ali Doostzadeh. [https://books.google.com/books?id=LhTqtSxN4ikC&dq=azerbaijan+adopted+the+name+azerbaijan+1918&pg=PA10 ''ON THE MODERN POLITICIZATION OF THE PERSIAN POET NEZAMI GANJAVI''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828201840/https://books.google.com/books?id=LhTqtSxN4ikC&pg=PA10&dq=azerbaijan+adopted+the+name+azerbaijan+1918&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAWoVChMIvonK6OP1yAIVh-sOCh2qLgPf#v=onepage&q=azerbaijan%20adopted%20the%20name%20azerbaijan%201918&f=false |date=2021-08-28 }} CCIS, 2012 {{ISBN|978-9993069744}} p 10</ref> incorporated into the [[Soviet Union]] as the [[Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic]], and finally became the independent Republic of Azerbaijan when the [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union|Soviet Union dissolved]].


==Etymology and usage==
==Etymology and usage==
The name Azerbaijan itself is derived from ''[[Atropates]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/atropates-aturpat-lit|title=ATROPATES – Encyclopaedia Iranica|last=electricpulp.com|website=www.iranicaonline.org|access-date=2012-01-15|archive-date=2021-05-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512181344/https://iranicaonline.org/articles/atropates-aturpat-lit|url-status=live}}</ref> the [[Persian people|Persian]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Minahan|first=James |year=1998|title=Miniature Empires: A Historical Dictionary of the Newly Independent States|page=20 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-313-30610-5}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Chamoux|first=François |year=2003|title=Hellenistic Civilization|url=https://archive.org/details/hellenisticcivil00cham|url-access=limited|page=[https://archive.org/details/hellenisticcivil00cham/page/n37 26] |publisher=John Wiley and Sons|isbn=978-0-631-22241-5}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Bosworth A.B.|first=Baynham E.J. |year=2002 |title=Alexander the Great in Fact and fiction|page=92 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-19-925275-6}}</ref> [[Satrap]] (governor) of [[Medes|Medea]] in the [[Achaemenid Empire]], who ruled a region found in modern Iranian Azerbaijan called ''[[Atropatene]]''. Atropates's name is believed to be derived from the [[Old Persian]] roots meaning "protected by fire."<ref>Encyclopædia Iranica, [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v3f1/v3f1a020.html "ATROPATES"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015212953/http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v3f1/v3f1a020.html |date=October 15, 2007 }} M. L. Chaumont.</ref> The name is also mentioned in the [[Avesta]]n Frawardin Yasht: ''âterepâtahe ashaonô fravashîm ýazamaide'' which translates literally to: "We worship the [[Fravashi]] of the holy Atare-pata."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avesta.org/ka/yt13sbe.htm|title=AVESTA: KHORDA AVESTA (English): Frawardin Yasht (Hymn to the Guardian Angels)|first=Joseph H.|last=Peterson|website=www.avesta.org|access-date=2007-03-03|archive-date=2018-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929002203/http://www.avesta.org/ka/yt13sbe.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the ''[[Encyclopaedia of Islam]]'': "In [[Middle Persian language|Middle Persian]] the name of the province was called Āturpātākān, older new-Persian Ādharbādhagān (آذربادگان/آذرآبادگان), Ādharbāyagān, at present Āzerbāydjān/Āzarbāydjān, [[Greek language|Greek]] ''Atropatēnḗ'' (Ἀτροπατηνή), [[Byzantine Greek language|Byzantine Greek]] ''Adravigánon'' (᾿Αδραβιγάνων), [[Armenian language|Armenian]] ''Atrpatakan'' (Ատրպատական), [[Syriac language|Syriac]] ''Adhorbāyghān''."<ref name=Minorsky>{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1163/1573-3912_islam_COM_0016|title = Aḏh̲arbayḏj̲ān (Azarbāyḏj̲ān)}}</ref> The name Atropat in Middle Persian was transformed to Adharbad and is connected with Zoroastrianism. A famous Zoroastrian priest by the name Adarbad Mahraspandan is well known for his counsels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avesta.org/mp/adarbad1.htm|title=Counsels of Adarbad Mahraspandan|first=Joseph H.|last=Peterson|website=www.avesta.org|access-date=2007-05-06|archive-date=2021-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126034832/http://www.avesta.org/mp/adarbad1.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Azerbaijan, due to its numerous fire-temples has also been quoted in a variety of historic sources as being the birthplace of the prophet [[Zoroaster]] although modern scholars have not yet reached an agreement on the location of his birth.<ref>G. Gnoli, Zoroaster's time and homeland, Naples, 1980</ref>
{{main|History of the name Azerbaijan}}

The name Azerbaijan itself is derived from ''[[Atropates]]'',<ref>[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v3f1/v3f1a020.html Atroapates. Encyclopedia Iranica]</ref> the [[Satrap]] (governor) of [[Medes|Medea]] in the [[Achaemenid]] [[empire]], who ruled a region found in modern Iranian Azarbaijan called ''[[Atropatene]]''. Atropates name is believed to be derived from the [[Old Persian]] roots meaning "protected by fire."<ref>Encyclopædia Iranica, [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v3f1/v3f1a020.html "ATROPATES"] M. L. Chaumont.</ref> The name is also mentioned in the [[Avesta]]n Frawardin Yasht: ''âterepâtahe ashaonô fravashîm ýazamaide'' which translates literally to: We worship the [[Fravashi]] of the holy Atare-pata.<ref>[http://www.avesta.org/ka/yt13sbe.htm FRAWARDIN YASHT ("Hymn to the Guardian Angels") Translated by James Darmesteter (From Sacred Books of the East, American Edition, 1898)]</ref> َAccording to the Encyclopedia of Islam, the name of the province was pronounced as: ''In Middle Persian the name of the province was called Āturpātākān, older new-Persian Ādharbādhagān آذربادگان/آذرآبادگان, Ādharbāyagān, at present Āzerbāydjān/Āzarbāydjān, Greek ᾿Ατροπατήνη, Byzantine Greek ᾿Αδραβιγάνων, Armenian Atrpatakan, Syriac Adhorbāyghān.''.<ref>Minorsky, V.; Minorsky, V. "Azerbaijan" Encyclopaedia of Islam. Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill</ref> The name Atropat in Middle Persian was transformed to Adharbad and is connected with Zoroastrianism. A famous Zoroastrian priest by the name Adarbad Mahraspandan is well known for his counsels.<ref>[http://www.avesta.org/mp/adarbad1.htm R. C. Zaehner, The Teachings of the Magi, London, 1956, p. 101]</ref> Azerbaijan, due to its numerous fire-temples has also been quoted in a variety of historic sources as being the birth place of the prophet [[Zoroaster]] although modern scholars have not yet reached an agreement on the location of his birth.<ref>G. Gnoli, Zoroaster's time and homeland, Naples, 1980</ref>
In the early 19th century, [[Qajar Iran]] was forced to cede to [[Imperial Russia]] its Caucasian territories north of the [[Aras River]] (modern-day [[Dagestan]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Armenia]], and the Republic of [[Azerbaijan]]), through the treaties of [[Treaty of Gulistan|Gulistan]] (1813) and [[Treaty of Turkmenchay|Turkmenchay]] (1828). Following the disintegration of the Russian Empire in 1917, as well as the short-lived [[Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic]], in 1918, the leading [[Musavat|Musavat government]] adopted the name "Azerbaijan" for the newly established [[Azerbaijan Democratic Republic]], which was proclaimed on May 27, 1918,<ref>Touraj Atabaki. [https://books.google.com/books?id=M3adD9kNH1gC&dq=1918+adopted+the+name+azerbaijan&pg=PA132 ''Iran and the First World War: Battleground of the Great Powers''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827194745/https://books.google.com/books?id=M3adD9kNH1gC&pg=PA132&dq=1918+adopted+the+name+azerbaijan&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiCrKL-nsLJAhUovXIKHR-JD40Q6AEIJTAB#v=onepage&q=1918%20adopted%20the%20name%20azerbaijan&f=false |date=2021-08-27 }} I.B.Tauris, 4 sep. 2006 {{ISBN|978-1860649646}} p 132</ref> for political reasons,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Yilmaz|first1=Harun|title=National Identities in Soviet Historiography: The Rise of Nations Under Stalin|date=2015|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1317596646|page=21|quote=On May 27, the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan (DRA) was declared with Ottoman military support. The rulers of the DRA refused to identify themselves as [Transcaucasian] Tatar, which they rightfully considered to be a Russian colonial definition. (...) Neighboring Iran did not welcome the DRA's adoption of the name of "Azerbaijan" for the country because it could also refer to Iranian Azerbaijan and implied a territorial claim.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Barthold|first1=Vasily|title=Sochineniya, vol II/1|date=1963|location=Moscow|page=706|quote=(...) whenever it is necessary to choose a name that will encompass all regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan, name [[Arran (Caucasus)|Arran]] can be chosen. But the term Azerbaijan was chosen because when the Azerbaijan republic was created, it was assumed that this and the Persian Azerbaijan will be one entity, because the population of both has a big similarity. On this basis, the word Azerbaijan was chosen. Of course right now when the word Azerbaijan is used, it has two meanings as Persian Azerbaijan and as a republic, its confusing and a question arises as to which Azerbaijan is talked about.}}</ref> even though the name of "Azerbaijan" had always been used to refer to the adjacent region of contemporary northwestern Iran.<ref name="I.B.Tauris"/><ref name="I.B. Tauris"/><ref name="Amsterdam University Press"/> Thus, until 1918, when the Musavat regime decided to name the newly independent state Azerbaijan, this designation had been used exclusively to identify the Iranian province of Azerbaijan.<ref name="I.B. Tauris"/><ref name="Amsterdam University Press"/><ref name="Siavash Lornejad p 10"/><ref>{{cite book|last1=Fragner|first1=B.G.|title=Soviet Nationalism: An Ideological Legacy to the Independent Republics of Central Asia|date=2001|publisher=I.B. Tauris and Company|pages=13–32|quote=In the post Islamic sense, Arran and [[Shirvan]] are often distinguished, while in the pre-Islamic era, Arran or the western [[Caucasian Albania]] roughly corresponds to the modern territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] era, in a breathtaking manipulation, historical Azerbaijan (northwestern [[Iran]]) was reinterpreted as "South Azerbaijan" in order for the Soviets to lay territorial claim on historical Azerbaijan proper which is located in modern-day northwestern Iran.}}</ref>

==History==
{{main|History of Iran}}
[[File:صورة الأرض - ابن حوقل A Page 419.JPG|thumb|100px|Caspian sea and Azerbaijan position on the left side of the map in the 10th century. The original map is in Ṣūrat al-'Arḍ (صورة الارض; "The face of the Earth"), Ibn Hawqal (977), Beyrut, page 419.]]
[[File:Ibn Hawqal’s map 1 wiki.jpg|thumb|100px|An old map of Azerbaijan and its neighboring regions depicted by the Ibn Hawqal 1145 AD]]
[[Image:TabulaRogeriana.jpg|thumb|The ''[[Tabula Rogeriana]]'', drawn by [[Muhammad al-Idrisi]] for [[Roger II of Sicily]] in 1154. Azerbaijan in the southwest of the Caspian sea. South is towards the top.]]

===Pre-Islamic period===
The oldest kingdom known in Iranian Azerbaijan is that of the [[Mannaeans|Mannea]] who ruled a region south-east of [[Lake Urmia]] centered around modern [[Saqqez]]. The Manneans were a confederation of Iranian and non-Iranian groups. According to Professor Zadok:

{{bquote|it is unlikely that there was any ethnolinguistic unity in Mannea. Like other peoples of the [[Iranian plateau]], the Manneans were subjected to an ever-increasing Iranian (i.e., Indo-European) penetration.<ref>[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/ot_grp10/ot_mannea_20060116.html MANNEA by R. Zadok in Encyclopaedia Iranica] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080108032003/http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/ot_grp10/ot_mannea_20060116.html |date=January 8, 2008 }}</ref>}}
The Mannaeans were conquered and absorbed by an Iranian people called Matieni, and the country was called [[Matiene]], with Lake Urmia called Lake Matianus. Matiene was later conquered by the Medes and became a satrapy of the Median empire and then a sub-satrapy of the Median satrapy of the Persian Empire.

According to ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', the [[Medes]] were an:

{{bquote|Indo-European people, related to the Persians, who entered northeastern Iran probably as early as the 17th century BC and settled in the plateau land that came to be known as Media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9051719|title="Mede". ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 12 February 2007}}</ref>}}

After [[Alexander the Great]] conquered [[Persia]], he appointed (328 BC) as governor the Persian general [[Atropates]], who eventually established an independent dynasty. The region, which came to be known as [[Atropatene]] or Media Atropatene (after Atropates), was much disputed. In the 2nd century BC, it was liberated from [[Seleucid]] domination by [[Mithradates I]] of [[Arsacid Empire|Arsacid dynasty]], and was later made a province of the [[Sassanid Empire]] of [[Ardashir I]]. Under the Sassanids, Azerbaijan was ruled by a ''marzubān'', and, towards the end of the period, belonged to the family of [[Farrokh Hormizd]].

Large parts of the region were conquered by the [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Kingdom of Armenia]]. Large parts of the region made up part of [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|historical Armenia]]. The parts of historical Armenia within what is modern-day Azerbaijan comprise; [[Nor Shirakan]], [[Vaspurakan]], and [[Paytakaran]]. Vaspurakan, of which large parts were located in what is modern-day Iranian Azerbaijan is described as the cradle of [[Armenians|Armenian]] civilization.<ref name="ArmVan">{{cite book |last=Hovannisian |first=Richard G. |title=Armenian Van/Vaspurakan |url=https://archive.org/details/armenianvanvaspu00rich |year=1999 |publisher=Mazda Publishers |location=Costa Mesa, California |isbn=1-56859-130-6 }}</ref>

On 26 May 451 AD, a very important battle was fought that would prove immensely pivotal in [[History of Armenia|Armenian history]]. On the [[Avarayr Plain]], at what is modern-day [[Churs]] (modern-day [[West Azerbaijan Province]]), the Armenian Army under [[Vardan Mamikonian]] clashed with [[Sassanid]] Persia. Although the Persians were victorious on the battlefield itself, the battle proved to be a major strategic victory for Armenians, as Avarayr paved the way to the [[Nvarsak Treaty]] (484 AD), which affirmed Armenia's right to practice Christianity freely.<ref name="Hewsen">{{cite web|last1=Hewsen|first1=Robert H.|author-link1=Robert H. Hewsen|title=AVARAYR|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/avarayr-a-village-in-armenia-in-the-principality-of-artaz-southeast-of-the-iranian-town-of-maku|website=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]]|date=August 17, 2011|quote=So spirited was the Armenian defense, however, that the Persians suffered enormous losses as well. Their victory was pyrrhic and the king, faced with troubles elsewhere, was forced, at least for the time being, to allow the Armenians to worship as they chose.|access-date=November 1, 2015|archive-date=November 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117005213/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/avarayr-a-village-in-armenia-in-the-principality-of-artaz-southeast-of-the-iranian-town-of-maku|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Pattie">{{cite book|author=Susan Paul Pattie|title=Faith in History: Armenians Rebuilding Community |publisher= Smithsonian Institution Press |year=1997 |page=40 |isbn=1560986298|quote=The Armenian defeat in the Battle of Avarayr in 451 proved a pyrrhic victory for the Persians. Though the Armenians lost their commander, Vartan Mamikonian, and most of their soldiers, Persian losses were proportionately heavy, and Armenia was allowed to remain Christian.}}</ref>

[[Heraclius]], the [[List of Byzantine emperors|Byzantine emperor]], briefly held the region in the 7th century until peace was made with the Sassanids. After the [[Islamic Conquest of Iran]], [[Arab]] invaders converted most of its people to [[Islam]] and made it part of the [[caliphate]].

===Islamic period===
====Sasanian and early Islamic period====
During the [[Muslim conquest of Persia|Arab invasion of Iran]], the [[Spahbed]] of Iran was [[Rostam Farrokhzad]], the son of [[Farrukh Hormizd]], who was the son of [[Vinduyih]], the uncle of [[Khosrau I]] and brother of the Sasanian usurper [[Vistahm]]. Rustam himself was born in Azerbaijan and led the [[Sasanian army]] into battle. He is also mentioned in the [[Shahnameh]].

The Sasanian army was defeated at the [[battle of al-Qādisiyyah]] and [[Rostam Farrokhzad]], along with many other Sasanian veterans, was killed. In 642, [[Piruz Khosrow]], one of the Sasanian survivors during the battle of al-Qādisiyyah, fought against the Muslims at [[Nahavand]], which was a gateway to the provinces of Azerbaijan, [[Persian Armenia|Armenia]] and [[Caucasian Albania]]. The battle was fierce, but the Sasanian troops lost during the battle. This opened the gateway for the Muslims to enter Azerbaijan. The Muslims then invaded Azerbaijan and captured [[Isfandiyar (Sasanian commander)|Isfandiyar]], the son of [[Farrukhzad]]. Isfandiyar then promised, in return for his life, that he would agree to surrender his estates in Azerbaijan and aid the Muslims in defeating his brother, Bahram. Bahram was then defeated and sued for peace. A pact was drawn up according to which Azerbaijan was surrendered to [[Caliph]] [[Umar]] on usual terms of paying the annual [[Jizya]].

Muslims settled in Azerbaijan as they did in many parts of Iran. According to the [[Iranian Azerbaijani]] historian [[Ahmad Kasravi]], more Muslims settled in Azerbaijan compared to other provinces due to the province's plentiful and fertile pastures. Local revolts against the Caliphate were common and the most famous of these revolts was the Persian [[Khurramites|Khurramite movement]].

====Abbasids and Seljuks====
[[Image:Adharbayjan Ninth Century.svg|thumb|Map of Adharbayjan in the 9th-century]]
After the revolt of [[Babak Khorramdin]], who was a Zoroastrian of neo-Mazdakite background, the [[Abbasid]] caliphate's grip on Azerbaijan weakened, allowing native dynasties to rise in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan was taken over by the Kurdish [[Daisam]] and the [[Sallarid]] [[Marzuban bin Muhammad|Marzuban]], the latter united it with [[Arran (Caucasus)|Arran]], [[Shirvan]], and most of [[Eastern Armenia]]. After confrontations with the local [[Dailamite]] and [[Kurds|Kurdish]] populations who had already established their own dynasties and emirates in different parts of Azerbaijan, the [[Seljuks]] dominated the region in the 11th and early 12th centuries, at which point the linguistic Turkification of the native Iranian populations began. In 1136, Azerbaijan fell to the Atabakan-e-Azerbaijan and Atabakan-e-Maragheh. It was later invaded by the Khwarizm Shah Jalal ad-din who held Azerbaijan until the advent of the Mongol invasions.

In the early years of the 13th century, large parts of Azerbaijan were conquered by the [[Kingdom of Georgia]], at the time led by [[Tamar the Great]]. Under the command of the brothers Zakaria and Ivane [[Mkhargrdzeli]], the Georgians conquered Ardabil and Tabriz in 1208, and Qazvin and Khoy in 1210.<ref>{{cite book |last1=L. Baker |first1=Patricia |last2=Smith |first2=Hilary |last3=Oleynik |first3=Maria |date=2014 |title=Iran |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RT0bAgAAQBAJ |location=London, United Kingdom |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |page=158 |isbn=978-1841624020 |access-date=2017-09-19 |archive-date=2020-09-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200903000833/https://books.google.com/books?id=RT0bAgAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Salia |first=Kalistrat |date=1983 |title=History of the Georgian nation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xjAhAQAAMAAJ |location=Madison, WI |publisher=University of Wisconsin |page=181 |access-date=2017-09-19 |archive-date=2020-09-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200903000841/https://books.google.com/books?id=xjAhAQAAMAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Mikaberidze |first=Alexander |date=2011 |title=Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia, Volume 1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WjQfo3a1eVMC |location=Santa Barbara, California, USA |publisher=ABC-CLIO |page=196 |isbn=978-1598843361 |access-date=2017-09-19 |archive-date=2020-09-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200903000843/https://books.google.com/books?id=WjQfo3a1eVMC |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Mikaberidze|first1=Alexander|title=Historical Dictionary of Georgia|date=2015|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1442241466|pages=184, 623|edition=2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JNNQCgAAQBAJ&q=1828+most+of+eastern+armenia|access-date=2020-11-08|archive-date=2021-08-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827161158/https://books.google.com/books?id=JNNQCgAAQBAJ&q=1828+most+of+eastern+armenia|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Mongols and Turkmens====
The [[Mongols]] under [[Hulagu Khan]] established their capital at [[Maragheh]]. The book ''[[Safina-yi Tabriz]]'' describes the general state of [[Tabriz]] during the [[Ilkhanid]] period. After being conquered by [[Timur]] in the 14th century, Tabriz became an important provincial capital of the [[Timur|Timurid empire]]. Later, Tabriz became the capital of the [[Kara Koyunlu]] empire.

====Safavid, Afshars and Qajars and loss of the adjacent Caucasian territories====
{{main|Safavid dynasty|Afsharid dynasty|Qajar dynasty|Khanates of the Caucasus}}
{{see also|Russo-Persian Wars|Treaty of Gulistan|Treaty of Turkmenchay}}
It was out of [[Ardabil]] (ancient Artavilla) that the [[Safavid dynasty]] arose to renew the state of Persia and establish Shi'ism as the official religion of Iran. Around the same time, the population of what is now Azerbaijan and Iran [[Safavid conversion of Iran to Shia Islam|were converted to Shiism]],<ref name="N8IKR0oqdRkC">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N8IKR0oqdRkC&q=safavid+persia+conversion&pg=PA158|title=The Caspian: Politics, Energy and Security|first=Shirin|last=Akiner|date=5 July 2004|publisher=Taylor & Francis|via=Google Books|isbn=9780203641675|access-date=8 November 2020|archive-date=28 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328003602/https://books.google.com/books?id=N8IKR0oqdRkC&q=safavid+persia+conversion&pg=PA158|url-status=live}}</ref> and both nations remain the only nations in the world with a significantly Shia majority, with Iran having the largest Shia population by percentage, with the Republic of Azerbaijan having the second-largest Shia population by percentage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://files.preslib.az/projects/remz/pdf_en/atr_din.pdf|title=Administrative Department of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Presidential Library – Religion|access-date=2015-06-17|archive-date=2011-11-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123084541/http://files.preslib.az/projects/remz/pdf_en/atr_din.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Juan Eduardo Campo,''Encyclopedia of Islam'', p.625</ref>

After 1502, Azerbaijan became the chief bulwark and military base of the Safavids. It was the chief province from which the various Iranian empires would control their [[Caucasus|Caucasian]] provinces, all the way up to [[Dagestan]] in the early 19th century. In the meantime, between 1514 and 1603, the Ottomans sometimes occupied Tabriz and other parts of the province during [[Ottoman-Persian Wars|their numerous wars]] with their Safavid ideological and political archrivals. The Safavid control was restored by Shah Abbas but during the Afghan invasion (1722–8) the Ottomans recaptured Azerbaijan and other western provinces of Iran, until [[Nader Shah]] expelled them. At the beginning of the reign of [[Karim Khan Zand]], the [[Azad Khan Afghan]] unsuccessfully revolted in Azerbaijan and later the Dumbuli Kurds of [[Khoy]] and other tribal chiefs ruled various parts of the territory. Azad Khan was defeated however by [[Erekle II]]. With the advent of the Qajars, Azerbaijan became the traditional residence of the heirs-apparent. Even until then Azerbaijan remained the main area from where the high-ranked governors would control the various territories and [[Khanates of the Caucasus]] while the main power stayed in [[Tehran]].

Though the first [[Qajar dynasty|Qajar Iranian]] ruler, [[Agha Mohammad Khan]], had reconquered the [[Caucasus]] and all of Iran in several swift campaigns, such as the [[Battle of Krtsanisi|harsh re-subjugation of Georgia]] in 1795, Iran would eventually irrevocably lose all of the Caucasus region to neighbouring Imperial Russia during the course of the 19th century, which had a crucial impact on the region of modern-day Iranian Azerbaijan. Shortly after the reconquest of Georgia, Agha Mohammad Shah was assassinated while preparing a second expedition in 1797 in [[Shusha]].{{sfn|Fisher|Avery|Hambly|Melville|1991|p=329}} The reassertion of Iranian hegemony over Georgia did not last long; in 1799 the Russians marched into [[Tbilisi]],<ref>Alekseĭ I. Miller. [https://books.google.com/books?id=_8niIYSTqToC&dq=agha+mohammad+khan+conquer+georgia&pg=PA204 ''Imperial Rule''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827145924/https://books.google.com/books?id=_8niIYSTqToC&pg=PA204&dq=agha+mohammad+khan+conquer+georgia&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=bhxYVcu9BIS37AaTqIGwCQ&ved=0CGwQ6AEwCTgK#v=onepage&q=agha%20mohammad%20khan%20conquer%20georgia&f=false |date=2021-08-27 }} Central European University Press, 2004 {{ISBN|9639241989}} p 204</ref> which would mark the beginning of the end of the Iranian-ruled domains in the Caucasus, comprising modern-day [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Armenia]], the [[Republic of Azerbaijan]], and [[Dagestan]] thanks to the 19th century [[Russo-Persian Wars]].<ref name="books.google.nl"/>

Since the late 17th/early 18th century, the Russians were actively pursuing an expansionist policy towards its neighbouring empires to its south, namely the Ottoman Empire and the successive Iranian kingdoms. Agha Mohammad Khan's death and the Russian troops entering the Iranian possession of Tbilisi in 1799, led directly to the [[Russo-Persian War (1804–1813)]], the first of a number of Russo-Persian wars during the 19th century,{{sfn|Fisher|Avery|Hambly|Melville|1991|p=329}} and the most devastating and humiliating one. By the end of the war in 1813 and the resulting [[Treaty of Gulistan]], Qajar Iran was forced to cede Georgia, most of the modern-day Republic of Azerbaijan, and Dagestan to Russia. The only Caucasian territories remaining in Iranian hands were what is now [[Armenia]], the [[Nakhichevan Khanate]], and the [[Talysh Khanate]]. The next war, the [[Russo-Persian War (1826–1828)]], resulted in an even more humiliating defeat, with Iran being forced to cede the remaining Caucasian regions,<ref name="books.google.nl" /> as well as having Russian troops temporarily occupying Tabriz and Iranian Azerbaijan. As Iran was unwilling to allow the Russians to gain possession over its Caucasian territories in the [[North Caucasus]] and [[South Caucasus]], the millennia-old ancient ties between Iran and the Caucasus region were only severed by the superior Russian force of Russia through these 19th-century wars.{{sfn|Fisher|Avery|Hambly|Melville|1991|p=329}}

The area to the north of the river [[Aras River|Aras]], which included the territory of the contemporary republic of Azerbaijan, eastern Georgia, Dagestan, and Armenia, were Iranian territory until they were occupied by Russia during the 19th century.<ref name="Swietochowski Borderland"/><ref name="books.google.nl"/><ref>{{cite book|last=L. Batalden|first=Sandra|year=1997|title=The Newly Independent States of Eurasia: Handbook of Former Soviet Republics|page=98|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WFjPAxhBEaEC&q=The+newly+independent+states+of+Eurasia:+handbook+of+former+Soviet+republics|isbn=978-0-89774-940-4|access-date=2020-11-08|archive-date=2015-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713174717/https://books.google.com/books?id=WFjPAxhBEaEC&dq=The+newly+independent+states+of+Eurasia:+handbook+of+former+Soviet+republics|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=E. Ebel, Robert|first=Menon, Rajan|year=2000|title=Energy and conflict in Central Asia and the Caucasus|page=181|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-sCpf26vBZ0C&q=Energy+and+conflict+in+Central+Asia+and+the+Caucasus|isbn=978-0-7425-0063-1|access-date=2020-11-08|archive-date=2015-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713174720/https://books.google.com/books?id=-sCpf26vBZ0C&dq=Energy+and+conflict+in+Central+Asia+and+the+Caucasus|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Andreeva|first=Elena|year=2010|title=Russia and Iran in the Great Game: Travelogues and Orientalism|page=6|edition=reprint|publisher=Taylor & Francis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FfRYRwAACAAJ&q=%3DRussia+and+Iran+in+the+great+game:+travelogues+and+orientalism|isbn=978-0-415-78153-4|access-date=2020-11-08|archive-date=2015-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713174721/https://books.google.com/books?id=FfRYRwAACAAJ&dq=%3DRussia+and+Iran+in+the+great+game:+travelogues+and+orientalism|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Çiçek, Kemal|first=Kuran, Ercüment|year=2000|title=The Great Ottoman-Turkish Civilisation|publisher=University of Michigan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c5VpAAAAMAAJ&q=The+Great+Ottoman-Turkish+Civilisation|isbn=978-975-6782-18-7|access-date=2015-06-20|archive-date=2015-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713174723/https://books.google.com/books?id=c5VpAAAAMAAJ&q=The+Great+Ottoman-Turkish+Civilisation&dq=The+Great+Ottoman-Turkish+Civilisation|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Ernest Meyer, Karl|first=Blair Brysac, Shareen|year=2006|title=Tournament of Shadows: The Great Game and the Race for Empire in Central Asia|page=66|publisher=Basic Books|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ssv-GONnxTsC&q=Tournament+of+Shadows:+The+Great+Game+and+the+Race+for+Empire+in+Central+Asia|isbn=978-0-465-04576-1|access-date=2020-11-08|archive-date=2015-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713174725/https://books.google.com/books?id=Ssv-GONnxTsC&dq=Tournament+of+Shadows:+The+Great+Game+and+the+Race+for+Empire+in+Central+Asia|url-status=live}}</ref>

Through the course of the 19th century Iran lost to Russia regions<ref name="books.google.nl" /> which had been part Iran for centuries.{{sfn|Fisher|Avery|Hambly|Melville|1991|p=329}} By the end of the 19th century, the border between Iran and Russia was set more southwards, at the [[Aras River]], which is currently the border between Iran and Armenia – Azerbaijan.

Subsequently, the Russians were very influential in Northern Iran including Azerbaijan (as Northern Iran fell into [[Russian Empire|Russia's]] sphere of influence for decades). After 1905, the representatives of Azerbaijan were very active in the [[Iranian Constitutional Revolution]] as a result to this Russian influence.

====Contemporary age====
{{see also|Russian Invasion of Tabriz, 1911|Persian campaign (World War I)|Azerbaijan People's Government}}
The Russian (Tsarist) army occupied Iranian Azerbaijan in 1909 and again in 1912–1914 and 1915–1918, followed by Ottoman forces in 1914–1915 and 1918–1919; Bolshevik forces occupied Iranian Azerbaijan and other parts of Iran in 1920–1921,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iran-bulletin.org/ibMEF-2-completed/TheGilan+Republic.htm|title=The Gilan Republic|website=www.iran-bulletin.org}}{{Dead link|date=January 2018|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> and Soviet forces occupied Iranian Azerbaijan in 1941, creating a very short-lived autonomous, [[Azerbaijan People's Government|Soviet-supported state]] from November 1945 to November 1946,<ref name=Jessup>{{cite book |last1=Jessup |first1=John E. |title=A Chronology of Conflict and Resolution, 1945–1985 |year=1989 |publisher=Greenwood Press |location=New York |isbn=0-313-24308-5 }}{{page needed|date=June 2018}}</ref> which was dissolved after the reunification of Iranian Azerbaijan with Iran in November of the same year. The period roughly from the last major [[Russo-Persian War (1826–1828)|Russo-Persian War]] up to this date is so-called the period of high Russian influences in Iran. All of Northern Iran, including Iranian Azerbaijan, Gilan, Mazandaran, Qazvin, and many other places all the way up to Isfahan fell into the Russian sphere of influence. Russian armies were stationed in many regions of Iranian Azerbaijan, Russian schools were founded, and many Russians [[Russians in Iran|settled]] in the region, but less than in [[Gilan]] and [[Mazandaran]]. Also, Azerbaijan saw the large influx of the so-called [[White émigré]]es who fled to Iran following the [[Bolshevik revolution]] in Russia. Iranian nationalism is partly the product of Azerbaijani intellectuals.<ref>For more information see: Ali Morshedizad, Roshanfekrane Azari va Hoviyate Melli va Ghomi (Azari Intellectuals and Their Attitude to National and Ethnic Identity (Tehran: Nashr-e Markaz publishing co., 1380)</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?topic_id=1409&fuseaction=va2.browse&sort=Collection&item=1945%2D46%20Iranian%20Crisis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715220624/http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?topic_id=1409&fuseaction=va2.browse&sort=Collection&item=1945-46%20Iranian%20Crisis|url-status=dead|title=Cold War International History Project Virtual Archive 2.0 Collection: 1945–46 Iranian Crisis|archive-date=July 15, 2010}}</ref> Azerbaijani provinces have played a major in the cultural and economic life of Iran in both the Pahlavi era as well as the Iranian Constitutional and Islamic revolution.

====Monuments====
The Iranian provinces of Azerbaijan, both West and East, possess a large number of monuments from all periods of history.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Kleiss |first=Wolfram |title=AZERBAIJAN xii. MONUMENTS |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]] |access-date=2013-12-27 |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/azerbaijan-monuments |archive-date=2012-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205180313/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/azerbaijan-monuments |url-status=live }}</ref>


==Geography==
==Geography==
Iranian Azerbaijan is generally considered the northwest portion of Iran comprising the provinces of [[East Azerbaijan]], [[West Azerbaijan]], [[Zanjan Province|Zanjan]],<ref>{{cite book |first=H. last=Dizadji |url=http://books.google.ca/books?id=y1AnRgIrd0gC&pg=PA105 |title=Journey from Tehran to Chicago |publisher=Trafford Publishing |year=2010 |page=105 |isbn=1426929188}}</ref> and [[Ardabil]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Azerbaijan |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |date=2009-03-09 |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/46770/Azerbaijan}} (excerpt:"geographic region that comprises the extreme northwestern portion of Iran. It is bounded on the north by the Aras River, which separates it from independent Azerbaijan and Armenia; on the east by the Iranian region of Gīlān and the Caspian Sea; on the south by the Iranian regions of Zanjān and Kordestān; and on the west by Iraq and Turkey. Azerbaijan is 47,441 square miles (122,871 square km) in area.")}}</ref> and comprising an area of {{convert|122871|km2}}. It shares borders with the [[Republic of Azerbaijan]],<ref>[http://www.iranica.com/articles/ot_grp5/ot_archeology_viii_20040616.html M. N. POGREBOVA, Encyclopedia Iranica, ARCHEOLOGY. viii. NORTHERN AZERBAIJAN (REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN), 16 June 2004]</ref> Armenia, Turkey, and Iraq. There are 17 rivers and two lakes in the region. Cotton, nuts, textiles, tea, machinery, and electrical equipments are main industries. The northern, [[alpine climate|alpine]] region, which includes [[Lake Urmia]], is mountainous, with deep valleys and fertile lowlands.
Iranian Azerbaijan is generally considered the north-west portion of Iran comprising the provinces of [[East Azerbaijan]], [[West Azerbaijan]], and [[Ardabil]].<ref name="Azerbaijan-Britannica">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Azerbaijan |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |date=2019-10-06 |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Azerbaijan-region-Iran |access-date=2019-10-06 |archive-date=2020-04-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200420212241/https://www.britannica.com/place/Azerbaijan-region-Iran |url-status=live }} (excerpt:"geographic region that comprises the extreme northwestern portion of Iran. It is bounded on the north by the Aras River, which separates it from independent Azerbaijan and Armenia; on the east by the Iranian region of Gīlān and the Caspian Sea; on the south by the Iranian regions of Zanjān and Kordestān; and on the west by Iraq and Turkey. Azerbaijan is about 40,000 square miles (100,000 square km) in area.")</ref> It shares borders with the [[Republic of Azerbaijan]],<ref>[http://www.iranica.com/articles/ot_grp5/ot_archeology_viii_20040616.html M. N. POGREBOVA, Encyclopædia Iranica, ARCHEOLOGY. viii. NORTHERN AZERBAIJAN (REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN), 16 June 2004] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060324004715/http://www.iranica.com/articles/ot_grp5/ot_archeology_viii_20040616.html |date=March 24, 2006}}</ref> Armenia, Turkey, and Iraq. There are 17 rivers and two lakes in the region. Cotton, nuts, textiles, tea, machinery, and electrical equipment are the main industries. The northern, [[alpine climate|alpine]] region, which includes [[Lake Urmia]], is mountainous, with deep valleys and fertile lowlands.


The region is bounded in the north by [[Armenia]] and the Republic of Azerbaijan and in the West by [[Lake Urmia]] and Kurdish-inhabited areas of Iran, and in the East by the [[Talyshstan]] and [[Gilan Province|Gilan]].
The region is bounded in the north by [[Armenia]] and the [[Republic of Azerbaijan]] and in the West by [[Lake Urmia]] and Kurdish-inhabited areas of Iran, and in the East by [[Gilan Province|Gilan]].


==Agriculture==
===Mountains===
* ''[[Sabalan]]'' is an inactive [[stratovolcano]] in [[Ardabil province]] of northwestern [[Iran]]. It is the third highest mountain in Iran and has a permanent [[Volcanic crater lake|crater lake]] formed at its summit. Sabalan has a [[ski resort]] (Alvares) and different tourist areas such as the [[Sarein]] spa. The mountain is known for its beautiful vistas, including the Shirvan gorge, where few climbers ever venture. Elevation of Sabalan is {{Convert|4811|m||abbr=on}}.<ref name="peaklist">[http://www.peaklist.org/WWlists/ultras/iran.html "Iran: 54 Mountain Summits with Prominence of 1,500 meters or greater"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507014126/http://www.peaklist.org/WWlists/ultras/iran.html |date=2019-05-07 }} Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2011-11-21.</ref>
Grains, fruits, cotton, rice, nuts, and tobacco are the staple crops of the region.
* ''[[Sahand]]'' is a massive, heavily eroded [[stratovolcano]] in northwestern [[Iran]]. At {{Convert|3707|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, it is the highest mountain in the Iranian province of [[East Azarbaijan|East Azerbaijan]].
* ''[[Eynali]]'' is a small mountain range in north of [[Tabriz]], [[Iran]]. The range has a couple of peaks including Eynali ({{Convert|1800|m||abbr=on|disp=or|sigfig=3}}), Halileh ({{Convert|1850|m||abbr=on|disp=or|sigfig=3}}), Pakeh-chin ({{Convert|1945|m||abbr=on|disp=or}}), Bahlul ({{Convert|1985|m||abbr=on|disp=or}}) and the highest one Dand ({{Convert|2378|m||abbr=on|disp=or}}).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tabrizmount.com/comments.aspx?id=4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925062937/http://www.tabrizmount.com/comments.aspx?id=4|url-status=dead|title=East Azerbaijan Mountaineering Confederation|archive-date=September 25, 2009}}</ref>
* ''[[Mount Bozgush]]'' and ''[[Ağ Dağ]]'' is a {{Convert|3306|m|ft|0|adj=on}}<ref>National Geographic Society (2005) ''National Geographic Atlas of the World'' (8th ed.) Washington, DC, {{ISBN|0-7922-7542-X}}</ref> volcanic mountain {{Convert|20|km|mi|-1|abbr=on}} south of [[Sarab, East Azerbaijan|Sarab]] and north of [[Meyaneh|Mianeh]], [[East Azarbaijan Province|East Azerbaijan Province]], Iran. Tulips are cultivated on the rich volcanic soil of Mount Bozgush, and medicinal herbs such as [[Mentha pulegium|pennyroyal]], [[thyme]], [[borage]], [[Urtica|nettle]] and [[liquorice]] grow wild on the mountain's slopes. Mount Bozgush is a [[stratovolcano]] composed mostly of [[andesite]].


<gallery class="center">
==Industries and handicrafts==
File:Sabalan01.JPG|[[Sabalan]]
Industries include machine tools, vehicle factories, oil refinery, petrochemical complex, food processing, cement, textiles, electric equipment, and sugar milling. Oil and gas pipelines run through the region. Wool, carpets, and metal ware are also produced.
File:Mount-Sahand.jpg|[[Sahand]]
File:Eynali picknick.jpg|[[Eynali]]
</gallery>


==People==
===Rivers===
[[File:Araz River.jpg|thumb|Aras River near [[Jolfa, Iran|Joulfa]]]]
{{see also|Iranian Azeris|Kurds|Assyrian people|Iranian Armenians|Demographics of Iran}}


Most of the biggest rivers in Azerbaijan flow into either [[Lake Urmia|Urmia Lake]] or the [[Caspian Sea]] (both of which are [[endorheic]]). Some of the major rivers are:
Azerbaijan, the main Turkic-speaking area and one of the richest and one of the most densely populated regions of Iran, presents a picture of ethnic distinctiveness and homogeneity that is perhaps misleading. Not only are there various linguistic, religious, and tribal minority groups, and Azerbaijanis themselves have settled widely outside the region.<ref>[[Encyclopaedia Iranica]], page 243 = accessed January 9, 2007]</ref> The Azeris are followers of [[Shi'a]] Islam. [[Azeris in Iran|Azeris]] make up the majority of the population in the Iranian region of Azerbaijan. The '''Azeri''' (also known as '''Azerbaijani''') population of [[Iran]] is mainly found in the northwest provinces: [[East Azarbaijan Province|East Azarbaijan]], [[West Azarbaijan Province|West Azarbaijan]], [[Ardabil Province|Ardabil]], [[Zanjan (city)|Zanjan]], and in some regions of [[Kordestan Province|Kordestan]], [[Hamadan Province|Hamadan]] and [[Markazi Province|Markazi]]. Many others live in [[Tehran]], [[Karaj]] and other regions.<ref name="Library of Congress Iran">Azarbaijanis</ref>
* Urmia Lake basin: [[Aji Chay]] ([[Quri Chay]]), [[Zarrineh River|Zarriné-Rūd]], [[Gadar River]] and many small permanent and seasonal rivers.
* [[Caspian Sea]] basin: [[Ghezel Ozan|Qizil Üzan]], [[Sefid-Rud|Sefīd-Rūd]] and [[Aras (river)|Aras River]] ([[Zangmar River]]).


===Biosphere reserve===
[[Kurdish people|Kurds]] make up a sizeable and according to some sources,<ref>Keith Stanley McLachlan, "The Boundaries of Modern Iran ", Published by UCL Press, 1994. pg 55</ref> the majority of the population of [[West Azarbaijan Province|West Azarbaijan]].
[[File:The misty mountains.jpg|right|thumb|Mountains of [[Arasbaran]]]]


''[[Arasbārān]]'', in the former [[Arasbaran|Qaradagh]], is a [[UNESCO]] registered [[World Network of Biosphere Reserves|biosphere reserve]] (since 1976) and an Iranian [[Department of Environment, Iran|Dept. of Environment]] designated "Protected Area" in [[East Azarbaijan Province]], [[Iran]], with a varying altitude from {{Convert|256|m||abbr=on}} in the vicinity of the [[Aras River]] to {{Convert|2896|m||abbr=on}} and covers an area of {{Convert|78560|ha|acre sqmi}}. The biosphere is also home to some 23,500 [[nomad]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?code=IRA+01&mode=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605225251/http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?code=IRA+01&mode=all|url-status=dead|title=Profile at UNESCO biosphere reserve directory|archive-date=June 5, 2009}}</ref> Arasbaran is confined to [[Aras River]] in the north, [[Meshgin Shahr County]] and Moghan in the east, [[Sarab County]] in the south, and [[Tabriz County|Tabriz]] and [[Marand]] counties in the west.
Smaller groups of [[Armenians]], [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]], [[Talysh]]s, [[Persian Jews|Jew]]s, [[Georgians in Iran|Georgians]], and [[Persian people|Persians]] also inhabit the region.


===Lakes===
==Provinces and cities==
* [[Urmia Lake]] is a [[salt lake]] near Iran's border with [[Turkey]]. The lake is between the provinces of [[East Azerbaijan]] and [[West Azerbaijan]], west of the southern portion of the similarly shaped [[Caspian Sea]]. It is the largest lake in the [[Middle East]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/619901/Lake-Urmia |title=Britanica |encyclopedia=Britannica.com |access-date=4 September 2011 |archive-date=7 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907004058/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/619901/Lake-Urmia |url-status=live }}</ref>
According to the population census of 2006,<ref>[http://www.statoids.com/uir.html Provinces of Iran - 1996 Census figures, page last updated: 2006-04-19, accessed 2 April 2007]</ref><ref>[http://lexicorient.com/e.o/iran_provinces.htm]</ref> the three provinces of [[East Azerbaijan|East Azarbaijan]] (2006 pop. 3,603,456), [[West Azerbaijan|West Azarbaijan]] (2006 pop. 2,873,459), [[Zanjan Province|Zanjan]] (2006 pop. 970,946), and [[Ardabil]] (2006 pop. 1,228,155) have a combined population of 7.9 million people.
* [[Shorabil Lake]] is located in a hilly area south of [[Ardabil]]. [[Mohaghegh Ardabili University|Ardabil University]] is located near the lake.<ref name=trip>{{cite web|title=Shorabil Lake|url=http://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g680027-d1954237-Reviews-Shorabil_Lake-Ardabil_Ardabil_Province.html|publisher=tripadvisor.in|access-date=18 September 2013|archive-date=19 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019113220/http://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g680027-d1954237-Reviews-Shorabil_Lake-Ardabil_Ardabil_Province.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Gori Lake]] is a small fresh to brackish [[lake]] in the uplands of [[East Azarbaijan Province|East Azerbaijan Province]]. Together with the adjacent reed marshes it is an important breeding area for [[waterfowl]]. A {{Convert|1.2|km2||abbr=on|adj=on}} site was designated as a [[Ramsar Convention]] wetland protection site on 23 June 1975.
* [[Neor Lake]] is located in a hilly area south of the province of Ardabil, on the Ardabil–Khalkhal road.


<gallery class="center">
Chief cities include [[Tabriz]] (the capital of East Azarbaijan), [[Urmia]] (the capital of West Azerbaijan), [[Zanjan (city)|Zanjan]] (the capital of Zanjan Province), [[Ardabil]] (the capital of Ardabil), [[Maragheh]], [[Marand]], [[Mahabad]], [[Piranshahr]], and [[Khoy]] (Khvoy).
File:Shorabil Lake (night).jpg|[[Shorabil Lake]] at night
File:Marmisho Lake 48.JPG|Marmishu Lake in [[Urmia County]]
File:NeorLake.JPEG|[[Neor Lake]] on the [[Ardabil]] – [[Khalkhal, Ardabil|Khalkhal]] road
</gallery>


==History==
===Plain===
The [[Mugan plain]] is a plain located between Iran and the southern part of the [[Azerbaijan|Republic of Azerbaijan]]. The highest density of irrigation canals is in the section of the Mugan plain which lies in the Republic of Azerbaijan. It is located on the bank of the [[Aras river]] extending to Iran.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Tapper |first=Richard |title=MOḠĀN |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]] |access-date=2013-12-27 |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/mogan-parent-i-ii |archive-date=2013-03-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313023201/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/mogan-parent-i-ii |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{main|History of Iran}}


The [[Urmia Plain]] is in the [[West Azerbaijan Province]], situated on western side of Lake Urmia and the eastern side of Turkish border.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.a-gharbi.rmto.ir/NewSite/English/Include/ShowTab.asp?qsTab=1|title=خطا|website=www.a-gharbi.rmto.ir|access-date=2015-06-30|archive-date=2019-01-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130073207/http://www.a-gharbi.rmto.ir/NewSite/English/Include/ShowTab.asp?qsTab=1|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Pre-Islamic period===
The oldest kingdom known in Iranian Azerbaijan is that of the [[Mannaeans|Mannea]] who ruled a region southeast of [[Lake Urmia]] centered around modern [[Saqqez]]. The Manneans were a confederation of Iranian and non-Iranian groups. According to Professor Zadok:


==Politics==
{{bquote|it is unlikely that there was any ethnolinguistic unity in Mannea. Like other peoples of the [[Iranian plateau]], the Manneans were subjected to an ever increasing Iranian (i.e., Indo-European) penetration.<ref>[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/ot_grp10/ot_mannea_20060116.html MANNEA by R. Zadok in Encyclopaedia Iranica]</ref>}}
===In Azerbaijan===
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; text-align:center;"
|-
! style="text-align:center;"|Province
! style="text-align:center;"|Governor-general
! style="text-align:center;"|Representative of the [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]]
|-
|[[East Azerbaijan]]|| ''[[Easmaeil Jabbarzadeh]]''|| ''[[Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari]]''
|-
|[[West Azerbaijan]]|| ''[[Ghorbanali Saadat]]''|| ''[[Mehdi Ghoreyshi]]''
|-
|[[Ardabil Province]]|| ''[[Majid Khodabakhsh]]''|| ''[[Seyid Hassan Ameli|Hassan Ameli]]''
|-
|[[Zanjan Province]]|| ''Asadollad Darvish Amiri''|| ''Ali Khatami''
|}


===Assembly of Experts===
According to ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', the [[Medes]] were an:
Of the 86 members of [[Assembly of Experts]], 11 are representative of the Azerbaijan region. [[Ali Meshkini]] from [[Meshgin Shahr]]<ref name="zamaneh-death">{{cite web|url=http://www.radiozamaneh.org/news/2007/07/post_2044.html|title=The chairman of the Assembly of Experts died|date=2007-08-30|publisher=Radio Zamaneh|access-date=2007-08-08|language=fa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930022401/http://www.radiozamaneh.org/news/2007/07/post_2044.html|archive-date=2007-09-30|url-status=dead}}</ref> in the [[Ardabil Province]] was [[List of Chairmen of the Assembly of Experts|Chairmen of the Assembly of Experts]] since 1983 to 2007.
* 5 representative of East Azerbaijan.
* 3 representative of West Azerbaijan.
* 2 representative of Ardabil Province.
* 1 representative of Zanjan Province.


{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; text-align:center;"
{{bquote|Indo-European people, related to the Persians, who entered northeastern Iran probably as early as the 17th century BC and settled in the plateau land that came to be known as Media.<ref>"Mede". ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 12 February 2007 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9051719></ref>}}
|-
! style="text-align:center;"|Name
! style="text-align:center;"|Province
|-
|[[Hashem Hashemzadeh Herisi]]|| ''[[East Azerbaijan]]''
|-
|[[Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari]]|| ''[[East Azerbaijan]]''
|-
|[[Mohammad Feyzi]] || ''[[East Azerbaijan]]''
|-
|[[Mohammad Taghi Pourmohammadi]]|| ''[[East Azerbaijan]]''
|-
|[[Ali Malakouti]]|| ''[[East Azerbaijan]]''
|-
|[[Asghar Dirbaz]]|| ''[[West Azerbaijan]]''
|-
|[[Ali Akbar Ghoreyshi]]|| ''[[West Azerbaijan]]''
|-
|[[Javad Mojtahed Shabestari]]|| ''[[West Azerbaijan]]''
|-
|[[Hassan Ameli]]|| ''[[Ardabil Province]]''
|-
|[[Fakhraddin Mousavi]]|| ''[[Ardabil Province]]''
|-
|Mohammad Reza Doulabi|| ''[[Zanjan Province]]''
|}


===[[Islamic Consultative Assembly]]===
[[File:Persia 600ad.jpg|250px|thumb|Map showing Atropatene (Iranian Azerbaijan) below the Aras River. Region above the Aras River,currently Located in Azerbaijan republic, is labeled as [[Caucasian Albania]] (600 AD).]]
Of the 290 members of [[Islamic Consultative Assembly]], 44 are representative of Azerbaijan region. in the Azerbaijan region 40/44 Azerbaijani are in parliament the members of the [[Fraction of Turkic regions]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://en.trend.az/other/commentary/2679141.html|title=Iranian Turks' new parliamentary faction breaking more taboos|publisher=en.trend.az|date=31 October 2016|access-date=31 October 2016|archive-date=3 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103102827/http://en.trend.az/other/commentary/2679141.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
;[[wikt:electorate|Electorate]] According to [[County]]:<ref>{{cite news|title=جدول مدارک تحصیلی و سوابق اجرایی اعضای 14 کمیسیون‌ مجلس نهم|url=http://www.farsnews.ir/newstext.php?nn=13910330000536|access-date=22 October 2013|work=[[Fars News Agency]]|archive-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230100403/http://www.farsnews.ir/newstext.php?nn=13910330000536|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{Div col|small=yes|colwidth=10em}}
;[[East Azerbaijan (electoral district)|Electoral district of East Azerbaijan]]: ''19''
;[[Tabriz, Osku and Azarshahr (electoral district)|Tabriz, Osku and Azarshahr]]: ''6''{{ref|politician-i|i}}
;[[Mianeh (electoral district)|Mianeh]]: ''2'' {{ref|politician-n|n}}
;[[Kaleybar, Khoda Afarin and Hurand (electoral district)|Kaleybar, Khoda Afarin]]: ''[[Goliollah Golizadeh|1]]''
;[[Marand and Jolfa (electoral district)|Marand and Jolfa]]: ''[[Mohammad Hassannejad|1]]''
;[[Sarab (electoral district)|Sarab]]: ''[[Yusef Davudi|1]]''
;[[Bostanabad (electoral district)|Bostanabad]]: ''[[Mohammad Vahdati|1]]''
;[[Maragheh and Ajabshir (electoral district)|Maragheh and Ajabshir]]: ''[[Mohammadali Hosseinzadeh|1]]''
;[[Hashtrud and Charuymaq (electoral district)|Hashtrud and Charuymaq]]: ''[[Hamzeh Amini|1]]''
;[[Bonab (electoral district)|Bonab]]: ''[[Zia-Allah Ezazi Maleki|1]]''
;[[Varzaqan (electoral district)|Varzaqan]]: ''[[Reza Alizadeh|1]]''
;[[Ahar and Heris (electoral district)|Ahar and Heris]]: ''[[Beytollah Abdollahi|1]]''
;[[Shabestar (electoral district)|Shabestar]]: ''[[Masoumeh Aghapour|1]]''
;[[Malekan (electoral district)|Malekan]]: ''[[Salman Khodadadi|1]]''
{{div col end}}
----
{{Div col|small=yes|colwidth=10em}}
;[[West Azerbaijan (electoral district)|Electoral district of West Azerbaijan]]: ''12''
;[[Urmia (electoral district)|Urmia]]: ''3''{{ref|politician-j|j}}
;[[Miandoab, Shahin Dezh and Takab (electoral district)|Miandoab, Shahin Dezh, Takab]]: ''2'' {{ref|politician-o|o}}
;[[Khoy and Chaypareh (electoral district)|Khoy, Chaypareh]]: ''[[Taghi Kabiri|1]]''
;[[Mahabad (electoral district)|Mahabad]]: ''[[Jalal Mahmoudzadeh|1]]'' <small>(Kurd)</small>
;[[Bukan (electoral district)|Bukan]]: ''[[Mohammad Qasim Osmani|1]]'' <small>(Kurd)</small>
;[[Maku, Chaldoran, Poldasht and Showt (electoral district)|Maku, Poldasht, Showt, Chaldoran]]: ''[[Eynollah Sharifpour|1]]''
;[[Naqadeh and Oshnavieh (electoral district)|Nagadeh, Oshnavieh]]: ''[[Abdolkarim Hoseinzadeh|1]]'' <small>(Kurd)</small>
;[[Salmas (electoral district)|Salmas]]: ''[[Shahruz Barzegar|1]]''
;[[Piranshahr and Sardasht (electoral district)|Piranshahr, Sardasht]]: ''[[Rasoul Khezri|1]]'' <small>(Kurd)</small>
{{div col end}}
----
{{Div col|small=yes|colwidth=10em}}
;[[Ardabil (electoral district)|Electoral district of Ardabil Province]]: ''7''
;[[Ardabil, Nir, Namin and Sareyn (electoral district)|Ardabil, Nir, Namin and Sareyn]]: ''3''{{ref|politician-k|k}}


;[[Germi (electoral district)|Germi]]: ''[[Hemayat Mirzadeh|1]]''
After [[Alexander the Great]] conquered [[Persia]], he appointed (328 BC) as governor the Persian general [[Atropates]], who eventually established an independent dynasty. The region, which came to be known as [[Atropatene]] or Media Atropatene (after Atropates), was much disputed. In the 2nd century BC, it was liberated from [[Seleucid]] domination by [[Mithradates I]] of [[Arsacid Empire|Arsacid dynasty]], and was later made a province of the [[Sassanid Empire]] of [[Ardashir I]]. Under the Sassanids, Azerbaijan was ruled by a ''marzubān'', and, towards the end of the period, belonged to the family of [[Farrukh-Hormuzd]]. [[Heraclius]], the [[List of Byzantine emperors|Byzantine emperor]], briefly held the region in the 7th century until peace was made with the Sassanids. After the [[Islamic Conquest of Iran]], [[Arab]] invaders converted most of its people to [[Islam]] and made it part of the [[caliphate]].
;[[Meshginshahr (electoral district)|Meshginshahr]]: ''[[Vali Maleki|1]]''


;[[Khalkhal and Kowsar (electoral district)|Khalkhal and Kowsar]]: ''[[Bashir Khaleghi|1]]''
===Islamic period===
====Arab Conquest====
During the Islamic invasion of Azerbaijan, the name of the general of Iran, was Rustam the son of Farrukh Hurmuz also known as Rustam Farrokhzad. Rustam himself was born in Azerbaijan and lead the Sassanid army into battle.


;[[Parsabad and Bilesavar (electoral district)|Parsabad and Bilesavar]]: ''[[Shakur Pourhossein|1]]''
He is also mentioned in the Shahnameh.
{{div col end}}
----
{{Div col|small=yes|colwidth=10em}}
;[[Zanjan (electoral district)|Electoral district of Zanjan Province]]: ''5''
;[[Zanjan and Tarom (electoral district)|Zanjan, Tarom]]: ''2''{{ref|politician-m|m}}


;[[Abhar and Khorramdarreh (electoral district)|Abhar, Khorramdarreh]]: ''[[Mohammad Azizi (politician)|1]]''
The Sassanid Persian army was defeated in the [[battle of Qadisiya]] and Rustam was killed in the same battle. In 642 A.D., Piruzan, the Persian commander fought the Muslims in Nahavand, which was a gateway to the provinces of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Albania. The battle was fiece but the Sassanid troops failed in battle. This opened the gateway for Muslims into Azerbaijan. Muslims settled in Azerbaijan like many parts of Iran. According to the historian Kasravi, the Muslims also settled in Azerbaijan more numerously than other provinces due to its wide and green pastures. Local revolts against the Caliphate were common and the most famous of these revolts was that Persian Khurramite movement.
;[[Khodabandeh (electoral district)|Khodabandeh]]: ''[[Ahmad Bighdeli|1]]''


;[[Mahneshan and Ijrud (electoral district)|Ijrud, Mahneshan]]: [[Morteza Khatami|1]]
[[File:Equus asinus Kadzidłowo 002.jpg|thumb|230px|[[Foal]] TURKE KHAR, AZARIE OLAGH, TURKE MOGHUL, AZARIE MOGHOL.]]
{{div col end}}


====Abbasid and Seljuqids====
===[[Cabinet of Iran]]===
* [[Mohammadreza Nematzadeh]]: [[Ministry of Industries and Business (Iran)|Minister of Industries and Business]]<ref>[http://hamshahrionline.ir/details/227147 News] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720064225/http://www.hamshahrionline.ir/details/227147 |date=2017-07-20 }} Hamshahri Online</ref>
After the revolt of [[Babak Khorramdin]] who was a Zoroastrian of neo-Mazdakite background, the grip of the [[Abbasid]] caliphate on Azerbaijan weakened, allowing native dynasties to rise in Azerbaijan. Later on Azerbaijan was taken by the Kurdish [[Daisam]] and the [[Gilan|Daylamite]] [[Marzuban bin Muhammad|Marzuban]]. The Daylamites were succeeded by the Kurdish [[Rawadids]]. After confrontations with the local Kurdish populations who had already established their own dynasties and emirates in vast areas of Azerbaijan, the [[Seljuks]] dominated the region in the 11th and early 12th centuries, at which point Turkification of the native populations began. In 1136, Azerbaijan fell to the lot of the Atabakan-e-Azerbaijan and Atabakan-e-Maragheh. It was invaded by the Khwarizm Shah Jalal ad-din until the advent of the Mongol invasions.
* [[Hamid Chitchian]]: [[Ministry of Energy (Iran)|Minister of Energy]]<ref>{{cite news|title=15 of 18 Proposed Iranian Cabinet Ministers Devoted by Parliament |url=http://www.mojnews.com/en/Miscellaneous/ViewContents.aspx?Contract=cms_Contents_I_News&r=1229674 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020043658/http://www.mojnews.com/en/Miscellaneous/ViewContents.aspx?Contract=cms_Contents_I_News&r=1229674 |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 October 2013 |access-date=29 August 2013 |newspaper=Mojnews |date=16 August 2013 }}</ref>
* [[Shahindokht Molaverdi]]: [[Vice President of Iran|vice president of Iran]] the section [[Vice President of Iran|Women and Family Affairs]].<ref>{{cite news|title=شهیندخت مولاوردی، معاون حسن روحانی در امور زنان شد|url=http://www.dw.de/%D8%B4%D9%87%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%AE%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%86-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B4%D8%AF/a-17145729|access-date=8 October 2013|work=Persian [[Deutsche Welle]]|date=13 August 2013|archive-date=10 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610200140/http://www.dw.de/%D8%B4%D9%87%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%AE%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%86-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B4%D8%AF/a-17145729|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ms Molaverdi appointed as vice president for women, family Affairs|url=http://www.president.ir/en/72201|access-date=8 October 2013|publisher=[[President of Iran]] Website|date=13 August 2013|archive-date=25 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125115845/http://www.president.ir/en/72201|url-status=live}}</ref>


===Consulate===
====Mongol and Turkmen Period====
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; text-align:center;"
The [[Mongols]] under [[Hulagu Khan]] established their capital at [[Maragheh]]. The [[Safina-yi Tabriz]] is a book that describes the general intellectual condition of Tabriz during the [[Ilkhanid]] period. After being conquered by [[Timur]] in the 14th century, [[Tabriz]] became an important provincial capital of the [[Timur|Timurid empire]]. Later, Tabriz becamse the capital of the [[Kara Koyunlu|Qara Qoyunlu]] empire.
|-
! style="text-align:left; width:130px;"|Country
! style="text-align:left; width:320px;"|Name
! style="text-align:left; width:070px;"|City
! style="text-align:left; width:100px;"|Province
|-
| rowspan=2 |{{Flag|Turkey}}||''Turkish Consulate in Tabriz''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tabriz.isna.ir/default.aspx?NSID=5&SSLID=46&NID=4916|title=تبریز، میهمان رئیس جمهور ترکیه|date=17 February 2011|publisher=[[Iranian Students News Agency|ISNA]]|access-date=2013-10-20|archive-date=2013-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020072727/http://tabriz.isna.ir/default.aspx?NSID=5&SSLID=46&NID=4916|url-status=live}}</ref>||[[Tabriz]]||[[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
|''Turkish Consulate in Urmia''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asromid.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1582&articleType=ArticleView&articleId=1531105|title=مهمت بولوت سرکنسول جدید ترکیه در ارومیه ، با استاندار دیدار کرد|publisher=Asar-e Omid News Agency|access-date=2013-10-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923175416/http://www.asromid.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1582&articleType=ArticleView&articleId=1531105|archive-date=2015-09-23}}</ref>||[[Urmia]]||[[West Azerbaijan]]
|-
|{{Flag|Azerbaijan}}||''Republic of Azerbaijan Consulate in Tabriz''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://president.az/articles/364|title=Ə.F.Əlizadənin İran İslam Respublikasının Təbriz şəhərində Azərbaycan Respublikasının baş konsulu təyin edilməsi haqqında Azərbaycan Respublikası Prezidentinin Sərəncamı|publisher=[[President of Azerbaijan|Presidential Azerbaijan]] Website|access-date=2013-10-20|archive-date=2013-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020062358/http://president.az/articles/364|url-status=live}}</ref>||[[Tabriz]]||[[East Azerbaijan]]
|}


===Military===
====Safavid, Afghan interlude, Afshars and Qajar====
Several [[Iranian Army]] and [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps|Sepah]] divisions and brigades are based in Azerbaijan, including:
It was out of [[Ardabil]] (ancient Artavilla) that the [[Safavid dynasty]] arose to renew the state of Persia and establish Shi'ism as the official religion of Iran.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto; text-align:center;"
After 1502, Azarbaijan became the chief bulwark and military base of the Safavids. In the meantime, between 1514 and 1603, the Ottomans frequently occupied Tabriz and other parts of the province. The Safavid control was restored by Shah Abbas but during the Afghan invasion (1722-8) the Ottomans recaptured Azerbaijan and other western provinces of Iran, until [[Nadir Shah]] expelled them. In the beginning of the reign of Karim Khan Zand, the Afghan Azad Khan revolted in Azerbaijan and later the Dumbuli Kurds of [[khoy]] and other tribal chiefs ruled various parts of the territory. With the advent of the Qajars, Azerbaijan became the traditional residence of the heirs-apparent. At this time, the final northern frontier of Iran with Russia (along the Araxes) was established in 1828 ([[Turkmanchay Treaty]]). After 1905 the representatives of Azerbaijan were very active in the [[Iranian Constitutional Revolution]].
|-
! style="text-align:center; "|Type
! style="text-align:center; "|Name
! style="text-align:center; "|City
! style="text-align:center; "|Province
|-
|Operational Headquarter of [[Islamic Republic of Iran Army|Army]] in North-West|| ''Northwestern Operational Headquarter of Ground Forces of Islamic Republic of Iran Army''|| [[Urmia]]|| [[West Azerbaijan]]
|-
|[[Division (military)]] of [[Islamic Republic of Iran Army|Army]]|| ''[[64th Infantry Division of Urmia]]''|| [[Urmia]]|| [[West Azerbaijan]]
|-
|[[Division (military)]] of [[Islamic Republic of Iran Army|Army]]|| ''21st Infantry Division of Azerbaijan''|| [[Tabriz]]|| [[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
|Logistic Headquarter of [[Islamic Republic of Iran Army|Army]]|| ''Maraqeh District 4 Headquarter''|| [[Maragheh]]|| [[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
|[[Brigade]] of [[Islamic Republic of Iran Army|Army]]|| ''40th Infantry Separate Brigade of Sarab''|| [[Sarab, East Azerbaijan|Sarab]] & [[Ardabil]]|| [[East Azerbaijan]] & [[Ardabil Province]]
|-
|[[Brigade]] of [[Islamic Republic of Iran Army|Army]]|| ''41st Infantry Separate Brigade of Qushchi''|| [[Urmia]]|| [[West Azerbaijan]]
|-
|Separate Brigade of [[Islamic Republic of Iran Army|Army]]|| ''36th Armored Separate Brigade of Mianeh''|| [[Mianeh (Iran)|Mianeh]]|| [[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
|Army Training Centre of [[Islamic Republic of Iran Army|Army]]|| ''[[03 Ajabshir Recruit Training Centre]]''|| [[Ajab Shir]]|| [[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
|[[Military airbase]] of [[Islamic Republic of Iran Army Aviation]]|| ''Havanirooz Tabriz Base''|| [[Tabriz]]|| [[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
|[[Military airbase]] of [[Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force|Air force]]|| ''[[Tabriz Air Base|Tactical Air Base 2]]'', or ''Paygah Dovvom-e Shekari''|| [[Tabriz]]|| [[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
|[[Government agency|Agency]] of [[Islamic Republic of Iran Navy|Navy]]|| ''Navy Office of Tabriz''|| [[Tabriz]]|| [[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
|Provincial Corps||''Ardabil Hazrat Abbas [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps|Provincial Corps]]''|| [[Ardabil]]|| [[Ardabil province]]
|-
|Provincial Corps|| ''West Azerbaijan Shohada [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps|Provincial Corps]]''|| [[Urmia]]|| [[West Azerbaijan]]
|-
|Provincial Corps|| ''East Azerbaijan Ashura [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps|Provincial Corps]]''||[[Tabriz]]|| [[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
|Provincial Corps|| ''Zanjan Ansar al-Mahdi [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps|Provincial Corps]]''||[[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]|| [[Zanjan province]]
|}


==Economy==
====Modern Period====
[[File:Industry-Iran-map.jpg|thumb|Industry and mining of Iranian Azerbaijan in North-west]]
The Russian (Tsarist) army occupied Iranian Azerbaijan in 1909, and again in 1912-1914 and 1915-1918 period,the Ottoman forces occupied her in 1914-1915 and 1918-1919 periods, the Bolshevik forces occupied Iranian Azerbaijan and other parts of Iran in 1920-1921,<ref>[http://www.iran-bulletin.org/ibMEF-2-completed/TheGilan%20Republic.htm Younes Parsa Benab, "The Gilan Soviet Republic and Azadistan in Iranian Azerbaijan (1917-1921)", accessed April 2, 2007]</ref> and the Soviet forces occupied Iranian Azerbaijan in 1941, createing a very short-lived autonomous, Soviet-supported state in May 1946, which was dissolved after reunification of Iranian Azerbaijan with Iran in November of the same year. The history of Iran, especially its contemporary history has proven that Azerbaijani people are one of the most patriot people in Iran. Iranian Nationalism is partly the product of Azerbaijani Intellectuals.<ref>For more information see: Ali Morshedizad,Roshanfekrane Azari va Hoviyate Melli va Ghomi (Azari Intellectuals and Their Attitude to Natinal and Ethnic Identity (Tehran: Nashr-e Markaz publishing co., 1380)</ref>
The economy in Iranian Azerbaijan is based on Heavy industries, food industries, agriculture, and handicraft. The biggest economic hub is Tabriz which contains the majority of heavy industries and food industries. Iranian Azerbaijan has two free trade zones designated to promote international trade: [[Aras Free Zone]] and Maku Free Zone. The agriculture industry in Iranian Azerbaijan is relatively better than many other parts of the country because of comparatively higher precipitation. Handicrafts are mostly a seasonal industry mostly in rural areas during wintertime when the agriculture season is finished. There are 500 important production and industrial unit in this area.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nasrnews.ir/News/tabid/243/ArticleID/57457/%D8%AF%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%B2-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D8%B2%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%AA%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%87-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A7-%D9%87%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%AF|title=دبیر اجرایی خانه کارگر تبریز: برندهای معتبر بزرگترین سرمایه کشورها هستند
.<ref>[http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?topic_id=1409&fuseaction=va2.browse&sort=Collection&item=1945%2D46%20Iranian%20Crisis Cold War International History Project Virtual Archive 2.0 Collection: 1945-46 Iranian Crisis]</ref> Azerbaijani provinces have played a major in the cultural and economic life of Iran in both the Pahlavi era as well as the Iranian Constitutional and Islamic revolution.
|publisher=Nasr News|date=15 September 2016|access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref> in October 2016, 500 Regional economic giant was introduced in 5 areas and 19 groups.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1395/07/04/1196101/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%AA%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%88-%D8%AE%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A8-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D9%88-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%81%DB%8C-%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%88%D9%86%D8%AF|title=برندهای برتر تولید و خدمات شمال غرب کشور انتخاب و معرفی می‌شوند|publisher=[[Tasnim News]]|date=September 2016|access-date=26 October 2016|archive-date=27 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227032902/https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1395/07/04/1196101/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%AA%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D9%88-%D8%AE%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A8-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D9%88-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%81%DB%8C-%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%88%D9%86%D8%AF|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://nasrnews.ir/News/tabid/243/ArticleID/58342/500-%D8%BA%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D9%87-%D8%A2%D8%B0%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%81%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C|title= 500 غول اقتصاد منطقه آذربایجان معرفی شدند+اسامی
|publisher=Nasr News|date=September 2016|access-date=26 October 2016}}</ref>

===Free trade zones and exhibition centers===
* [[Tabriz International Exhibition Center]]: which is a complex with vast exhibition infrastructures, is located in the eastern part of [[Tabriz]]. It holds over forty commerce exhibitions on a yearly schedule. The most famous fair is TEXPO, which is a general trade fair.
* [[Aras Free Zone]]: is situated in [[East Azarbaijan|East Azerbaijan]] province, in the north-west of [[Iran]], adjacent to [[Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic]], [[Armenia]] and the Republic of [[Azerbaijan]].<ref name="iran-daily">{{Cite web |url=http://www.iran-daily.com/1389/4/13/MainPaper/3720/Page/4/Index.htm |title=Irandaily &#124; No. 3720 &#124; Domestic Economy &#124; Page 4 |access-date=2013-10-19 |archive-date=2011-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629172841/http://www.iran-daily.com/1389/4/13/MainPaper/3720/Page/4/Index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Existence of the [[greenhouse]] town in the AFTZ, which has been built upon cooperation of Agricultural Jihad Ministry, has paved the ground for presence of investors in the arena of planting [[hydroponic]] products.<ref name="iran-daily" /> The 500-megawatt combined cycle [[power plant]] project which is currently underway in AFTZ as a joint investment venture with foreign parties.<ref name="iran-daily" />
* Maku Free Zone: is situated in [[West Azarbaijan|West Azerbaijan]] province, in the north-west of [[Iran]], adjacent to [[Turkey]].

===Heavy industries===
Industries include machine tools, vehicle factories, oil refineries, petrochemical complexes, food processing, cement, textiles, electric equipment, and sugar milling. Oil and gas pipelines run through the region. Wool, carpets, and metalware are also produced. In some factories and major companies in Azerbaijan include:
* [[Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company]] (ITMCO), a producer of [[tractor]], diesel engines, and other auto parts, and provider of industrial services with its headquarter and main site in [[Tabriz]].<ref name=ws>[http://www.itm.co.ir/ERP/ERP_Systems/Site/UserFiles/file/6081/en/01016081Index-en.aspx Official website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722014340/http://www.itm.co.ir/ERP/ERP_Systems/Site/UserFiles/file/6081/en/01016081Index-en.aspx |date=2011-07-22 }}</ref> ''ITMCO'' has manufacturing sites in several countries and it exports different products to ten countries.<ref name= ws/> The company is [[ISO 9001]] audited, and has received several awards of quality and exporting.<ref name= ws/> ''ITMCO'' is listed as one of Iran's 100 fortune brands.
* [[Goldstone Tires]], operating under the [[brand]] Goldstone Tires is an Iranian manufacturer of [[tire]] for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, and heavy earth-mover machinery in [[Ardabil]]. Artawheel Tire is currently the largest non-government owned tire manufacturer in Iran by market share.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goldstoneir.com/English/index.php |title=Goldstone Tire |access-date=2010-07-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110420140856/http://www.goldstoneir.com/English/index.php |archive-date=2011-04-20 }}</ref> The company currently has agreements with [[Iran Khodro Tabriz]] to develop tires for the [[Peugeot 206]] models.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iranexportsmagazine.com/Archive/mag%2066/industry66.html |title=Industry |access-date=2010-07-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713054415/http://www.iranexportsmagazine.com/Archive/mag%2066/industry66.html |archive-date=2011-07-13 }}</ref>
* [[Machine Sazi Tabriz|Mashin Sazi Tabriz]] (MST) is a manufacturer of industrial machinery and tools in [[Tabriz]]. The major products of the factory are turning machines, milling machines, drilling machines, grinding machines, and tools.
* [[Rakhsh Khodro Diesel]] is an Iranian [[truck]] manufacturer established in 2005 and located in [[Tabriz]]. This company is a strategic partner of [[Kamaz]] of Russia, [[Anhui Jianghuai Automobile|JAC]] and [[Jinbei (car)|Jinbei]] of China and [[Maz-Man]] of Belarus, and produces Kamaz trucks, JAC light trucks, and its own designed minibus. Its headquarters is in [[Tabriz]].
* [[Azar Motor Industrial Co|Amico]] is an Iranian truck manufacturer established in 1989 and located in Jolfa near Tabriz. This company produces light and heavy diesel vehicles.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.farsnews.ir/newstext.php?nn=13910325000022|title=ارس خودرو دیزل، واحد نمونه ملی در صنعت خودرو|publisher=[[Fars News]]|date=2012|access-date=30 August 2016|archive-date=15 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915182410/http://www.farsnews.ir/newstext.php?nn=13910325000022|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Iran Khodro|Iran Khodro Tabriz]], whose headquarters is in Tehran, is the leading Iranian vehicle manufacturer; it has the country's largest car factory in Tehran and five other vehicle factories. The company's original name was "Iran National".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atiehbahar.com/Resources/Automotive.htm |title=Automotive |date=2008-06-17 |access-date=2011-05-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080617154335/http://www.atiehbahar.com/Resources/Automotive.htm |archive-date=2008-06-17}}</ref> Until 2014, Iran Khodro Tabriz had a capacity of 520,000 vehicles,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mashreghnews.ir/fa/news/355508/%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%AF%D8%B1%D9%88%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D8%A7%DB%8C%DA%AF%D8%B2%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA-%D9%BE%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B1|title=خودروی جایگزین وانت پیکان+تصاویر|publisher=[[Mashregh News]]|access-date=26 July 2016|archive-date=8 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808010034/http://www.mashreghnews.ir/fa/news/355508/%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%AF%D8%B1%D9%88%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D8%A7%DB%8C%DA%AF%D8%B2%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA-%D9%BE%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B1|url-status=live}}</ref> building 150 [[Samand Arisan]] cars per day instead of the Bardo Pick-up Paykan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ikco.com/en/Product.aspx?ID=86&Section=1 |title=Bardo |publisher=[[Iran Khodro]] Website |access-date=2013-10-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019144807/http://www.ikco.com/en/Product.aspx?ID=86&Section=1 |archive-date=2013-10-19 }}</ref> The site also produces 100 [[IKCO Samand|IKCO Samands]] per day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.farsnews.ir/newstext.php?nn=13940430000916|title=آغاز تولید سمند در ایران خودرو تبریز/ تولید روزانه حدود 150 دستگاه آریسان و 100 دستگاه سمند|publisher=[[Fars News Agency]]|access-date=22 July 2015|archive-date=22 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722144459/http://www.farsnews.ir/newstext.php?nn=13940430000916|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Other major petrochemical companies, oil refineries and industries include Machine works Company of Tabriz, Iranian Diesel Engine Manufacturing (IDEM), Tabriz Oil Refinery, Tabriz Petrochemical, and Copper Mine Songon.

===Rugs and carpets===
[[The Ardabil Carpet]] and [[Tabriz rug]] the best kind of [[Iranian carpet]]. Now 40 percent of [[Iranian carpet]] exports are carried through [[East Azarbaijan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://farsnews.ir/newstext.php?nn=8709131714|title=احداث موزه فرش و ايجاد پايانه صادراتي فرش در تبريز|publisher=[[Fars News Agency]]|access-date=2013-10-19|archive-date=2013-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019144614/http://farsnews.ir/newstext.php?nn=8709131714|url-status=live}}</ref> Azerbaijani carpets and rugs are important:
* [[Tabriz rug]] is a type in the general category of [[Iranian carpet]]s<ref>Along with Kashan, Kerman, Herat, and every major city of Iran...</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=How to know Oriental carpets and rugs|first=Heinrich|last=Jacoby|publisher=Allen & Unwin|year=1952|page=15|quote=Persian carpets: Tabriz, Ramadan, ...}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Facts about Oriental Rugs|first=Charles W.|last=Jacobsen|publisher=READ BOOKS|year=2007|isbn=978-1-4067-0467-9|page=2|quote="Different weaves...Persian rugs..Bakhtiari..Kashan..Lorestan..Shiraz..Tabriz..}}</ref> from the city of [[Tabriz]].
* [[Heriz rug]] are [[Persian rugs]] from the area of [[Heris, East Azerbaijan]], northeast of [[Tabriz]]. Such rugs are produced in the village of the same name in the slopes of [[Mount Sabalan]].
* [[Ardabil rug]] and [[Ardabil carpet]] originate from [[Ardabil]]. Ardabil has a long and illustrious history of Azerbaijani carpet weaving. The reign of the Safavid dynasty in the 16th and 17th centuries represented the peak of Azerbaijani carpet making in the region.
* [[Karadagh rug]] or Karaja rug is handmade in or near the village of Qarājeh (Karaja), in the Qareh Dāgh ([[Arasbaran|Karadagh]]) region just south of the [[Azerbaijan]] border, northeast of Tabrīz. The best-known pattern shows three geometric medallions that are somewhat similar to those in Caucasian carpets. The central one has a latch-hooked contour and differs in colour from the others, which are eight-pointed stars.<ref name="Karadagh rug">{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/312018/Karaja-rug|title=Karaja rug|publisher=[[Britannica Encyclopaedia]]|access-date=2013-10-17|archive-date=2013-10-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018035207/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/312018/Karaja-rug|url-status=live}}</ref>

<gallery class="center">
File:Ardabil Carpet.jpg|[[The Ardabil Carpet]]
File:Farsh tabriz.JPG|[[Tabriz rug]]
File:Heriz Azeri carpet 002.jpg|[[Heriz rug]]
<!-- Deleted image removed: File:Kilimsc.jpg|[[Shahsevan rug]] -->
File:Karaja 1103L4.jpg|[[Karadagh rug]]
</gallery>

===Food industries===
More than fifty percent of entire Iranian food exports are carried from Iranian Azerbaijan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://donya-e-eqtesad.com/news/627516/ |title=استان‌های آذری نشین قطب تولید شیرینی و شکلات کشور |publisher=[[Donya-e-Eqtesad]] |date=2010 |access-date=26 May 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625054633/http://donya-e-eqtesad.com/news/627516/ |archive-date=25 June 2016 }}</ref> The major hub for the food industry in the region is Tabriz which includes the [[Shirin Asal]], Aydin, Shoniz, Anata, Baraka and Chichak manufacturers.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}} Outside of Tabriz Minoo Industrial Group in [[Khorramdarreh]] is another nationally recognized food manufacturer.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.magiran.com/npview.asp?ID=3023167|title=غول صنعتي "مينو" بورسي مي شود|publisher=[[Donya-e-Eqtesad]]|date=2014|access-date=26 May 2016|archive-date=2 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202144942/http://www.magiran.com/article/3023167|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Agriculture===
The principle crops of the region are grains, fruits, cotton, rice, nuts, and tobacco.

==Demographics==
===People===
{{see also|Iranian Azerbaijanis|List of Iranian Azerbaijanis|Demographics of Iran|Ethnic minorities in Iran}}
[[Iranian Azerbaijanis]], are a [[Turkic people|Turkic]]-[[Azerbaijani language|speaking]] people, of which are largely of Iranian origin.<ref>V. Minorsky, ''Studies in Caucasian History'', Cambridge University Press, 1957, p. 112</ref> They number between 16 and 24 percent<ref name="Minority Rights">{{cite news|url=http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=5096|title=Azeris|publisher=[[Minority Rights Group International]]|year=2009|access-date=16 October 2013|archive-date=21 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053530/http://www.minorityrights.org/?lid=5096|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="New America Foundation">{{cite news|url=http://www.terrorfreetomorrow.org/upimagestft/TFT%20Iran%20Survey%20Report%200609.pdf |title=Results a new nationwide public opinion survey of Iran |publisher=[[New America Foundation]] |date=June 12, 2009 |access-date=13 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723044939/http://www.terrorfreetomorrow.org/upimagestft/TFT%20Iran%20Survey%20Report%200609.pdf |archive-date=23 July 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Iran.pdf |title=Ethnic Groups and Languages of Iran |first=Library of Congress&nbsp;– Federal Research Division |last=Library of Congress |access-date=2009-12-02 |archive-date=2012-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130153236/http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Iran.pdf |url-status=live }} 16% estimated in 2012</ref><ref name="CIA World Factbook">{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iran/|title=CIA World Factbook|last=CIA|access-date=2012-05-27|archive-date=2021-01-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110162554/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iran/|url-status=live}}</ref> and between 15 and 16 million<ref name="Iranica-Iran">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/iran-v1-peoples-survey|title=IRAN v. PEOPLES OF IRAN (1) A General Survey|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]]|date=March 29, 2012|access-date=17 October 2013|archive-date=17 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517075943/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/iran-v1-peoples-survey|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Ethnologue-Azb">{{cite news|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/azb|title=Azerbaijani, South # A language of Iran|publisher=[[Ethnologue]]|year=2013|access-date=17 October 2013|archive-date=14 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214161342/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/azb|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Britannica-Azerbaijani">{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/46833/Azerbaijani|title=Azerbaijani|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=17 October 2013|archive-date=6 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006093258/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/46833/Azerbaijani|url-status=live}}</ref> of [[Demographics of Iran|Iran's population]], and comprise by far the second-largest ethnic group in the nation.<ref name="Shaffer">Brenda Shaffer. [https://books.google.com/books?id=uEOd-cDWVwQC&pg=PA229 ''The Limits of Culture: Islam and Foreign Policy''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170321184644/https://books.google.com/books?id=uEOd-cDWVwQC&pg=PA229 |date=2017-03-21 }} MIT Press, 2006 {{ISBN|0262195291}} p 229</ref> In the Azerbaijan region, the population consists mainly of [[Azerbaijanis|Azeris]].<ref name="Azerbaijan-Britannica" /> Azeris are the largest group in Iranian Azerbaijan, while Kurds are the second largest group and a majority in many cities of [[West Azerbaijan Province]].<ref>Keith Stanley McLachlan, ''The Boundaries of Modern Iran'', Published by UCL Press, 1994. pg 55</ref> Iranian Azerbaijan is one of the richest and most densely populated regions of Iran. Many of these various linguistic, religious, and tribal minority groups, and Azeris themselves have settled widely outside the region.<ref>''[[Encyclopaedia Iranica]]'', page 243, accessed January 9, 2007</ref> The majority Azeris are followers of [[Shi'a]] Islam. The Iranian Azeris mainly reside in the northwest provinces, including the Iranian Azerbaijan provinces ([[East Azerbaijan Province|East Azerbaijan]], [[West Azerbaijan Province|West Azerbaijan]] and [[Ardabil Province|Ardabil]]), [[Zanjan Province|Zanjan]], as well as regions of the North<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Parviz Aḏkāʾi and EIr |title=HAMADĀN i. GEOGRAPHY |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]] |access-date=2013-10-21 |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/hamadan-i# |archive-date=2013-10-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017025643/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/hamadan-i |url-status=live }}</ref> to [[Hamadan County]]<ref name="Hamadan-Governor">{{cite news|url=http://hamedan-hm.ir/fa/showpages.aspx?mid=NDg=&spi=Mw==|title=زبانهاي رايج و نوع گويش در شهرستان|publisher=Governor of [[Hamadan]]|access-date=21 October 2013|archive-date=1 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101133427/http://hamedan-hm.ir/fa/showpages.aspx?mid=NDg=&spi=Mw==|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Shara District]]<ref name="Hamadan-Governor" /> in the East [[Hamadan Province]], some regions [[Qazvin Province]]<ref name="Country Study Guide-Azerbaijanis" /><ref name="Iran-Azerbaijanis" /> and also Azerbaijani minorities living in [[Markazi Province|Markazi]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://markazi.farhang.gov.ir/fa/moarefi|title=معرفی استان مرکزی|publisher=[[Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance (Iran)|Office of Culture and Islamic Guidance]]|access-date=21 October 2013|archive-date=25 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225045957/http://markazi.farhang.gov.ir/fa/moarefi|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Kordestan Province|Kordestan]],<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/322153/Kordestan|title=Kordestān|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=21 October 2013|archive-date=22 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022020507/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/322153/Kordestan|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Gilan province|Gilan]],<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last=Bazin|first=Marcel|title=GĪLĀN i. GEOGRAPHY AND ETHNOGRAPHY|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]]|access-date=16 October 2013|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/gilan-i-geography|archive-date=13 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013205130/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/gilan-i-geography|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Parviz Aḏkāʾi and EIr |title=GILĀN xiv. Ethnic Groups |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]] |access-date=16 October 2013 |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/gilan-xiv-ethnic-groups |archive-date=16 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016131154/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/gilan-xiv-ethnic-groups |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Kermanshah Province|Kermanshah]].{{ref|Songor|h}}<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Michael Knüppel |first=E. |title=Turkic languages of persia |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]] |access-date=2013-09-19 |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/turkic-languages-overview |archive-date=2011-04-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429200115/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/turkic-languages-overview |url-status=live }}</ref>

Smaller groups, such as [[Armenians]], [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]], [[Kurds]], [[Tat people (Iran)|Tats]], [[Talysh people|Talyshs]], [[Persian Jews|Jews]], [[Circassians]], (and other [[Peoples of the Caucasus]]), and [[Persian people|Persians]] also inhabit the region.

===Religion===
The majority of [[Azerbaijanis]] in Azerbaijan are followers of [[Twelver Shia]] [[Islam]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Russia & Eurasia Facts & Figures Annual|author=Robertson, Lawrence R.|year=2002|publisher=Academic International Press|isbn=0-87569-199-4|page=210|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ye1oAAAAMAAJ|access-date=2015-06-20|archive-date=2015-03-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150320162646/http://books.google.com/books?id=ye1oAAAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> Azerbaijanis commemorate Shia holy days (ten first days of the holy month of [[Muharram]]) minority Sunni Azerbaijani Turks ([[Shafi]] and [[Hanafi]]) who live in the [[Ardabil Province]] ([[Hashatjin]]<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Bileh Savar |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopaedia Islamica]] |access-date=2014-08-21 |url=http://iqna.ir/ardebil/news_detail.php?ProdID=545484 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014001300/http://iqna.ir/ardebil/news_detail.php?ProdID=545484 |archive-date=2013-10-14 }}</ref> and villages of [[Bileh Savar County]])<ref>{{cite web|title=برگزاری جشن "وحدت" در شهر اهل تسنن هشتجین |website=International Quran News Agency |access-date=2014-08-21 |url=http://www.encyclopaediaislamica.com/madkhal2.php?sid=2523 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120023145/http://www.encyclopaediaislamica.com/madkhal2.php?sid=2523 |archive-date=2015-01-20 }}</ref> and [[West Azarbaijan province|West Azerbaijan province]] (near the cities of [[Urmia]], [[Khoy]] and [[Salmas]]) and have population about 200,000 people in this area.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia| last=Hun| first=Abubakr| title=ترکهای سنّی آذربایجان غربی قربانیان تبعیض مضاعف| encyclopedia=urmu.freeoda| access-date=2014-08-21| url=http://urmu.freeoda.com/meqaleler/tokhaye_sonni_azerbaijan_gharbi.htm| archive-date=2013-10-07| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007065535/http://urmu.freeoda.com/meqaleler/tokhaye_sonni_azerbaijan_gharbi.htm| url-status=live}}</ref>

<gallery class="center">
File:Ardabil - Aligapi.jpg|[[Muharram]] in [[Ardabil]]
File:Blue Mosque of Tabriz.jpg|[[Blue Mosque, Tabriz|Blue Mosque]] in [[Tabriz]]
File:Jame mosque-Urmia (2).JPG|[[Jameh Mosque of Urmia]]
File:Jemeh mosque Zanjan.jpg|[[Jameh Mosque of Zanjan]]
</gallery>

===Immigration===
Azerbaijani people mostly live in northwest parts of Iran, but large Azerbaijani populations can be found in [[Khorasan Province|Khorasan]],<ref name="Emigration">{{cite encyclopedia|last=Tapper|first=R.|title=AZERBAIJAN vi. Population and its Occupations and Culture|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]]|access-date=16 October 2013|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/azerbaijan-vi|archive-date=22 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322101157/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/azerbaijan-vi|url-status=live}}</ref> mostly in [[Mashhad]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://khabarfarsi.com/ext/3881782 |title=Mourning Azerbaijanis residing in Mashhad |publisher=[[Mehr News Agency]] |date=August 18, 2011 |access-date=23 August 2013 |archive-date=4 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004231306/http://khabarfarsi.com/ext/3881782 |url-status=live }}</ref> as well as [[central Iran]], due to [[internal migration]] to [[Tehran]],<ref name="Emigration" /> [[Karaj]],<ref name="Iran-Azerbaijanis" /> and [[Qum]].<ref name="Emigration" /> Where they have settled, they have become prominent – not only among urban and industrial working classes – but also in commercial, administrative, political, religious, and intellectual circles.<ref name="Emigration" /> Azerbaijanis make up 25%–33%<ref name="Country Study Guide-Azerbaijanis">{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0KOSUrLPC6IC&q=majority+of+the+population+of+East+Azarbaijan+and+a+majority+of+West+Azarbaijan.&pg=PA152 |title=Country Study Guide-Azerbaijanis |year=2005 |publisher=STRATEGIC INFORMATION AND DEVELOPMENTS-USA |isbn=9780739714768 |access-date=13 August 2013 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="Iran-Azerbaijanis">{{cite news |url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+ir0052) |title=Iran-Azerbaijanis |publisher=[[Library of Congress Country Studies]] |date=December 1987 |access-date=13 August 2013 |archive-date=25 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125044513/http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd%2Fcstdy%3A%40field%28DOCID+ir0052%29 |url-status=live }}</ref> of [[Tehran]] and of [[Tehran Province]]'s population. They are the largest ethnic groups after [[Persian people|Persians]] in Tehran and the Tehran Province.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.tehran.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=98|title=Tehran, Political situation|publisher=[[Mayor of Tehran|Municipality of Tehran]]|access-date=2013-08-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921094245/http://en.tehran.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=98|archive-date=2013-09-21|url-status=dead}}</ref> The governor of Tehran is [[Hossein Hashemi]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hamshahrionline.ir/details/230754|title=سیدحسین هاشمی استانداری تهران را تحویل گرفت|date=11 September 2013 |publisher=Hamshahri Online|access-date=2013-10-21|archive-date=2013-09-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914032508/http://www.hamshahrionline.ir/details/230754|url-status=live}}</ref> from [[Sarab, East Azerbaijan|Sarab]]; he was born in East Azerbaijan;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mehrnews.com/detail/News/2131744|title=سید حسین هاشمی استاندار تهران شد|date=8 September 2013|publisher=[[Mehr News Agency]]|access-date=2013-10-21|archive-date=2014-07-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729173205/http://www.mehrnews.com/detail/News/2131744|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Ali Khamenei]], the [[Supreme Leader of Iran]], was born in [[Mashhad]] and is of [[Azeris|Azeri]] origin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=26910 |title=Azeris unhappy at being butt of national jokes |agency=IRIN |date=25 May 2006 |access-date=2009-06-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814165654/http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=26910 |archive-date=August 14, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HF08Ak02.html |work=Asia Times Online |title=Foreign plots and cockroaches in Iran |date=2006-06-08 |access-date=2009-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828010936/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HF08Ak02.html |archive-date=2011-08-28 |url-status=unfit }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Mahan |last=Abedin|date=September 28, 2004 |url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FI28Ak01.html |work=Asia Times |access-date=2009-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628183233/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FI28Ak01.html |archive-date=2011-06-28 |title=Middle East {{!}} Iran at sea over Azerbaijan}}</ref> The journals ''[[Varliq]]'' and ''Azari'' are printed by the [[Iranian Azerbaijanis|Azerbaijani people]] in [[Tehran]].

===Population===
[[File:Iranian Azerbaijan.png|thumb|right|Four provinces of Iranian Azerbaijan]]
{{see also|Azerbaijani population by urban area}}
According to the population census of 2012, the four provinces of [[East Azerbaijan]] (2012 pop. 3,724,620), [[West Azerbaijan]] (2012 pop. 3,080,576), [[Zanjan Province|Zanjan]] (2012 pop. 1,015,734), and [[Ardabil province|Ardabil]] (2012 pop. 1,248,488) have a combined population of 9 million people.<ref name="The population of Iranian cities">{{cite news|url=http://www.amar.org.ir/Portals/2/census-90/shahrestanha-jamiat-90.xlsx |title=The population of Iranian cities |publisher=Statistical Center of Iran |date=14 February 2012 |access-date=13 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304201839/http://www.amar.org.ir/Portals/2/census-90/shahrestanha-jamiat-90.xlsx |archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

===Administrative divisions===
Azerbaijan's major cities are [[Tabriz]]<ref name="Country Study Guide-Azerbaijanis" /><ref name="Iran-Azerbaijanis" /> (the capital of [[East Azerbaijan]]), [[Urmia]]<ref name="Country Study Guide-Azerbaijanis" /><ref name="Iran-Azerbaijanis" /> (the capital of [[West Azerbaijan]]), [[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]<ref name="Country Study Guide-Azerbaijanis" /><ref name="Iran-Azerbaijanis" /> (the capital of [[Zanjan Province]]), [[Ardabil]]<ref name="Country Study Guide-Azerbaijanis" /><ref name="Iran-Azerbaijanis" /> (the capital of [[Ardabil Province]]) and Major cities non-capital of Province's Azerbaijan are [[Khoy]] and [[Maragheh]].<ref name="Country Study Guide-Azerbaijanis" /><ref name="Iran-Azerbaijanis" />

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto; text-align:center;"
|-
! style="text-align:center; "|Rank
! style="text-align:center; "|City
! style="text-align:center; "|County
! style="text-align:center; "|Province
! style="text-align:center; "|Population<br />(2016)
! style="text-align:center; " class="unsortable"|Image

|-
!1
|[[Tabriz]] ||[[Tabriz County]] || [[East Azerbaijan]]|| {{nts|1558693}}<ref name="The population of Iranian cities" />|| [[File:Elgölü front.jpg|160px]]
|-
!2
|[[Urmia]] ||[[Urmia County]] || [[West Azerbaijan]]|| {{nts|736224}}<ref name="The population of Iranian cities" />|| [[File:3 Gonbad photo 2.jpg|160px]]
|-
!3
|[[Ardabil]] ||[[Ardabil County]] || [[Ardabil Province]]|| {{nts|529374}}<ref name="The population of Iranian cities" />|| [[File:Sheikh-safi tomb.JPG|160px]]
|-
!4
|[[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]] ||[[Zanjan County]] || [[Zanjan Province]]|| {{nts|486495}}<ref name="The population of Iranian cities" />|| [[File:Jemeh mosque Zanjan.jpg|160px]]
|-
!5
|[[Khoy]] ||[[Khoy County]] || [[West Azerbaijan]]|| {{nts|198845}}<ref name="The population of Iranian cities" />|| [[File:Stone gate of Khoy.JPG|160px]]
|-
!6
|[[Maragheh]] ||[[Maragheh County]] || [[East Azerbaijan]]|| {{nts|175255}}<ref name="The population of Iranian cities" />||[[File:Awhadi's Tomb.jpg|160px]]
|-
!7
|[[Miandoab]] ||[[Miandoab County]] || [[West Azerbaijan]]|| {{nts|134425}}<ref name="The population of Iranian cities" />|| [[File:Miandoab historic bridge.jpg|160px]]
|-
!8
|[[Marand]] ||[[Marand County]] || [[East Azerbaijan]]|| {{nts|130825}}<ref name="The population of Iranian cities" />||[[File:Shah Abbasi caravanserai of Marand.JPG|160x160px]]
|-
!9
|[[Ahar]] ||[[Ahar County]] || [[East Azerbaijan]]|| {{nts|100641}}<ref name="The population of Iranian cities" />||[[File:فیروزه قره داغ.jpg|160px]]
|}

===New 2014 administrative divisions===
[[File:Regions of Iran.svg|thumb|right|5 [[regions of Iran]]; region 3 includes Iranian Azerbaijan and its capital is [[Tabriz]], East Azerbaijan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.trt.net.tr/persian/ایران/2014/06/23/ایران-به-5-منطقه-بزرگ-تقسیم-می-شود-35052 |title=تبریز مرکز استانهای آذربایجان شرقی، آذربایجان غربی، اردبیل، زنجان، گیلان و کردستان می گردد. |publisher=[[Turkish Radio and Television Corporation|TRT]] persian |date=July 2014 |access-date=1 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140626025946/http://www.trt.net.tr/persian/%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86/2014/06/23/%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-5-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%B2%D8%B1%DA%AF-%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%85-%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%AF-35052 |archive-date=26 June 2014 }}</ref>]] During [[Hassan Rouhani]]'s [[Government of Hassan Rouhani (2013–2017)|government]], the [[Ministry of Interior (Iran)|Ministry of Interior]] declared<ref name="New ad">{{cite news |url=http://www.jamejamonline.ir/NewsPreview/1549246292375749350 |title=منطقه‌بندی کشور، بیم‌ها و امیدها |publisher=[[Jaam-e Jam (newspaper)|Jamejam]] Online |date=June 2014 |access-date=1 August 2014 |archive-date=15 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815041652/http://www.jamejamonline.ir/NewsPreview/1549246292375749350 |url-status=live }}</ref> that the provinces of Iran would be organized into regions. ''Region 3'' in Northwest Iran includes [[East Azerbaijan Province]], [[West Azerbaijan Province]], [[Ardabil Province]], [[Zanjan Province]], [[Gilan Province]], and [[Kurdistan Province]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hamshahrionline.ir/details/263382/Iran/-provinces |title=استان‌های کشور به ۵ منطقه تقسیم شدند |publisher=[[Hamshahri]] Online |date=July 2014 |access-date=1 August 2014 |archive-date=23 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140623191332/http://www.hamshahrionline.ir/details/263382/Iran/-provinces |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.entekhab.ir/fa/news/168273/استان‌های-کشور-به-۵-منطقه-تقسیم-شدند |title=استان‌های کشور به ۵ منطقه تقسیم شدند |publisher=Entekhab Online |date=July 2014 |access-date=1 August 2014 |archive-date=18 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718031352/http://www.entekhab.ir/fa/news/168273/%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%87-%DB%B5-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D9%87-%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%85-%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.khabaronline.ir/detail/361714/Politics/government |title=ایران، فدرال می شود؟ تقسیم کشور به 5 منطقه مستقل |publisher=Khabar-Online |date=July 2014 |access-date=1 August 2014 |archive-date=8 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808041108/http://www.khabaronline.ir/detail/361714/Politics/government |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.jamejamonline.ir/NewsPreview/1541246114000873209 |title=استانهای کشور به ۵ منطقه تقسیم شدند |publisher=[[Jaam-e Jam (newspaper)|Jamejam]] Online |date=July 2014 |access-date=1 August 2014 |archive-date=15 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815041630/http://www.jamejamonline.ir/NewsPreview/1541246114000873209 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.yjc.ir/fa/news/4882045/استانهای-کشور-به-5-منطقه-تقسیم-شدند |title=استانهای کشور به 5 منطقه تقسیم شدند |publisher=yjc |date=July 2014 |access-date=1 August 2014 |archive-date=25 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625031637/http://www.yjc.ir/fa/news/4882045/%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%87-5-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D9%87-%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%85-%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF |url-status=live }}</ref>


==Culture==
==Culture==
[[File:Folio from a Khamsa-c.jpg|thumb|[[Sassanid Empire|Sassanid]] king [[Bahram V of Persia|Bahram Gur]] is a great favourite in Persian tradition and poetry. Depiction of Nezami's "Bahram and the Indian Princess in the Black Pavilion" ''Khamse'' ("Quintet"), mid-16th century [[Safavid]] era.]]
[[Azeris]] are culturally very close to the rest of the Iranians though their language is Turkic. The people of Azerbaijan have similar DNA to other Iranian peoples<ref name="Dr. Bonab page">[http://www.gen.cam.ac.uk/Research/balloux.htm "Maziar Ashrafian Bonab"] — ''Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge'' (retrieved 9 June 2006)</ref><ref>[http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-727489&Lang=P "Cambridge Genetic Study of Iran"] — ''ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency)'', 06-12-2006, news-code: 8503-06068 (retrieved 9 June 2006)</ref> as well as their religion which is [[Shia|Shi'a]] Islam, which sets them apart from other Turkic speakers (who are mostly [[Sunni Muslims]]). [[Azeris]] celebrate [[Nouruz]] for the turn of the new Iranian year, the arrival of spring. Azerbaijan has a distinct [[Music of Azerbaijan|music]] in Iran. Many local dances and folk music continue to survive among the various peoples of the provinces. Although [[Azerbaijani language]] is not an official language it is widely used, mostly in an oral tradition, among the [[Azeris in Iran]]. Many poets that came from Azerbaijan wrote poetry in both [[Persian language|Persian]] and [[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]]. Renowned poets in [[Azerbaijani language]] are [[Nasimi]], [[Shah Ismail I]] (who was known with the pen-name [[Khatai]]), [[Fuzuli]], and [[Mohammad Hossein Shahriar]]. Fuzuli and Nasimi were probably born outside what is now Iranian Azerbaijan. [[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]] was the dominant language of the ruling dynasties of the Turkic rulers of the area such as the [[Ak Koyunlu]] and later it was used in the [[Safavid]] courts for a short time, until Persian was adopted, however, Turkic was used especially among the [[Kizilbash]] warriors.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} As a longstanding province of Iran ([[Persia]]), Azerbaijan is mentioned favorably on many occasions in [[Persian literature]] by [[List of Persian poets and authors|Iran's greatest authors and poets]]. Examples:
[[Azerbaijanis]] have influenced Iranian culture while also being influenced by their non-Iranian neighbors, particularly [[Peoples of the Caucasus|Caucasians]] and [[Russians]]. The majority of Azerbaijanis in both Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan are [[Shia Islam|Shiite Muslims]]. They celebrate [[Nowruz]], the Iranian new year, at the arrival of spring. Azerbaijan has a [[Music of Azerbaijan|distinct music]] that is tightly connected to the music of other Iranian peoples such as [[Persian traditional music|Persian music]] and [[Kurdish music]], and also the music of the [[Peoples of the Caucasus|Caucasian peoples]]. Although the [[Azerbaijani language]] is not an official language of Iran it is widely used, mostly orally, among the [[Iranian Azerbaijanis]].{{cn|date=April 2023}}


===Literature===
[[File:Folio from a Khamsa-c.jpg|thumb|[[Sassanid Empire|Sassanid]] king, [[Bahram V of Persia|Bahram Gur]] is a great favourite in Persian tradition and poetry. Depction of Nezami's "Bahram and the Indian Princess in the Black Pavilion" ''Khamse'' ("Quintet"), mid-16th century [[Safavid]] era.]]
Many poets that came from Azerbaijan wrote poetry in both [[Persian language|Persian]] and [[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]]. Renowned poets in [[Azerbaijani language]] are [[Nasimi]], [[Shah Ismail I]] (who was known with the pen-name “Khata'i”), [[Fuzuli (poet)|Fuzuli]], [[Imadaddin Nasimi|Nasimi]], and [[Jahan Shah]] were probably born outside what is now Iranian Azerbaijan. [[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]] was the dominant language of the Turkish ruling dynasties of the area, such as [[Aq Qoyunlu|Ak Koyunlu]],<ref name="Azeri Turkish Literature" /> [[Qara Qoyunlu|Kara Koyunlu]],<ref>Minorsky, V. "Jihān-Shāh Qara-Qoyunlu and His Poetry (Turkmenica, 9)", ''Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London'', Vol. 16, No. 2 (1954), p. 277</ref> and was later used in the [[Safavid Iran|Safavid]] court, until Isfahan became the capital,<ref name="Cyril Glassé 2003, pg 392">Cyril Glassé (ed.), ''The New Encyclopedia of Islam'', Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, revised ed., 2003, {{ISBN|0-7591-0190-6}}, p. 392: "Shah Abbas moved his capital from [[Qazvin]] to [[Isfahan]]. His reign marked the peak of the Safavid dynasty's achievement in art, diplomacy, and commerce. It was probably around this time that the court, which originally spoke a Turkic language, began to use Persian"</ref> and by religious, military and state dignitaries.<ref>Zabiollah Safa (1986), "Persian Literature in the Safavid Period", The Cambridge History of Iran, vol. 6: The Timurid and Safavid Periods. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, {{ISBN|0-521-20094-6}}, pp. 948–65. P. 950: "In day-to-day affairs, the language chiefly used at the Safavid court and by the great military and political officers, as well as the religious dignitaries, was Turkish, not Persian; and the last class of persons wrote their religious works mainly in Arabic. Those who wrote in Persian were either lacking in proper tuition in this tongue or wrote outside Iran and hence at a distance from centers where Persian was the accepted vernacular, endued with that vitality and susceptibility to skill in its use which a language can have only in places where it truly belongs."</ref><ref name="price">{{Cite book |last=Price |first=Massoume |year=2005 |title=Iran's Diverse Peoples: A Reference Sourcebook |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-57607-993-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gzpdq679oJwC&pg=PA66 |page=66 |quote=The Shah was a native Turkic speaker and wrote poetry in the Azerbaijani language. |access-date=2015-06-20 |archive-date=2015-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025134615/https://books.google.com/books?id=gzpdq679oJwC&pg=PA66 |url-status=live }}</ref> In the 16th century, Azerbaijani literature further flourished with the development of [[Ashik]] ({{langx|az|Aşıq}}) poetic genre of bards. During the same period, under the pen-name of “Khaṭāʾī” ({{Langx|az|[[wikt:خطایی|خطائی]]|lit=the [[Cathayan]]}})<ref name="Amanat">{{cite book|author=Abbas Amanat|year=2017|title=Iran: A Modern History|page=60|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=omo3DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA60|quote=A book of Turkish poetry, under the curious pen name Khata'i (presumably someone from “Cathay,” today's China), was most likely composed by Isma'il for his Turkmen followers as inspirational literature.}}</ref><ref name="Obastan">{{cite dictionary|language=az|entry=XƏTAİ|title=Azərbaycan kişi adlarının izahlı lüğəti|url=https://obastan.com/x%C9%99tai/545391|quote=məşhur Azərbaycan şairi və dövlət xadimi Şah İsmayılın bu təxəllüsü tədqiqatlarda "Xətay, Kitay türklərindən olan", "xəta törədən, əlindən xəta çıxan" və "Allah, Tanrı" kimi izah edilir. Çinin ən qədim adı olan “Kitay”, “ki” od, Günəş, “tay” dağ sözlərindən düzəlmiş, “Günəşli dağ” və ya “Günəşli ölkə” mənasında işlənir. Zənnimizcə, Ş[ah] İ[smayıl] Xətainin Kitay türklərindən olması ehtimalı daha düzgündür.}}</ref> [[Shah Ismail I]] wrote about 1,400 verses in Azerbaijani,<ref name="minorsky1">{{cite journal |last=Minorsky |first=Vladimir |year=1942 |title=The Poetry of Shah Ismail |journal=Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London |volume=10 |issue=4 |page=1053 |doi=10.1017/S0041977X00090182|s2cid=159929872 }}</ref> which were later published as his ''Divan''. A unique literary style known as ''qoshma'' ({{langx|az|qoşma}} for ''improvisation'') was introduced in this period, and developed by Shah Ismail and later by his son and successor, Shah [[Tahmasp I|Tahmasp]] and [[Tahmasp I]].<ref name="Azeri Turkish Literature">{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/azerbaijan-x |title=AZERBAIJAN x. Azeri Turkish Literature |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopaedia Iranica]] |date=May 24, 2012 |access-date=20 October 2013 |archive-date=31 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031031857/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/azerbaijan-x |url-status=live }}</ref> In the span of the 17th century, 18th and 19th century, Fizuli's unique genres as well [[Ashik]] poetry were taken up by prominent poets and writers such as [[Qovsi Tabrizi]], [[Abbas II of Persia|Shah Abbas Sani]], [[Khasta Qasim]], [[Mirza Fatali Akhundov]], [[Seyid Abulgasim Nabati]], [[Ali Mojuz]] and others.


An influential piece of post-World War II Azerbaijani poetry, ''[[Heydar Babaya Salam]]'' (Greetings to Heydar Baba) was written by Azeri poet [[Mohammad Hossein Shahriar]]. This poem, published in [[Tabriz]] in 1954 and written in colloquial Azerbaijani, became popular among [[Iran]]ians and the people of [[Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic]]. In ''[[Heydar Babaya Salam]]'', Shahriar expressed his identity as an Iranian attached to his homeland, language, and culture. Heydar Baba is a hill near Khoshknab, the native village of the poet.
گزیده هر چه در ایران بزرگان<br>

زآذربایگان و ری و گرگان<br>
Azerbaijan is mentioned favorably on many occasions in [[Persian literature]] by [[List of Persian poets and authors|Iran's greatest authors and poets]]. Examples:
All the nobles and greats of Iran,<br>

Choose from Azerbaijan, [[Ray, Iran|Ray]], and [[Gorgan]].<br>
گزیده هر چه در ایران بزرگان<br />
زآذربایگان و ری و گرگان<br />
All the nobles and greats of Iran,<br />
Choose from Azerbaijan, [[Ray, Iran|Ray]], and [[Gorgan]].<br />
—''[[Vis o Ramin]]''
—''[[Vis o Ramin]]''


از آنجا بتدبیر آزادگان<br>
از آنجا بتدبیر آزادگان<br />
بیامد سوی آذرآبادگان<br>
بیامد سوی آذرآبادگان<br />
From there the wise and the free,<br>
From there the wise and the free,<br />
set off to Azerbaijan<br>
set off to Azerbaijan<br />
—''[[Nizami]]''
—''[[Nizami Ganjavi|Nizami]]''


به یک ماه در آذرآبادگان<br>
به یک ماه در آذرآبادگان<br />
ببودند شاهان و آزادگان<br>
ببودند شاهان و آزادگان<br />
For a month's time, The Kings and The Free,<br>
For a month's time, The Kings and The Free,<br />
Would choose in Azerbaijan to be<br>
Would choose in Azerbaijan to be<br />
—''[[Ferdowsi]]''
—''[[Ferdowsi]]''


===UNESCO World Heritage Sites===
==Colleges and universities==
Nine historical sites in Azerbaijan have been designated as [[World Heritage Site]]s by [[UNESCO]]:
* [[Sahand University of Technology]]
* [[Bazaar of Tabriz]]: is one of the oldest [[bazaar]]s in the [[Middle East]] and the largest covered bazaar in the [[world]]. The bazaar was declared to be a World Heritage Site in July 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/642 |title=World Heritage Committee inscribes seven cultural sites on World Heritage List |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |date=31 July 2010 |access-date=26 December 2019 |archive-date=4 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804040658/https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/642 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1346 |title=Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=1 July 2013 |archive-date=6 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706022511/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1346 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Tabriz University of Medical Sciences]]
* [[Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble]]: is the tomb of Sheikh [[Safi-ad-din Ardabili]] located in [[Ardabil]], [[Iran]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1345 |title=Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil – UNESCO World Heritage Centre |publisher=Whc.unesco.org |date=2010-07-29 |access-date=2010-08-02 |archive-date=2018-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706024128/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1345 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2010, it was registered on the [[UNESCO World Heritage List]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Source: Unescopress |url=http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/world_heritage_committee_inscribes_seven_cultural_sites_on_world_heritage_list/ |title=World Heritage Committee inscribes seven cultural sites on World Heritage List &#124; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |publisher=Unesco.org |access-date=2010-08-02 |archive-date=2012-10-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010173934/http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/world_heritage_committee_inscribes_seven_cultural_sites_on_world_heritage_list/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[University of Tabriz]]
* [[Takht-e Soleymān]]: literally the Throne of Solomon, in earlier ancient periods known as ''Shiz'' or ''Adur Gushnasp'',<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last=Huff|first=Dietrich|title=Taḵt-e Solaymān|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Iranica|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/takt-e-solayman|date=2002-07-20|access-date=2013-06-11|archive-date=2013-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517045910/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/takt-e-solayman|url-status=live}}</ref> literally the Fire of the Warrior Kings) is an archaeological site in [[West Azarbaijan|West Azerbaijan]]. It lies midway between [[Urmia]] and [[Hamadan]], very near the present-day town of [[Takab]].
* [[Urmia University of Medical Sciences]]
* [[Dome of Soltaniyeh]]: located near [[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]], {{convert|240|km|mi}} to the north-west of [[Tehran]], used to be the capital of Mongol [[Ilkhanid]] rulers of [[Persia]] in the 14th century. Its name translates as The Imperial. In 2005, UNESCO listed Soltaniyeh as one of the World Heritage Sites. The road from Zanjan to Soltaniyeh extends until it reaches to the [[Katale khor]] cave.
* [[Urmia University]]
* The Armenian Monastic Ensemble: [[St. Thaddeus Monastery]], [[Saint Stepanos Monastery]], [[Church of the Holy Mother of God, Darashamb]], [[Chapel of Dzordzor]], and [[Chapel of Chupan|Church of Chupan]] are World Heritage Sites.
* [[Ardabil University of Medical Sciences]]

* [[Mohaghegh Ardabili University]]
<gallery class="center">
* [[Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences|Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS)]]
File:Tabriz bazaar 012008.jpg|[[Bazaar of Tabriz]]
*[[Zanjan University]]
File:Sheikh-safi.jpg|[[Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble]]
*[[Azarbaijan University of Tarbiat Moallem]]
File:Takht-e-soleiman-1.jpg|[[Takht-e Soleymān]]
*[[Tabriz Islamic Arts University]]
File:Soltaniyeh exterior.jpg|Soltanieh Dome in [[Soltaniyeh]]
* [[University of Maragheh]]
File:Northwestthaddes.jpg|[[St. Thaddeus Monastery|Qara Klisa]]
</gallery>

===Colleges and universities===
There are many universities in Azerbaijan, included units and centers: [[public university]] and [[private university]], [[Islamic Azad University]], [[Payame Noor University]], Nonprofit educational institutions, [[University of Applied Science and Technology]].

Some of the most prestigious public universities in the area are:
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Row!!Colleges and universities!!City!!Province
|-
!1
|[[University of Tabriz]]||[[Tabriz]]||[[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
!2
|[[University of Urmia]]||[[Urmia]]||[[West Azerbaijan]]
|-
!3
|[[Mohaghegh Ardabili University]]||[[Ardabil]]||[[Ardabil Province]]
|-
!4
|[[University of Zanjan]]||[[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]||[[Zanjan Province]]
|-
!5
|[[Sahand University of Technology]]||[[Tabriz]]||[[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
!6
|[[Urmia University of Technology]]||[[Urmia]]||[[West Azerbaijan]]
|-
!7
|[[Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences|Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS)]]||[[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]||[[Zanjan Province]]
|-
!8
|[[Tabriz University of Medical Sciences]]||[[Tabriz]]||[[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
!9
|[[Urmia University of Medical Sciences]]||[[Urmia]]||[[West Azerbaijan]]
|-
!10
|[[Ardabil University of Medical Sciences]]||[[Ardabil]]||[[Ardabil Province]]
|-
!11
|[[Zanjan University of Medical Sciences]]||[[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]||[[Zanjan Province]]
|-
!12
|[[Tabriz Islamic Arts University]]||[[Tabriz]]||[[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
!13
|[[Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University]]||[[Tabriz]]||[[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
!14
|[[University of Maragheh]]||[[Maragheh]]||[[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
!15
|[[Maragheh observatory]]||[[Maragheh]]||[[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
!16
|[[University of Bonab]]||[[Bonab]]||[[East Azerbaijan]]
|}

<gallery class="center">
File:Portal of Medical University of Ardabil.JPG|[[Ardabil University of Medical Sciences]]
File:IASBS Physics.JPG|Physics department interior of [[Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences|IASBS]] in [[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]
File:ElectricMechanicFacultiesofZanjanUni.jpeg|[[University of Zanjan]]
File:Westminister Hospital Urmia.jpg|[[Joseph Cochran]] in Westminster Hospital Urmia (now [[Urmia University of Medical Sciences]])
File:Urmia uni central library.jpg|Shahid Chamran Hall (central library) – of the [[University of Urmia]]
File:Behnam's House, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Azerbaijan, Iran, 08-19-2006.jpg|[[Behnam House]] is part of the School of Architecture of [[Tabriz Islamic Arts University]].
File:Tabriz University main enterance.jpg|[[University of Tabriz]]'s Tower
File:Maragheh Observatory.jpg|[[Maragheh observatory]]
</gallery>

===Architecture===
''[[Azeri style]]'' is a style (''sabk'') of architecture when categorizing [[Iranian architecture]] development in Azerbaijan history. Landmarks of this style of architecture span from the late 13th century ([[Ilkhanate]]) to the appearance of the [[Safavid dynasty]] in the 16th century CE.<ref>Fallāḥʹfar, Saʻīd (سعید فلاح‌فر). ''The Dictionary of Iranian Traditional Architectural Terms (Farhang-i vāzhahʹhā-yi miʻmārī-i sunnatī-i Īrān فرهنگ واژه‌های معماری سنتی ایران)''. Kamyab Publications (انتشارات کامیاب). Kāvushʹpardāz. 2000, 2010. Tehran. {{ISBN|978-964-2665-60-0}} US Library of Congress LCCN Permalink: http://lccn.loc.gov/2010342544 {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120713082632/http://lccn.loc.gov/2010342544 |date=2012-07-13 }} pp.16</ref>

===Ashik===
[[File:Ashiklar-Tabriz.jpg|thumb|Ashiks by [[Azerbaijani traditional clothing]] in [[Nowruz]]-[[Tabriz]]]]
[[Ashik]] is a mystic bard, balladeer, or troubadour who accompanied his song be it a hikaye or a shorter original composition with a long-necked lute. The modern Azerbaijani ashiq is a professional musician who usually serves an apprenticeship, masters playing saz, and builds up a varied but individual repertoire of Turkic folk songs.<ref>Colin P. Mitchell (Editor), ''New Perspectives on Safavid Iran: Empire and Society'', 2011, Routledge, 90–92</ref> and [[The Coffeehouse of Ashiks]] is a coffeehouse in cities of Azerbaijan where ashiks perform [[Turkish hikaye]].<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Basgoz | first1 = I | year = 1970 | title = Turkish Hikaye-Telling Tradition in Azerbaijan, Iran | journal = Journal of American Folklore | volume = 83 | issue = 330| page = 394 | doi = 10.2307/539661 | jstor = 539661 }}</ref> In cities, towns, and villages of Iranian Azerbaijan ashiks entertain audiences in coffeehouses.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Albright|first=C. F.|title=The Azerbaijani cashiq and his performance of a dästän|journal=Iranian Studies|date=1976|volume=9|issue=4|pages=220–247|doi=10.1080/00210867608701517}}</ref>

===Azerbaijan Cultural and Literature Foundation===
Azerbaijan Cultural and Literature Foundation, was founded for the purpose of research, study and promote the study of the culture, art, language, literature, and history of Azerbaijan in four provinces ([[East Azerbaijan]], [[West Azerbaijan]], [[Ardabil province|Ardabil]], and [[Zanjan province|Zanjan]]) of Azerbaijan region.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://zanjan.isna.ir/Default.aspx?NSID=5&SSLID=46&NID=64641|title=به دنبال مکان مناسب برای راه‌اندازی بنیاد فرهنگی آذربایجان هستیم|publisher=[[Iranian Students News Agency|Isna]]|date=26 October 2016|access-date=26 October 2016|archive-date=27 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027060557/http://zanjan.isna.ir/Default.aspx?NSID=5&SSLID=46&NID=64641|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Transportation==
===Air===
Iranian Azerbaijan is connected to other parts of Iran and the world via several air routes. There are seven civil airports in the region and the biggest Airport in the region is [[Tabriz International Airport]] located in north-west of Tabriz. The other Airports are:
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Row!!Airport!!City!!Province
|-
!1
|[[Tabriz International Airport]]||[[Tabriz]]||[[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
!2
|[[Urmia Airport]]||[[Urmia]]||[[West Azerbaijan]]
|-
!3
|[[Ardabil Airport]]||[[Ardabil]]||[[Ardabil Province]]
|-
!4
|[[Zanjan Airport]]||[[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]||[[Zanjan Province]]
|-
!5
|[[Sahand Airport]]||[[Bonab]]||[[East Azerbaijan]]
|-
!6
|[[Khoy Airport]]||[[Khoy]]||[[West Azerbaijan]]
|-
!7
|[[Parsabad-Moghan Airport]]||[[Parsabad]]||[[Ardabil Province]]
|}

====Air lines====
[[File:ATA Airlines A320.jpg|thumb|An ATA Airlines A320-200 landing at Tabriz International Airport]]
[[Ata Airlines]] is an [[airline]] based in [[Tabriz]], [[Iran]]. Operates scheduled domestic services and international services in the [[Middle East]], as well as charter services including [[Europe]]. Its main base is [[Tabriz Shahid Madani International Airport|Tabriz International Airport]]. This airplane company is in Azerbaijan with [[Eram Air]].

===Bridge===

* ''[[Urmia Lake Bridge]]'' is a bridge in region. It crosses [[Lake Urmia]] and connects [[East Azerbaijan]] and [[West Azerbaijan]].
* ''[[Meshginshahr suspension bridge]]'' is Middle East's largest [[suspension bridge]] in height of {{Convert|80|m|}}.
* ''[[Tabriz Cable Bridge]]'' is the biggest cable-stayed bridge in Iran.

===Railway===
Azerbaijan is connected to the rest of Iranian railways through a line that connects Tabriz to [[Tehran]]. This line continues from Tabriz to [[Jolfa, Iran (city)|Jolfa]] city in the north of East Azerbaijan province and is connected to the railways of [[Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic|Nakhichevan]]. Tabriz–Jolfa railway is one of the oldest railways in Iran that was built between 1912 and 1916. This railway line is the only part of Iranian railways that has an electric line. Tabriz also connected to Turkey through Tabriz-Razi railways which were built 1960–1961.
The most important railways station in Azerbaijan is [[Tabriz Railway Station]] which was founded in West of [[Tabriz]] in 1917; the current railway building of Tabriz railway station was built during the second [[Pahlavi dynasty|Pahlavi]] era by Iranian architect [[Heydar Ghiai|Heydar Ghiaï-Chamlou]]. The first railroad arriving at Tabriz had been built by [[Russia]]ns. The railway started from [[Jolfa, Iran (city)|Jolfa]], a city on the border of Iran and the modern [[Republic of Azerbaijan]].

Active lines this railway included: Tabriz–[[Tehran]], Tabriz–[[Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic]], and Tabriz–[[Turkey]].

===Metro===
[[Tabriz Metro]] opened on 28 August 2015 with 7&nbsp;km length and 6 stations.<ref>[http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/news/asia/single-view/view/tabriz-metro-opens.html "Tabriz Metro Opens"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421011753/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/news/asia/single-view/view/tabriz-metro-opens.html |date=2016-04-21 }} (Railway Gazette)</ref> It will encompass 5 lines (4 lines are underground subway and 1 line is planned to connect [[Tabriz]] to Sahand) and the total planned length is {{Convert|75|km|}}. Line 1 is the first line under construction that connects Shah-Golu in the southeast to Laleh district in the southwest after passing through the city center of Tabriz.<ref name="Metro">{{cite web|url=http://inn.ir/NSite/FullStory/News/?Serv=8&Id=145770&Rate=0|title=متروی تبریز اوایل خردادماه به راه می‌افتد|publisher=INN|access-date=2013-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017201705/http://inn.ir/NSite/FullStory/News/?Serv=8&Id=145770&Rate=0|archive-date=2013-10-17|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed-overlay" heights="260">
TURO-El Goli.jpg|Tabriz Urban Railway Organization (TURO), El-Gölü Station
TabrizRail.jpg|Tabriz Railway Station
</gallery>

===Roads===
A network of Iranian national roads connects cities and populated areas of Azerbaijan to each other and to other parts of Iran. The only freeway in Azerbaijan is [[Freeway 2 (Iran)]] which connects Tabriz to Tehran and it is planned to construct the rest of the freeway up to the Iran-Turkey border at [[Bazargan, Iran|Bazargan]]. Other roads and highways include [[Road 32 (Iran)]] which connects Tehran to Tabriz and continues to the Iran-Turkey border at Bazargan. Here is a list and map of roads that pass through Azerbaijan.
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col"| Type
! scope="col"| Number Road
! scope="col"| Distance (km)
! scope="col"| Distance (mi)
! scope="col"| City of Origin
! scope="col"| City of Destination
! scope="col"| Location
! Image
|-
|[[Freeways]]
|[[Freeway 2 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|600|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Tehran]]
|[[Tabriz]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 2 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|[[File:Tehran-Karaj Freeway, Apadana, آزادراه تهران-كرج، دي86 - panoramio.jpg|130px]]
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 11 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|325|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Jolfa, Iran (city)|Jolfa]] (Az)
|[[Baneh]]
|[[File:Road 11 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 12 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|572|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Bazargan, Iran|Bazargan]] (Az)
|[[Bileh Savar]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 12 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 14 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|460|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Razi, Ardabil]] (Az)
|[[Salmas]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 14 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 16 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|428|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Astara, Iran|Astara]]
|[[Serow, Iran|Serow]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 16 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|[[File:Lake Urmia bridge 2010.jpg|130px]]
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 21 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|978|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Ilam, Iran|Ilam]]
|[[Jolfa, Iran (city)|Jolfa]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 21 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 22 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|428|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Sarakhs]]
|[[Khalkhal, Ardabil|Khalkhal]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 22 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|[[File:Golestan jungle.jpg|130px]]
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 23 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|390|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Miandoab]] (Az)
|[[Hamadan]]
|[[File:Road 23 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 24 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|142|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Hashtrud]] (Az)
|[[Bonab]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 24 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 26 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|151|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Miandoab]] (Az)
|[[Piranshahr]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 26 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 27 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|245|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Khomarlu]] (Az)
|[[Tabriz]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 27 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 31 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|539|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Parsabad]] (Az)
|[[Manjil]]
|[[File:Road 31 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 32 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|880|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Tehran]]
|[[Bazargan, Iran|Bazargan]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 32 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 33 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|155|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Ardabil]] (Az)
|[[Bileh Savar]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 33 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Highway]]s and [[Road]]s
|[[Road 35 (Iran)]]
|{{convert|155|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]] (Az)
|[[Khorramabad]]
|[[File:Road 35 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|}

==Media==
[[File:Tabriz, IRIB.jpg|thumb|[[Sahand TV]] main building]]

===TV and radio===
* [[Sahand TV]] from [[Tabriz]]
* [[Eshragh TV]] from [[Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]
* [[Sabalan TV]] from [[Ardebil]]
* [[Azerbaijan TV]] from [[Urmia]]

===Native language instruction===
Azerbaijani language is not taught in Iranian schools; but for the first time at the level of academic education since 2016, Azerbaijani language and literature launched in Azerbaijan for [[Tabriz University]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.iribnews.ir/fa/news/1255249/%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%B1%D8%B4%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%B2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88-%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A2%D8%B0%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D9%87-3-%D8%A2%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B4%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1|title=ایجاد رشته زبان و ادبیات آذری در منطقه 3 آموزشی کشور|publisher=[[IRIB]]|date=16 August 2016|access-date=17 August 2016|archive-date=21 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821035821/http://www.iribnews.ir/fa/news/1255249/%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%B1%D8%B4%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%B2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88-%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A2%D8%B0%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D9%87-3-%D8%A2%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B4%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Newspapers===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
;Ardabil Province
* ''Ardabil Farda''<ref name="Newspapers-Ardabil">{{cite news |url=http://ads.dabi.ir/PubsInfo.aspx?state=%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%84 |title=لیست نشریات استان اردبيل |publisher=List of periodicals in the Iranian Provinces |access-date=17 October 2013 |archive-date=27 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827083401/http://ads.dabi.ir/PubsInfo.aspx?state=%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%84 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* ''Ardabil Hamshahri''<ref name="Newspapers-Ardabil" />
;West Azerbaijan
* ''Araz Azerbaijan''<ref name="Newspapers-Araz">{{cite news |url=http://www.mehrnews.com/detail/News/1714252 |title=ارومیه فعال در حوزه مطبوعات/ انتشار اولین نشریه شهرستانی در ارومیه |publisher=[[Mehr News Agency]] |date=6 October 2013 |access-date=17 October 2013 |archive-date=12 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012082243/http://www.mehrnews.com/detail/News/1714252 |url-status=live }}</ref>
;Zanjan Province
* ''Mardom -e- No''<ref name="Newspapers-Zanjan">{{cite news|url=http://ads.dabi.ir/PubsInfo.aspx?state=%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86|title=لیست نشریات استان زنجان|publisher=List of periodicals in the Iranian Provinces|access-date=17 October 2013|archive-date=17 October 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131017205550/http://ads.dabi.ir/PubsInfo.aspx?state=%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86|url-status=live}}</ref>
* ''Zanjan Hamshahri''<ref name="Newspapers-Zanjan" />

{{col-2}}

;East Azerbaijan
* ''Azerbaijan''<ref name="Newspapers-Tabriz">{{cite news|url=http://www.tabriz.ir/?PageID=239|title=لیست نشریات آذربایجان شرقی|publisher=[[List of mayors of Tabriz|Mayor of Tabriz]] Website|access-date=17 October 2013|archive-date=17 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017141141/http://www.tabriz.ir/?PageID=239|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* ''Ark''<ref name="Newspapers-Tabriz" />
* ''Amin''<ref name="Newspapers-Tabriz" />
* ''Sorkhab''<ref name="Newspapers-Tabriz" />
* ''Saib Tabriz''<ref name="Newspapers-Tabriz" />
* ''Asr Azadi''<ref name="Newspapers-Tabriz" />
* ''Fajr Azerbaijan''<ref name="Newspapers-Tabriz" />
* ''Mahd Azadi''<ref name="Newspapers-Tabriz" />
{{col-end}}

==Sport==
===Sport Olympiad===
For the first time, Sports Olympiad of northwest in 23 sports to host [[Ardabil]] city will be held the presence of [[West Azerbaijan]], [[East Azerbaijan]], [[Ardabil province|Ardabil]] and [[Zanjan province]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1395/07/19/1209984/%D8%A8%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%BE%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%B2%D8%B4%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A8%DB%8C%D9%84|title=برگزاری المپیاد ورزشی شمال‌غرب در اردبیل‌|publisher=[[Tasnim News]]|date=10 October 2016|access-date=20 October 2016|archive-date=18 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018222729/http://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1395/07/19/1209984/%D8%A8%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%BE%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%B2%D8%B4%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A8%DB%8C%D9%84|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Sahand Stadium.jpg|thumb|[[Yadegar-e Emam Stadium (Tabriz)|Sahand Stadium]]; has a capacity of about 70,000 and is located in [[Tabriz]].]]

===Major sport clubs===
Representatives of Azerbaijani in the top two leagues:

;Football
* [[Tractor Sazi F.C.|Tractor Sazi]]
* [[Machine Sazi F.C.|Machine Sazi]]
* [[Gostaresh Foulad F.C.|Gostaresh Foolad]]
* [[Shahrdari Tabriz F.C.|Shahrdari Tabriz]]

;Futsal
* [[Mes Sungun FSC|Mes Sungun]]
* [[Behrad Ardabil FSC|Behrad Ardabil]]

;Volleyball
* [[Shahrdari Urmia VC|Shahrdari Urmia]]
* [[Shahrdari Tabriz VC|Shahrdari Tabriz]]

;Basketball
* Shahrdari Tabriz

;Cycling Team
* {{UCI team code|TPT}}
* {{UCI team code|TST}}

===Major sport events===
* ''[[2010 Asian Men's Cup Volleyball Championship]]'' [[Ghadir Arena]] in [[Urmia]].
* ''[[2012 WAFF Futsal Championship]]'' [[Ghadir Arena]] in Urmia.
* ''[[2012 Asian Junior Men's Volleyball Championship]]'' [[Ghadir Arena]] in Urmia.
* ''16th Wrestle International Children's Day'' [[Shahid Poursharifi Arena]] in [[Tabriz]].
* ''[[2014 Asian Men's Junior Handball Championship]]'' [[Shahid Poursharifi Arena]] in Tabriz.
* 1976: Part of [[1976 AFC Asian Cup]]'s final tournament held in [[Bagh Shomal Stadium]], Tabriz.
* ''[[Tour of Iran (Azerbaijan)]]'' since 1986.

===Sports facilities===
Large and important stadiums:
{{Div col|small=yes|colwidth=10em}}
* ''[[Yadegar-e Emam Stadium (Tabriz)|Yadegar-e Emam Stadium]]''
* ''[[Ali Daei Stadium]]''
* ''[[Takhti Stadium (Tabriz)|Takhti Stadium]]''
* ''[[Gostaresh Foulad Stadium]]''
* ''[[Tabriz Cycling Track]]''
* ''[[Shahid Pour Sharifi Arena]]''
* ''[[Ghadir Arena]]''
* ''[[Rezazadeh Stadium]]''
* ''[[Marzdaran Stadium]]''
* ''[[Tractor Stadium]]''
* ''[[Sahand Ski Resort]]''
{{div col end}}


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|Iran}}
{{Wikisource1911Enc|Azerbāïjān}}
{{columns-list |colwidth=15em|
* [[Atropatene]]
* [[Atropatene]]
* [[Azerbaijan People's Government]]
* [[History of the name Azerbaijan]]
* [[History of the name Azerbaijan]]
* [[Iran]]
* [[Iran]]
* [[Ancient Azari language]]
* [[Azerbaijan]]
* [[Iranian Azeris]]
* [[Azerbaijani language]]
* [[Iranian Azerbaijanis]]
* [[Azerbaijani people]]
* [[Azerbaijani people]]
* [[Kurds]]
* [[Kurds]]
* [[Armenians]]
* [[Armenians]]
* [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]]
* [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]]
* [[Old Azeri language]]
}}


==External links==
==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note|30em}}
{{sisterlinks|Iranian Azerbaijan}}
:{{note|The World Factbook|a|Reporting and estimation [[The World Factbook|World Factbook]] and [[Library of Congress]]}}
<div class="infobox sisterproject">
:{{note|New America Foundation|c|Reporting and estimation [[New America Foundation]]}}
<div style="float: left;">[[File:Wikipedia-logo.png|45px|none|Wikipedia]]</div>
:{{note|Minority Rights|d|Reporting and estimation [[Minority Rights Group International]]}}
<div style="margin-right: 60px;">'''''[http://www.az.wikipedia.org Azerbaijani language edition]''''' of [[Wikipedia]]</div>
:{{note|Britannica|e|Reporting and estimation [[Britannica Encyclopaedia]]}}
</div>
:{{note|Ethnologue|f|Reporting and estimation [[Ethnologue]]}}
*[http://www.bartleby.com/65/az/AzerbjIrn.html "Azerbaijan" (''Columbia Encyclopedia'', 6th edition; 2001-05)]
:{{note|Iranica|g|Reporting and estimation [[Encyclopædia Iranica]], The number of Turkic speakers in Iran today is estimated about 16 million, The majority are ethnic Azeris}}
:{{note|Songor|h|Just in [[Sonqor County]]}}
:{{note|politician-i|i| [[Ahmad Alirezabeighi]], [[Zahra Saei]], [[Masoud Pezeshkian]], [[Mohammad Hosein Farhanghi]], [[Shahabaddin Bimegdar]], [[Mohammad Esmaeil Saeidi]]}}
:{{note|politician-j|j|[[Hadi Bahadori]], [[Rohollah Hazratpour]] and [[Nader Ghazipour]]}}
:{{note|politician-k|k|[[Reza Karimi (politicians)|Reza Karimi]], [[Sodeif Badri]] and [[Mohammad Feyzi]]}}
:{{note|politician-m|m| [[Ali Waqfchi]] and [[Fereydun Ahmadi]]}}
:{{note|politician-n|n| [[Fardin Farmand]] and [[Yaqub Shivyari]]}}
:{{note|politician-o|o| [[Homayun Hashemi]] and [[Jahanbakhsh Mohebbinia]]}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist|30em}}


==Sources==
[[Category:Regions of Iran]]
* {{cite book | last1 = Fisher | first1 = William Bayne | last2 = Avery | first2= P. | last3 = Hambly | first3 = G. R. G | last4 = Melville | first4 = C. | title = The Cambridge History of Iran | volume = 7 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=H20Xt157iYUC&q=agha+muhammad+khan+invade+georgia | publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]] | location = Cambridge | year = 1991 | isbn = 0521200954 }}

==External links==
{{Interwiki|code=az|language=North Azerbaijani}}
{{Interwiki|code=azb|language=South Azerbaijani}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060517091341/http://www.bartleby.com/65/az/AzerbjIrn.html "Azerbaijan" (''Columbia Encyclopedia'', 6th edition; 2001–05)]
{{Sister bar|auto=1|voy=Azerbaijan (Iran)|s=1911_Encyclopædia_Britannica/Azerbāïjān|Iranian Azerbaijan}}
{{Azerbaijani diaspora}}
{{Zoroastrianism}}


[[Category:Azerbaijan (Iran)]]
[[az:Cənubi Azərbaycan]]
[[Category:Historical regions of Iran]]
[[ca:Azerbaidjan Meridional]]
[[de:Aserbaidschan (Iran)]]
[[et:Lõuna-Aserbaidžaan]]
[[es:Azerbaiyán Meridional]]
[[eo:Suda Azerbajĝano]]
[[fa:آذربایجان]]
[[fr:Azerbaïdjan iranien]]
[[ga:An Asarbaiseáin (an Iaráin)]]
[[ko:남아제르바이잔]]
[[hy:Ադրբեջան (Իրան)]]
[[hr:Azarbajdžan (Iran)]]
[[id:Azerbaijan (Iran)]]
[[lt:Irano Azerbaidžanas]]
[[nl:Azerbeidzjan (Iran)]]
[[pl:Azerbejdżan Irański]]
[[pt:Azerbaijão (Irã)]]
[[ro:Azerbaidjan (Iran)]]
[[ru:Иранский Азербайджан]]
[[sv:Iranska Azarbaijan]]
[[th:อาเซอร์ไบจาน (อิหร่าน)]]
[[tr:Azerbaycan (İran)]]
[[uk:Іранський Азербайджан]]

Latest revision as of 07:18, 10 November 2024

Three provinces of Iranian Azerbaijan region

37°36′N 47°00′E / 37.6°N 47.0°E / 37.6; 47.0 Azerbaijan or Azarbaijan (Persian/Azerbaijani: آذربایجان, romanizedĀzarbāyjān, Persian pronunciation: [ɒːzæɾbɒːjˈdʒɒːn], Azerbaijani pronunciation: [ɑːzæɾbɑjˈdʒɑn]), also known as Iranian Azerbaijan,[1] is a historical region in northwestern Iran that borders Iraq and Turkey to the west and Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijani exclave of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic to the north.

Iranian Azerbaijan includes three northwestern Iranian provinces: West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan and Ardabil.[2][3] Some authors also include Zanjan in this list, some in a geographical sense,[4] others only culturally (due to the predominance of the Azeri Turkic population there).[5] The region is mostly populated by Azerbaijanis, with minority populations of Kurds, Armenians, Tats, Talysh, Assyrians and Persians.

Iranian Azerbaijan is the land originally and historically called Azerbaijan; the Azerbaijani-populated Republic of Azerbaijan appropriated the name of the neighbouring Azerbaijani-populated region in Iran during the 20th century.[6][7][8] Historic Azerbaijan was called Atropatene in antiquity and Aturpatakan (Adurbadagan) in the pre-Islamic Middle Ages. Some people refer to Iranian Azerbaijan as South (or Southern) Azerbaijan and the Republic of Azerbaijan as Northern Azerbaijan,[9] although others believe that these terms are irredentist and politically motivated.[10][11][12]

Following military defeats at the hands of the Russian Empire, Qajar Persia ceded all of its territories in the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia to Russia via the Treaty of Gulistan of 1813 and the Treaty of Turkmenchay of 1828.[13] The territories south of the Aras River, which comprised the region historically known as Azerbaijan, became the new north-west frontier of the Persian Empire and later Iran.[14] The territories north of the Aras River, which were not known by the name Azerbaijan at the time of their capture by Russia, were absorbed into the Russian Empire, renamed the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic during the country's short-lived independence from 1918 to 1920,[15] incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, and finally became the independent Republic of Azerbaijan when the Soviet Union dissolved.

Etymology and usage

The name Azerbaijan itself is derived from Atropates,[16] the Persian[17][18][19] Satrap (governor) of Medea in the Achaemenid Empire, who ruled a region found in modern Iranian Azerbaijan called Atropatene. Atropates's name is believed to be derived from the Old Persian roots meaning "protected by fire."[20] The name is also mentioned in the Avestan Frawardin Yasht: âterepâtahe ashaonô fravashîm ýazamaide which translates literally to: "We worship the Fravashi of the holy Atare-pata."[21] According to the Encyclopaedia of Islam: "In Middle Persian the name of the province was called Āturpātākān, older new-Persian Ādharbādhagān (آذربادگان/آذرآبادگان), Ādharbāyagān, at present Āzerbāydjān/Āzarbāydjān, Greek Atropatēnḗ (Ἀτροπατηνή), Byzantine Greek Adravigánon (᾿Αδραβιγάνων), Armenian Atrpatakan (Ատրպատական), Syriac Adhorbāyghān."[22] The name Atropat in Middle Persian was transformed to Adharbad and is connected with Zoroastrianism. A famous Zoroastrian priest by the name Adarbad Mahraspandan is well known for his counsels.[23] Azerbaijan, due to its numerous fire-temples has also been quoted in a variety of historic sources as being the birthplace of the prophet Zoroaster although modern scholars have not yet reached an agreement on the location of his birth.[24]

In the early 19th century, Qajar Iran was forced to cede to Imperial Russia its Caucasian territories north of the Aras River (modern-day Dagestan, Georgia, Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan), through the treaties of Gulistan (1813) and Turkmenchay (1828). Following the disintegration of the Russian Empire in 1917, as well as the short-lived Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, in 1918, the leading Musavat government adopted the name "Azerbaijan" for the newly established Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which was proclaimed on May 27, 1918,[25] for political reasons,[26][27] even though the name of "Azerbaijan" had always been used to refer to the adjacent region of contemporary northwestern Iran.[6][7][8] Thus, until 1918, when the Musavat regime decided to name the newly independent state Azerbaijan, this designation had been used exclusively to identify the Iranian province of Azerbaijan.[7][8][15][28]

History

Caspian sea and Azerbaijan position on the left side of the map in the 10th century. The original map is in Ṣūrat al-'Arḍ (صورة الارض; "The face of the Earth"), Ibn Hawqal (977), Beyrut, page 419.
An old map of Azerbaijan and its neighboring regions depicted by the Ibn Hawqal 1145 AD
The Tabula Rogeriana, drawn by Muhammad al-Idrisi for Roger II of Sicily in 1154. Azerbaijan in the southwest of the Caspian sea. South is towards the top.

Pre-Islamic period

The oldest kingdom known in Iranian Azerbaijan is that of the Mannea who ruled a region south-east of Lake Urmia centered around modern Saqqez. The Manneans were a confederation of Iranian and non-Iranian groups. According to Professor Zadok:

it is unlikely that there was any ethnolinguistic unity in Mannea. Like other peoples of the Iranian plateau, the Manneans were subjected to an ever-increasing Iranian (i.e., Indo-European) penetration.[29]

The Mannaeans were conquered and absorbed by an Iranian people called Matieni, and the country was called Matiene, with Lake Urmia called Lake Matianus. Matiene was later conquered by the Medes and became a satrapy of the Median empire and then a sub-satrapy of the Median satrapy of the Persian Empire.

According to Encyclopædia Britannica, the Medes were an:

Indo-European people, related to the Persians, who entered northeastern Iran probably as early as the 17th century BC and settled in the plateau land that came to be known as Media.[30]

After Alexander the Great conquered Persia, he appointed (328 BC) as governor the Persian general Atropates, who eventually established an independent dynasty. The region, which came to be known as Atropatene or Media Atropatene (after Atropates), was much disputed. In the 2nd century BC, it was liberated from Seleucid domination by Mithradates I of Arsacid dynasty, and was later made a province of the Sassanid Empire of Ardashir I. Under the Sassanids, Azerbaijan was ruled by a marzubān, and, towards the end of the period, belonged to the family of Farrokh Hormizd.

Large parts of the region were conquered by the Kingdom of Armenia. Large parts of the region made up part of historical Armenia. The parts of historical Armenia within what is modern-day Azerbaijan comprise; Nor Shirakan, Vaspurakan, and Paytakaran. Vaspurakan, of which large parts were located in what is modern-day Iranian Azerbaijan is described as the cradle of Armenian civilization.[31]

On 26 May 451 AD, a very important battle was fought that would prove immensely pivotal in Armenian history. On the Avarayr Plain, at what is modern-day Churs (modern-day West Azerbaijan Province), the Armenian Army under Vardan Mamikonian clashed with Sassanid Persia. Although the Persians were victorious on the battlefield itself, the battle proved to be a major strategic victory for Armenians, as Avarayr paved the way to the Nvarsak Treaty (484 AD), which affirmed Armenia's right to practice Christianity freely.[32][33]

Heraclius, the Byzantine emperor, briefly held the region in the 7th century until peace was made with the Sassanids. After the Islamic Conquest of Iran, Arab invaders converted most of its people to Islam and made it part of the caliphate.

Islamic period

Sasanian and early Islamic period

During the Arab invasion of Iran, the Spahbed of Iran was Rostam Farrokhzad, the son of Farrukh Hormizd, who was the son of Vinduyih, the uncle of Khosrau I and brother of the Sasanian usurper Vistahm. Rustam himself was born in Azerbaijan and led the Sasanian army into battle. He is also mentioned in the Shahnameh.

The Sasanian army was defeated at the battle of al-Qādisiyyah and Rostam Farrokhzad, along with many other Sasanian veterans, was killed. In 642, Piruz Khosrow, one of the Sasanian survivors during the battle of al-Qādisiyyah, fought against the Muslims at Nahavand, which was a gateway to the provinces of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Caucasian Albania. The battle was fierce, but the Sasanian troops lost during the battle. This opened the gateway for the Muslims to enter Azerbaijan. The Muslims then invaded Azerbaijan and captured Isfandiyar, the son of Farrukhzad. Isfandiyar then promised, in return for his life, that he would agree to surrender his estates in Azerbaijan and aid the Muslims in defeating his brother, Bahram. Bahram was then defeated and sued for peace. A pact was drawn up according to which Azerbaijan was surrendered to Caliph Umar on usual terms of paying the annual Jizya.

Muslims settled in Azerbaijan as they did in many parts of Iran. According to the Iranian Azerbaijani historian Ahmad Kasravi, more Muslims settled in Azerbaijan compared to other provinces due to the province's plentiful and fertile pastures. Local revolts against the Caliphate were common and the most famous of these revolts was the Persian Khurramite movement.

Abbasids and Seljuks

Map of Adharbayjan in the 9th-century

After the revolt of Babak Khorramdin, who was a Zoroastrian of neo-Mazdakite background, the Abbasid caliphate's grip on Azerbaijan weakened, allowing native dynasties to rise in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan was taken over by the Kurdish Daisam and the Sallarid Marzuban, the latter united it with Arran, Shirvan, and most of Eastern Armenia. After confrontations with the local Dailamite and Kurdish populations who had already established their own dynasties and emirates in different parts of Azerbaijan, the Seljuks dominated the region in the 11th and early 12th centuries, at which point the linguistic Turkification of the native Iranian populations began. In 1136, Azerbaijan fell to the Atabakan-e-Azerbaijan and Atabakan-e-Maragheh. It was later invaded by the Khwarizm Shah Jalal ad-din who held Azerbaijan until the advent of the Mongol invasions.

In the early years of the 13th century, large parts of Azerbaijan were conquered by the Kingdom of Georgia, at the time led by Tamar the Great. Under the command of the brothers Zakaria and Ivane Mkhargrdzeli, the Georgians conquered Ardabil and Tabriz in 1208, and Qazvin and Khoy in 1210.[34][35][36][37]

Mongols and Turkmens

The Mongols under Hulagu Khan established their capital at Maragheh. The book Safina-yi Tabriz describes the general state of Tabriz during the Ilkhanid period. After being conquered by Timur in the 14th century, Tabriz became an important provincial capital of the Timurid empire. Later, Tabriz became the capital of the Kara Koyunlu empire.

Safavid, Afshars and Qajars and loss of the adjacent Caucasian territories

It was out of Ardabil (ancient Artavilla) that the Safavid dynasty arose to renew the state of Persia and establish Shi'ism as the official religion of Iran. Around the same time, the population of what is now Azerbaijan and Iran were converted to Shiism,[38] and both nations remain the only nations in the world with a significantly Shia majority, with Iran having the largest Shia population by percentage, with the Republic of Azerbaijan having the second-largest Shia population by percentage.[39][40]

After 1502, Azerbaijan became the chief bulwark and military base of the Safavids. It was the chief province from which the various Iranian empires would control their Caucasian provinces, all the way up to Dagestan in the early 19th century. In the meantime, between 1514 and 1603, the Ottomans sometimes occupied Tabriz and other parts of the province during their numerous wars with their Safavid ideological and political archrivals. The Safavid control was restored by Shah Abbas but during the Afghan invasion (1722–8) the Ottomans recaptured Azerbaijan and other western provinces of Iran, until Nader Shah expelled them. At the beginning of the reign of Karim Khan Zand, the Azad Khan Afghan unsuccessfully revolted in Azerbaijan and later the Dumbuli Kurds of Khoy and other tribal chiefs ruled various parts of the territory. Azad Khan was defeated however by Erekle II. With the advent of the Qajars, Azerbaijan became the traditional residence of the heirs-apparent. Even until then Azerbaijan remained the main area from where the high-ranked governors would control the various territories and Khanates of the Caucasus while the main power stayed in Tehran.

Though the first Qajar Iranian ruler, Agha Mohammad Khan, had reconquered the Caucasus and all of Iran in several swift campaigns, such as the harsh re-subjugation of Georgia in 1795, Iran would eventually irrevocably lose all of the Caucasus region to neighbouring Imperial Russia during the course of the 19th century, which had a crucial impact on the region of modern-day Iranian Azerbaijan. Shortly after the reconquest of Georgia, Agha Mohammad Shah was assassinated while preparing a second expedition in 1797 in Shusha.[41] The reassertion of Iranian hegemony over Georgia did not last long; in 1799 the Russians marched into Tbilisi,[42] which would mark the beginning of the end of the Iranian-ruled domains in the Caucasus, comprising modern-day Georgia, Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Dagestan thanks to the 19th century Russo-Persian Wars.[14]

Since the late 17th/early 18th century, the Russians were actively pursuing an expansionist policy towards its neighbouring empires to its south, namely the Ottoman Empire and the successive Iranian kingdoms. Agha Mohammad Khan's death and the Russian troops entering the Iranian possession of Tbilisi in 1799, led directly to the Russo-Persian War (1804–1813), the first of a number of Russo-Persian wars during the 19th century,[41] and the most devastating and humiliating one. By the end of the war in 1813 and the resulting Treaty of Gulistan, Qajar Iran was forced to cede Georgia, most of the modern-day Republic of Azerbaijan, and Dagestan to Russia. The only Caucasian territories remaining in Iranian hands were what is now Armenia, the Nakhichevan Khanate, and the Talysh Khanate. The next war, the Russo-Persian War (1826–1828), resulted in an even more humiliating defeat, with Iran being forced to cede the remaining Caucasian regions,[14] as well as having Russian troops temporarily occupying Tabriz and Iranian Azerbaijan. As Iran was unwilling to allow the Russians to gain possession over its Caucasian territories in the North Caucasus and South Caucasus, the millennia-old ancient ties between Iran and the Caucasus region were only severed by the superior Russian force of Russia through these 19th-century wars.[41]

The area to the north of the river Aras, which included the territory of the contemporary republic of Azerbaijan, eastern Georgia, Dagestan, and Armenia, were Iranian territory until they were occupied by Russia during the 19th century.[13][14][43][44][45][46][47]

Through the course of the 19th century Iran lost to Russia regions[14] which had been part Iran for centuries.[41] By the end of the 19th century, the border between Iran and Russia was set more southwards, at the Aras River, which is currently the border between Iran and Armenia – Azerbaijan.

Subsequently, the Russians were very influential in Northern Iran including Azerbaijan (as Northern Iran fell into Russia's sphere of influence for decades). After 1905, the representatives of Azerbaijan were very active in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution as a result to this Russian influence.

Contemporary age

The Russian (Tsarist) army occupied Iranian Azerbaijan in 1909 and again in 1912–1914 and 1915–1918, followed by Ottoman forces in 1914–1915 and 1918–1919; Bolshevik forces occupied Iranian Azerbaijan and other parts of Iran in 1920–1921,[48] and Soviet forces occupied Iranian Azerbaijan in 1941, creating a very short-lived autonomous, Soviet-supported state from November 1945 to November 1946,[49] which was dissolved after the reunification of Iranian Azerbaijan with Iran in November of the same year. The period roughly from the last major Russo-Persian War up to this date is so-called the period of high Russian influences in Iran. All of Northern Iran, including Iranian Azerbaijan, Gilan, Mazandaran, Qazvin, and many other places all the way up to Isfahan fell into the Russian sphere of influence. Russian armies were stationed in many regions of Iranian Azerbaijan, Russian schools were founded, and many Russians settled in the region, but less than in Gilan and Mazandaran. Also, Azerbaijan saw the large influx of the so-called White émigrées who fled to Iran following the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. Iranian nationalism is partly the product of Azerbaijani intellectuals.[50][51] Azerbaijani provinces have played a major in the cultural and economic life of Iran in both the Pahlavi era as well as the Iranian Constitutional and Islamic revolution.

Monuments

The Iranian provinces of Azerbaijan, both West and East, possess a large number of monuments from all periods of history.[52]

Geography

Iranian Azerbaijan is generally considered the north-west portion of Iran comprising the provinces of East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, and Ardabil.[53] It shares borders with the Republic of Azerbaijan,[54] Armenia, Turkey, and Iraq. There are 17 rivers and two lakes in the region. Cotton, nuts, textiles, tea, machinery, and electrical equipment are the main industries. The northern, alpine region, which includes Lake Urmia, is mountainous, with deep valleys and fertile lowlands.

The region is bounded in the north by Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan and in the West by Lake Urmia and Kurdish-inhabited areas of Iran, and in the East by Gilan.

Mountains

  • Sabalan is an inactive stratovolcano in Ardabil province of northwestern Iran. It is the third highest mountain in Iran and has a permanent crater lake formed at its summit. Sabalan has a ski resort (Alvares) and different tourist areas such as the Sarein spa. The mountain is known for its beautiful vistas, including the Shirvan gorge, where few climbers ever venture. Elevation of Sabalan is 4,811 m (15,784 ft).[55]
  • Sahand is a massive, heavily eroded stratovolcano in northwestern Iran. At 3,707 m (12,162 ft), it is the highest mountain in the Iranian province of East Azerbaijan.
  • Eynali is a small mountain range in north of Tabriz, Iran. The range has a couple of peaks including Eynali (1,800 m or 5,910 ft), Halileh (1,850 m or 6,070 ft), Pakeh-chin (1,945 m or 6,381 ft), Bahlul (1,985 m or 6,512 ft) and the highest one Dand (2,378 m or 7,802 ft).[56]
  • Mount Bozgush and Ağ Dağ is a 3,306-metre (10,846 ft)[57] volcanic mountain 20 km (10 mi) south of Sarab and north of Mianeh, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Tulips are cultivated on the rich volcanic soil of Mount Bozgush, and medicinal herbs such as pennyroyal, thyme, borage, nettle and liquorice grow wild on the mountain's slopes. Mount Bozgush is a stratovolcano composed mostly of andesite.

Rivers

Aras River near Joulfa

Most of the biggest rivers in Azerbaijan flow into either Urmia Lake or the Caspian Sea (both of which are endorheic). Some of the major rivers are:

Biosphere reserve

Mountains of Arasbaran

Arasbārān, in the former Qaradagh, is a UNESCO registered biosphere reserve (since 1976) and an Iranian Dept. of Environment designated "Protected Area" in East Azarbaijan Province, Iran, with a varying altitude from 256 m (840 ft) in the vicinity of the Aras River to 2,896 m (9,501 ft) and covers an area of 78,560 hectares (194,100 acres; 303.3 sq mi). The biosphere is also home to some 23,500 nomads.[58] Arasbaran is confined to Aras River in the north, Meshgin Shahr County and Moghan in the east, Sarab County in the south, and Tabriz and Marand counties in the west.

Lakes

Plain

The Mugan plain is a plain located between Iran and the southern part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The highest density of irrigation canals is in the section of the Mugan plain which lies in the Republic of Azerbaijan. It is located on the bank of the Aras river extending to Iran.[61]

The Urmia Plain is in the West Azerbaijan Province, situated on western side of Lake Urmia and the eastern side of Turkish border.[62]

Politics

In Azerbaijan

Province Governor-general Representative of the Supreme Leader
East Azerbaijan Easmaeil Jabbarzadeh Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari
West Azerbaijan Ghorbanali Saadat Mehdi Ghoreyshi
Ardabil Province Majid Khodabakhsh Hassan Ameli
Zanjan Province Asadollad Darvish Amiri Ali Khatami

Assembly of Experts

Of the 86 members of Assembly of Experts, 11 are representative of the Azerbaijan region. Ali Meshkini from Meshgin Shahr[63] in the Ardabil Province was Chairmen of the Assembly of Experts since 1983 to 2007.

  • 5 representative of East Azerbaijan.
  • 3 representative of West Azerbaijan.
  • 2 representative of Ardabil Province.
  • 1 representative of Zanjan Province.
Name Province
Hashem Hashemzadeh Herisi East Azerbaijan
Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari East Azerbaijan
Mohammad Feyzi East Azerbaijan
Mohammad Taghi Pourmohammadi East Azerbaijan
Ali Malakouti East Azerbaijan
Asghar Dirbaz West Azerbaijan
Ali Akbar Ghoreyshi West Azerbaijan
Javad Mojtahed Shabestari West Azerbaijan
Hassan Ameli Ardabil Province
Fakhraddin Mousavi Ardabil Province
Mohammad Reza Doulabi Zanjan Province

Of the 290 members of Islamic Consultative Assembly, 44 are representative of Azerbaijan region. in the Azerbaijan region 40/44 Azerbaijani are in parliament the members of the Fraction of Turkic regions.[64]

Electorate According to County
[65]



Consulate

Country Name City Province
 Turkey Turkish Consulate in Tabriz[70] Tabriz East Azerbaijan
Turkish Consulate in Urmia[71] Urmia West Azerbaijan
 Azerbaijan Republic of Azerbaijan Consulate in Tabriz[72] Tabriz East Azerbaijan

Military

Several Iranian Army and Sepah divisions and brigades are based in Azerbaijan, including:

Type Name City Province
Operational Headquarter of Army in North-West Northwestern Operational Headquarter of Ground Forces of Islamic Republic of Iran Army Urmia West Azerbaijan
Division (military) of Army 64th Infantry Division of Urmia Urmia West Azerbaijan
Division (military) of Army 21st Infantry Division of Azerbaijan Tabriz East Azerbaijan
Logistic Headquarter of Army Maraqeh District 4 Headquarter Maragheh East Azerbaijan
Brigade of Army 40th Infantry Separate Brigade of Sarab Sarab & Ardabil East Azerbaijan & Ardabil Province
Brigade of Army 41st Infantry Separate Brigade of Qushchi Urmia West Azerbaijan
Separate Brigade of Army 36th Armored Separate Brigade of Mianeh Mianeh East Azerbaijan
Army Training Centre of Army 03 Ajabshir Recruit Training Centre Ajab Shir East Azerbaijan
Military airbase of Islamic Republic of Iran Army Aviation Havanirooz Tabriz Base Tabriz East Azerbaijan
Military airbase of Air force Tactical Air Base 2, or Paygah Dovvom-e Shekari Tabriz East Azerbaijan
Agency of Navy Navy Office of Tabriz Tabriz East Azerbaijan
Provincial Corps Ardabil Hazrat Abbas Provincial Corps Ardabil Ardabil province
Provincial Corps West Azerbaijan Shohada Provincial Corps Urmia West Azerbaijan
Provincial Corps East Azerbaijan Ashura Provincial Corps Tabriz East Azerbaijan
Provincial Corps Zanjan Ansar al-Mahdi Provincial Corps Zanjan Zanjan province

Economy

Industry and mining of Iranian Azerbaijan in North-west

The economy in Iranian Azerbaijan is based on Heavy industries, food industries, agriculture, and handicraft. The biggest economic hub is Tabriz which contains the majority of heavy industries and food industries. Iranian Azerbaijan has two free trade zones designated to promote international trade: Aras Free Zone and Maku Free Zone. The agriculture industry in Iranian Azerbaijan is relatively better than many other parts of the country because of comparatively higher precipitation. Handicrafts are mostly a seasonal industry mostly in rural areas during wintertime when the agriculture season is finished. There are 500 important production and industrial unit in this area.[73] in October 2016, 500 Regional economic giant was introduced in 5 areas and 19 groups.[74][75]

Free trade zones and exhibition centers

Heavy industries

Industries include machine tools, vehicle factories, oil refineries, petrochemical complexes, food processing, cement, textiles, electric equipment, and sugar milling. Oil and gas pipelines run through the region. Wool, carpets, and metalware are also produced. In some factories and major companies in Azerbaijan include:

  • Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company (ITMCO), a producer of tractor, diesel engines, and other auto parts, and provider of industrial services with its headquarter and main site in Tabriz.[77] ITMCO has manufacturing sites in several countries and it exports different products to ten countries.[77] The company is ISO 9001 audited, and has received several awards of quality and exporting.[77] ITMCO is listed as one of Iran's 100 fortune brands.
  • Goldstone Tires, operating under the brand Goldstone Tires is an Iranian manufacturer of tire for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, and heavy earth-mover machinery in Ardabil. Artawheel Tire is currently the largest non-government owned tire manufacturer in Iran by market share.[78] The company currently has agreements with Iran Khodro Tabriz to develop tires for the Peugeot 206 models.[79]
  • Mashin Sazi Tabriz (MST) is a manufacturer of industrial machinery and tools in Tabriz. The major products of the factory are turning machines, milling machines, drilling machines, grinding machines, and tools.
  • Rakhsh Khodro Diesel is an Iranian truck manufacturer established in 2005 and located in Tabriz. This company is a strategic partner of Kamaz of Russia, JAC and Jinbei of China and Maz-Man of Belarus, and produces Kamaz trucks, JAC light trucks, and its own designed minibus. Its headquarters is in Tabriz.
  • Amico is an Iranian truck manufacturer established in 1989 and located in Jolfa near Tabriz. This company produces light and heavy diesel vehicles.[80]
  • Iran Khodro Tabriz, whose headquarters is in Tehran, is the leading Iranian vehicle manufacturer; it has the country's largest car factory in Tehran and five other vehicle factories. The company's original name was "Iran National".[81] Until 2014, Iran Khodro Tabriz had a capacity of 520,000 vehicles,[82] building 150 Samand Arisan cars per day instead of the Bardo Pick-up Paykan.[83] The site also produces 100 IKCO Samands per day.[84]
  • Other major petrochemical companies, oil refineries and industries include Machine works Company of Tabriz, Iranian Diesel Engine Manufacturing (IDEM), Tabriz Oil Refinery, Tabriz Petrochemical, and Copper Mine Songon.

Rugs and carpets

The Ardabil Carpet and Tabriz rug the best kind of Iranian carpet. Now 40 percent of Iranian carpet exports are carried through East Azarbaijan.[85] Azerbaijani carpets and rugs are important:

  • Tabriz rug is a type in the general category of Iranian carpets[86][87][88] from the city of Tabriz.
  • Heriz rug are Persian rugs from the area of Heris, East Azerbaijan, northeast of Tabriz. Such rugs are produced in the village of the same name in the slopes of Mount Sabalan.
  • Ardabil rug and Ardabil carpet originate from Ardabil. Ardabil has a long and illustrious history of Azerbaijani carpet weaving. The reign of the Safavid dynasty in the 16th and 17th centuries represented the peak of Azerbaijani carpet making in the region.
  • Karadagh rug or Karaja rug is handmade in or near the village of Qarājeh (Karaja), in the Qareh Dāgh (Karadagh) region just south of the Azerbaijan border, northeast of Tabrīz. The best-known pattern shows three geometric medallions that are somewhat similar to those in Caucasian carpets. The central one has a latch-hooked contour and differs in colour from the others, which are eight-pointed stars.[89]

Food industries

More than fifty percent of entire Iranian food exports are carried from Iranian Azerbaijan.[90] The major hub for the food industry in the region is Tabriz which includes the Shirin Asal, Aydin, Shoniz, Anata, Baraka and Chichak manufacturers.[citation needed] Outside of Tabriz Minoo Industrial Group in Khorramdarreh is another nationally recognized food manufacturer.[91]

Agriculture

The principle crops of the region are grains, fruits, cotton, rice, nuts, and tobacco.

Demographics

People

Iranian Azerbaijanis, are a Turkic-speaking people, of which are largely of Iranian origin.[92] They number between 16 and 24 percent[93][94][95][96] and between 15 and 16 million[97][98][99] of Iran's population, and comprise by far the second-largest ethnic group in the nation.[100] In the Azerbaijan region, the population consists mainly of Azeris.[53] Azeris are the largest group in Iranian Azerbaijan, while Kurds are the second largest group and a majority in many cities of West Azerbaijan Province.[101] Iranian Azerbaijan is one of the richest and most densely populated regions of Iran. Many of these various linguistic, religious, and tribal minority groups, and Azeris themselves have settled widely outside the region.[102] The majority Azeris are followers of Shi'a Islam. The Iranian Azeris mainly reside in the northwest provinces, including the Iranian Azerbaijan provinces (East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan and Ardabil), Zanjan, as well as regions of the North[103] to Hamadan County[104] and Shara District[104] in the East Hamadan Province, some regions Qazvin Province[105][106] and also Azerbaijani minorities living in Markazi,[107] Kordestan,[108] Gilan,[109][110] and Kermanshah.h[111]

Smaller groups, such as Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, Tats, Talyshs, Jews, Circassians, (and other Peoples of the Caucasus), and Persians also inhabit the region.

Religion

The majority of Azerbaijanis in Azerbaijan are followers of Twelver Shia Islam.[112] Azerbaijanis commemorate Shia holy days (ten first days of the holy month of Muharram) minority Sunni Azerbaijani Turks (Shafi and Hanafi) who live in the Ardabil Province (Hashatjin[113] and villages of Bileh Savar County)[114] and West Azerbaijan province (near the cities of Urmia, Khoy and Salmas) and have population about 200,000 people in this area.[115]

Immigration

Azerbaijani people mostly live in northwest parts of Iran, but large Azerbaijani populations can be found in Khorasan,[116] mostly in Mashhad,[117] as well as central Iran, due to internal migration to Tehran,[116] Karaj,[106] and Qum.[116] Where they have settled, they have become prominent – not only among urban and industrial working classes – but also in commercial, administrative, political, religious, and intellectual circles.[116] Azerbaijanis make up 25%–33%[105][106] of Tehran and of Tehran Province's population. They are the largest ethnic groups after Persians in Tehran and the Tehran Province.[118] The governor of Tehran is Hossein Hashemi[119] from Sarab; he was born in East Azerbaijan;[120] Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, was born in Mashhad and is of Azeri origin.[121][122][123] The journals Varliq and Azari are printed by the Azerbaijani people in Tehran.

Population

Four provinces of Iranian Azerbaijan

According to the population census of 2012, the four provinces of East Azerbaijan (2012 pop. 3,724,620), West Azerbaijan (2012 pop. 3,080,576), Zanjan (2012 pop. 1,015,734), and Ardabil (2012 pop. 1,248,488) have a combined population of 9 million people.[124]

Administrative divisions

Azerbaijan's major cities are Tabriz[105][106] (the capital of East Azerbaijan), Urmia[105][106] (the capital of West Azerbaijan), Zanjan[105][106] (the capital of Zanjan Province), Ardabil[105][106] (the capital of Ardabil Province) and Major cities non-capital of Province's Azerbaijan are Khoy and Maragheh.[105][106]

Rank City County Province Population
(2016)
Image
1 Tabriz Tabriz County East Azerbaijan 1,558,693[124]
2 Urmia Urmia County West Azerbaijan 736,224[124]
3 Ardabil Ardabil County Ardabil Province 529,374[124]
4 Zanjan Zanjan County Zanjan Province 486,495[124]
5 Khoy Khoy County West Azerbaijan 198,845[124]
6 Maragheh Maragheh County East Azerbaijan 175,255[124]
7 Miandoab Miandoab County West Azerbaijan 134,425[124]
8 Marand Marand County East Azerbaijan 130,825[124]
9 Ahar Ahar County East Azerbaijan 100,641[124]

New 2014 administrative divisions

5 regions of Iran; region 3 includes Iranian Azerbaijan and its capital is Tabriz, East Azerbaijan.[125]

During Hassan Rouhani's government, the Ministry of Interior declared[126] that the provinces of Iran would be organized into regions. Region 3 in Northwest Iran includes East Azerbaijan Province, West Azerbaijan Province, Ardabil Province, Zanjan Province, Gilan Province, and Kurdistan Province.[127][128][129][130][131]

Culture

Sassanid king Bahram Gur is a great favourite in Persian tradition and poetry. Depiction of Nezami's "Bahram and the Indian Princess in the Black Pavilion" Khamse ("Quintet"), mid-16th century Safavid era.

Azerbaijanis have influenced Iranian culture while also being influenced by their non-Iranian neighbors, particularly Caucasians and Russians. The majority of Azerbaijanis in both Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan are Shiite Muslims. They celebrate Nowruz, the Iranian new year, at the arrival of spring. Azerbaijan has a distinct music that is tightly connected to the music of other Iranian peoples such as Persian music and Kurdish music, and also the music of the Caucasian peoples. Although the Azerbaijani language is not an official language of Iran it is widely used, mostly orally, among the Iranian Azerbaijanis.[citation needed]

Literature

Many poets that came from Azerbaijan wrote poetry in both Persian and Azerbaijani. Renowned poets in Azerbaijani language are Nasimi, Shah Ismail I (who was known with the pen-name “Khata'i”), Fuzuli, Nasimi, and Jahan Shah were probably born outside what is now Iranian Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani was the dominant language of the Turkish ruling dynasties of the area, such as Ak Koyunlu,[132] Kara Koyunlu,[133] and was later used in the Safavid court, until Isfahan became the capital,[134] and by religious, military and state dignitaries.[135][136] In the 16th century, Azerbaijani literature further flourished with the development of Ashik (Azerbaijani: Aşıq) poetic genre of bards. During the same period, under the pen-name of “Khaṭāʾī” (Azerbaijani: خطائی, lit.'the Cathayan')[137][138] Shah Ismail I wrote about 1,400 verses in Azerbaijani,[139] which were later published as his Divan. A unique literary style known as qoshma (Azerbaijani: qoşma for improvisation) was introduced in this period, and developed by Shah Ismail and later by his son and successor, Shah Tahmasp and Tahmasp I.[132] In the span of the 17th century, 18th and 19th century, Fizuli's unique genres as well Ashik poetry were taken up by prominent poets and writers such as Qovsi Tabrizi, Shah Abbas Sani, Khasta Qasim, Mirza Fatali Akhundov, Seyid Abulgasim Nabati, Ali Mojuz and others.

An influential piece of post-World War II Azerbaijani poetry, Heydar Babaya Salam (Greetings to Heydar Baba) was written by Azeri poet Mohammad Hossein Shahriar. This poem, published in Tabriz in 1954 and written in colloquial Azerbaijani, became popular among Iranians and the people of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In Heydar Babaya Salam, Shahriar expressed his identity as an Iranian attached to his homeland, language, and culture. Heydar Baba is a hill near Khoshknab, the native village of the poet.

Azerbaijan is mentioned favorably on many occasions in Persian literature by Iran's greatest authors and poets. Examples:

گزیده هر چه در ایران بزرگان
زآذربایگان و ری و گرگان
All the nobles and greats of Iran,
Choose from Azerbaijan, Ray, and Gorgan.
Vis o Ramin

از آنجا بتدبیر آزادگان
بیامد سوی آذرآبادگان
From there the wise and the free,
set off to Azerbaijan
Nizami

به یک ماه در آذرآبادگان
ببودند شاهان و آزادگان
For a month's time, The Kings and The Free,
Would choose in Azerbaijan to be
Ferdowsi

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Nine historical sites in Azerbaijan have been designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO:

Colleges and universities

There are many universities in Azerbaijan, included units and centers: public university and private university, Islamic Azad University, Payame Noor University, Nonprofit educational institutions, University of Applied Science and Technology.

Some of the most prestigious public universities in the area are:

Row Colleges and universities City Province
1 University of Tabriz Tabriz East Azerbaijan
2 University of Urmia Urmia West Azerbaijan
3 Mohaghegh Ardabili University Ardabil Ardabil Province
4 University of Zanjan Zanjan Zanjan Province
5 Sahand University of Technology Tabriz East Azerbaijan
6 Urmia University of Technology Urmia West Azerbaijan
7 Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS) Zanjan Zanjan Province
8 Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz East Azerbaijan
9 Urmia University of Medical Sciences Urmia West Azerbaijan
10 Ardabil University of Medical Sciences Ardabil Ardabil Province
11 Zanjan University of Medical Sciences Zanjan Zanjan Province
12 Tabriz Islamic Arts University Tabriz East Azerbaijan
13 Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University Tabriz East Azerbaijan
14 University of Maragheh Maragheh East Azerbaijan
15 Maragheh observatory Maragheh East Azerbaijan
16 University of Bonab Bonab East Azerbaijan

Architecture

Azeri style is a style (sabk) of architecture when categorizing Iranian architecture development in Azerbaijan history. Landmarks of this style of architecture span from the late 13th century (Ilkhanate) to the appearance of the Safavid dynasty in the 16th century CE.[145]

Ashik

Ashiks by Azerbaijani traditional clothing in Nowruz-Tabriz

Ashik is a mystic bard, balladeer, or troubadour who accompanied his song be it a hikaye or a shorter original composition with a long-necked lute. The modern Azerbaijani ashiq is a professional musician who usually serves an apprenticeship, masters playing saz, and builds up a varied but individual repertoire of Turkic folk songs.[146] and The Coffeehouse of Ashiks is a coffeehouse in cities of Azerbaijan where ashiks perform Turkish hikaye.[147] In cities, towns, and villages of Iranian Azerbaijan ashiks entertain audiences in coffeehouses.[148]

Azerbaijan Cultural and Literature Foundation

Azerbaijan Cultural and Literature Foundation, was founded for the purpose of research, study and promote the study of the culture, art, language, literature, and history of Azerbaijan in four provinces (East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Ardabil, and Zanjan) of Azerbaijan region.[149]

Transportation

Air

Iranian Azerbaijan is connected to other parts of Iran and the world via several air routes. There are seven civil airports in the region and the biggest Airport in the region is Tabriz International Airport located in north-west of Tabriz. The other Airports are:

Row Airport City Province
1 Tabriz International Airport Tabriz East Azerbaijan
2 Urmia Airport Urmia West Azerbaijan
3 Ardabil Airport Ardabil Ardabil Province
4 Zanjan Airport Zanjan Zanjan Province
5 Sahand Airport Bonab East Azerbaijan
6 Khoy Airport Khoy West Azerbaijan
7 Parsabad-Moghan Airport Parsabad Ardabil Province

Air lines

An ATA Airlines A320-200 landing at Tabriz International Airport

Ata Airlines is an airline based in Tabriz, Iran. Operates scheduled domestic services and international services in the Middle East, as well as charter services including Europe. Its main base is Tabriz International Airport. This airplane company is in Azerbaijan with Eram Air.

Bridge

Railway

Azerbaijan is connected to the rest of Iranian railways through a line that connects Tabriz to Tehran. This line continues from Tabriz to Jolfa city in the north of East Azerbaijan province and is connected to the railways of Nakhichevan. Tabriz–Jolfa railway is one of the oldest railways in Iran that was built between 1912 and 1916. This railway line is the only part of Iranian railways that has an electric line. Tabriz also connected to Turkey through Tabriz-Razi railways which were built 1960–1961. The most important railways station in Azerbaijan is Tabriz Railway Station which was founded in West of Tabriz in 1917; the current railway building of Tabriz railway station was built during the second Pahlavi era by Iranian architect Heydar Ghiaï-Chamlou. The first railroad arriving at Tabriz had been built by Russians. The railway started from Jolfa, a city on the border of Iran and the modern Republic of Azerbaijan.

Active lines this railway included: Tabriz–Tehran, Tabriz–Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, and Tabriz–Turkey.

Metro

Tabriz Metro opened on 28 August 2015 with 7 km length and 6 stations.[150] It will encompass 5 lines (4 lines are underground subway and 1 line is planned to connect Tabriz to Sahand) and the total planned length is 75 kilometres (47 mi). Line 1 is the first line under construction that connects Shah-Golu in the southeast to Laleh district in the southwest after passing through the city center of Tabriz.[151]

Roads

A network of Iranian national roads connects cities and populated areas of Azerbaijan to each other and to other parts of Iran. The only freeway in Azerbaijan is Freeway 2 (Iran) which connects Tabriz to Tehran and it is planned to construct the rest of the freeway up to the Iran-Turkey border at Bazargan. Other roads and highways include Road 32 (Iran) which connects Tehran to Tabriz and continues to the Iran-Turkey border at Bazargan. Here is a list and map of roads that pass through Azerbaijan.

Type Number Road Distance (km) Distance (mi) City of Origin City of Destination Location Image
Freeways Freeway 2 (Iran) 600 370 Tehran Tabriz (Az)
Highways and Roads Road 11 (Iran) 325 202 Jolfa (Az) Baneh
Highways and Roads Road 12 (Iran) 572 355 Bazargan (Az) Bileh Savar (Az)
Highways and Roads Road 14 (Iran) 460 290 Razi, Ardabil (Az) Salmas (Az)
Highways and Roads Road 16 (Iran) 428 266 Astara Serow (Az)
Highways and Roads Road 21 (Iran) 978 608 Ilam Jolfa (Az)
Highways and Roads Road 22 (Iran) 428 266 Sarakhs Khalkhal (Az)
Highways and Roads Road 23 (Iran) 390 240 Miandoab (Az) Hamadan
Highways and Roads Road 24 (Iran) 142 88 Hashtrud (Az) Bonab (Az)
Highways and Roads Road 26 (Iran) 151 94 Miandoab (Az) Piranshahr (Az)
Highways and Roads Road 27 (Iran) 245 152 Khomarlu (Az) Tabriz (Az)
Highways and Roads Road 31 (Iran) 539 335 Parsabad (Az) Manjil
Highways and Roads Road 32 (Iran) 880 550 Tehran Bazargan (Az)
Highways and Roads Road 33 (Iran) 155 96 Ardabil (Az) Bileh Savar (Az)
Highways and Roads Road 35 (Iran) 155 96 Zanjan (Az) Khorramabad

Media

Sahand TV main building

TV and radio

Native language instruction

Azerbaijani language is not taught in Iranian schools; but for the first time at the level of academic education since 2016, Azerbaijani language and literature launched in Azerbaijan for Tabriz University.[152]

Newspapers

Sport

Sport Olympiad

For the first time, Sports Olympiad of northwest in 23 sports to host Ardabil city will be held the presence of West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, Ardabil and Zanjan provinces.[157]

Sahand Stadium; has a capacity of about 70,000 and is located in Tabriz.

Major sport clubs

Representatives of Azerbaijani in the top two leagues:

Football
Futsal
Volleyball
Basketball
  • Shahrdari Tabriz
Cycling Team

Major sport events

Sports facilities

Large and important stadiums:

See also

Notes

^a Reporting and estimation World Factbook and Library of Congress
^c Reporting and estimation New America Foundation
^d Reporting and estimation Minority Rights Group International
^e Reporting and estimation Britannica Encyclopaedia
^f Reporting and estimation Ethnologue
^g Reporting and estimation Encyclopædia Iranica, The number of Turkic speakers in Iran today is estimated about 16 million, The majority are ethnic Azeris
^h Just in Sonqor County
^i Ahmad Alirezabeighi, Zahra Saei, Masoud Pezeshkian, Mohammad Hosein Farhanghi, Shahabaddin Bimegdar, Mohammad Esmaeil Saeidi
^j Hadi Bahadori, Rohollah Hazratpour and Nader Ghazipour
^k Reza Karimi, Sodeif Badri and Mohammad Feyzi
^m Ali Waqfchi and Fereydun Ahmadi
^n Fardin Farmand and Yaqub Shivyari
^o Homayun Hashemi and Jahanbakhsh Mohebbinia

References

  1. ^ James Minahan. "Miniature Empires", Published by Greenwood Publishing Group, 1998.
  2. ^ "Azerbaijan: Region, Iran". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 2020-04-20. Retrieved 2019-10-06.
  3. ^ The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Volume XI (Brill Publishers, Leiden, 2002). Article: "Zandjan", page 446:

    The mediaeval geographers mostly placed Zandjan in Djibal province, usually linking it with Abhar [q.v] or Awhar some 80 km/50 miles to its south-east, but they usually stated that it was on the frontier with Adharbaydjan, and some authorities attributed it to Daylam or to Rayy.

  4. ^ Tadeusz Swietochowski; Brian C. Collins (1999). Historical Dictionary of Azerbaijan. Scarecrow Press. p. 65. ISBN 978-0-8108-3550-4. Archived from the original on 2017-04-06. Retrieved 2019-11-02.
  5. ^ Touraj Atabaki (4 November 2000). Azerbaijan: Ethnicity and the Struggle for Power in Iran. I.B.Tauris. pp. 8, 90 and 112. ISBN 978-1-86064-554-9. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  6. ^ a b Atabaki, Touraj (2000). Azerbaijan: Ethnicity and the Struggle for Power in Iran. I.B.Tauris. p. 25. ISBN 9781860645549.
  7. ^ a b c Dekmejian, R. Hrair; Simonian, Hovann H. (2003). Troubled Waters: The Geopolitics of the Caspian Region. I.B. Tauris. p. 60. ISBN 978-1860649226. Archived from the original on 2021-01-19. Retrieved 2020-11-08. Until 1918, when the Musavat regime decided to name the newly independent state Azerbaijan, this designation had been used exclusively to identify the Iranian province of Azerbaijan.
  8. ^ a b c Rezvani, Babak (2014). Ethno-territorial conflict and coexistence in the caucasus, Central Asia and Fereydan: academisch proefschrift. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. p. 356. ISBN 978-9048519286. The region to the north of the river Araxes was not called Azerbaijan prior to 1918, unlike the region in northwestern Iran that has been called since so long ago.
  9. ^ Brown, Cameron S. (December 2002). "Observations from Azerbaijan". Middle East Review of International Affairs. 6 (4). Archived from the original on 23 February 2003. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  10. ^ Michael P. Croissant, "The Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict: Causes and Implications", Praeger/Greenwood, 1998. excerpt from pg 61: "During the Soviet-era historical revisionism and myth-building intended to denounce imperialism, the notion of a "northern" and "southern" Azerbaijan was created and propagated throughout USSR. It was charged that the "two Azerbaijanis" once united were separated artificially by a conspiracy between imperial Russia and Iran".
  11. ^ Ethnic Conflict and International Security, Edited by Michael E. Brown, Princeton University Press, 1993
  12. ^ Bert G. Fragner, ‘Soviet Nationalism’: An Ideological Legacy to the Independent Republics of Central Asia’ in Van Schendel, Willem (Editor). Identity Politics in Central Asia and the Muslim World: Nationalism, Ethnicity and Labour in the Twentieth Century. London, GBR: I. B. Tauris & Company, Limited, 2001. Excerpt from pg 24: "Under Soviet auspices and in accordance with Soviet nationalism, historical Azerbaijan proper was reinterpreted as 'Southern Azerbaijan', with demands for liberation and, eventually, for 're'-unification with Northern (Soviet) Azerbaijan – a breathtaking manipulation. No need to point to concrete Soviet political activities in this direction, as in 1945–46 etc. The really interesting point is that in the independent former Soviet republics this typically Soviet ideological pattern has long outlasted the Soviet Union."
  13. ^ a b Swietochowski, Tadeusz (1995). Russia and Azerbaijan: A Borderland in Transition. Columbia University Press. pp. 69, 133. ISBN 978-0-231-07068-3. Archived from the original on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  14. ^ a b c d e Timothy C. Dowling Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond Archived 2016-09-03 at the Wayback Machine pp 728–729 ABC-CLIO, 2 dec. 2014 ISBN 1598849484
  15. ^ a b Siavash Lornejad, Ali Doostzadeh. ON THE MODERN POLITICIZATION OF THE PERSIAN POET NEZAMI GANJAVI Archived 2021-08-28 at the Wayback Machine CCIS, 2012 ISBN 978-9993069744 p 10
  16. ^ electricpulp.com. "ATROPATES – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Archived from the original on 2021-05-12. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
  17. ^ Minahan, James (1998). Miniature Empires: A Historical Dictionary of the Newly Independent States. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 20. ISBN 978-0-313-30610-5.
  18. ^ Chamoux, François (2003). Hellenistic Civilization. John Wiley and Sons. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-631-22241-5.
  19. ^ Bosworth A.B., Baynham E.J. (2002). Alexander the Great in Fact and fiction. Oxford University Press. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-19-925275-6.
  20. ^ Encyclopædia Iranica, "ATROPATES" Archived October 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine M. L. Chaumont.
  21. ^ Peterson, Joseph H. "AVESTA: KHORDA AVESTA (English): Frawardin Yasht (Hymn to the Guardian Angels)". www.avesta.org. Archived from the original on 2018-09-29. Retrieved 2007-03-03.
  22. ^ "Aḏh̲arbayḏj̲ān (Azarbāyḏj̲ān)". doi:10.1163/1573-3912_islam_COM_0016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  23. ^ Peterson, Joseph H. "Counsels of Adarbad Mahraspandan". www.avesta.org. Archived from the original on 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2007-05-06.
  24. ^ G. Gnoli, Zoroaster's time and homeland, Naples, 1980
  25. ^ Touraj Atabaki. Iran and the First World War: Battleground of the Great Powers Archived 2021-08-27 at the Wayback Machine I.B.Tauris, 4 sep. 2006 ISBN 978-1860649646 p 132
  26. ^ Yilmaz, Harun (2015). National Identities in Soviet Historiography: The Rise of Nations Under Stalin. Routledge. p. 21. ISBN 978-1317596646. On May 27, the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan (DRA) was declared with Ottoman military support. The rulers of the DRA refused to identify themselves as [Transcaucasian] Tatar, which they rightfully considered to be a Russian colonial definition. (...) Neighboring Iran did not welcome the DRA's adoption of the name of "Azerbaijan" for the country because it could also refer to Iranian Azerbaijan and implied a territorial claim.
  27. ^ Barthold, Vasily (1963). Sochineniya, vol II/1. Moscow. p. 706. (...) whenever it is necessary to choose a name that will encompass all regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan, name Arran can be chosen. But the term Azerbaijan was chosen because when the Azerbaijan republic was created, it was assumed that this and the Persian Azerbaijan will be one entity, because the population of both has a big similarity. On this basis, the word Azerbaijan was chosen. Of course right now when the word Azerbaijan is used, it has two meanings as Persian Azerbaijan and as a republic, its confusing and a question arises as to which Azerbaijan is talked about.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  28. ^ Fragner, B.G. (2001). Soviet Nationalism: An Ideological Legacy to the Independent Republics of Central Asia. I.B. Tauris and Company. pp. 13–32. In the post Islamic sense, Arran and Shirvan are often distinguished, while in the pre-Islamic era, Arran or the western Caucasian Albania roughly corresponds to the modern territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In the Soviet era, in a breathtaking manipulation, historical Azerbaijan (northwestern Iran) was reinterpreted as "South Azerbaijan" in order for the Soviets to lay territorial claim on historical Azerbaijan proper which is located in modern-day northwestern Iran.
  29. ^ MANNEA by R. Zadok in Encyclopaedia Iranica Archived January 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  30. ^ ""Mede". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 12 February 2007".
  31. ^ Hovannisian, Richard G. (1999). Armenian Van/Vaspurakan. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers. ISBN 1-56859-130-6.
  32. ^ Hewsen, Robert H. (August 17, 2011). "AVARAYR". Encyclopædia Iranica. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 1, 2015. So spirited was the Armenian defense, however, that the Persians suffered enormous losses as well. Their victory was pyrrhic and the king, faced with troubles elsewhere, was forced, at least for the time being, to allow the Armenians to worship as they chose.
  33. ^ Susan Paul Pattie (1997). Faith in History: Armenians Rebuilding Community. Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 40. ISBN 1560986298. The Armenian defeat in the Battle of Avarayr in 451 proved a pyrrhic victory for the Persians. Though the Armenians lost their commander, Vartan Mamikonian, and most of their soldiers, Persian losses were proportionately heavy, and Armenia was allowed to remain Christian.
  34. ^ L. Baker, Patricia; Smith, Hilary; Oleynik, Maria (2014). Iran. London, United Kingdom: Bradt Travel Guides. p. 158. ISBN 978-1841624020. Archived from the original on 2020-09-03. Retrieved 2017-09-19.
  35. ^ Salia, Kalistrat (1983). History of the Georgian nation. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin. p. 181. Archived from the original on 2020-09-03. Retrieved 2017-09-19.
  36. ^ Mikaberidze, Alexander (2011). Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia, Volume 1. Santa Barbara, California, USA: ABC-CLIO. p. 196. ISBN 978-1598843361. Archived from the original on 2020-09-03. Retrieved 2017-09-19.
  37. ^ Mikaberidze, Alexander (2015). Historical Dictionary of Georgia (2 ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 184, 623. ISBN 978-1442241466. Archived from the original on 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  38. ^ Akiner, Shirin (5 July 2004). The Caspian: Politics, Energy and Security. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780203641675. Archived from the original on 28 March 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2020 – via Google Books.
  39. ^ "Administrative Department of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Presidential Library – Religion" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2011-11-23. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
  40. ^ Juan Eduardo Campo,Encyclopedia of Islam, p.625
  41. ^ a b c d Fisher et al. 1991, p. 329.
  42. ^ Alekseĭ I. Miller. Imperial Rule Archived 2021-08-27 at the Wayback Machine Central European University Press, 2004 ISBN 9639241989 p 204
  43. ^ L. Batalden, Sandra (1997). The Newly Independent States of Eurasia: Handbook of Former Soviet Republics. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-89774-940-4. Archived from the original on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  44. ^ E. Ebel, Robert, Menon, Rajan (2000). Energy and conflict in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 181. ISBN 978-0-7425-0063-1. Archived from the original on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2020-11-08.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  45. ^ Andreeva, Elena (2010). Russia and Iran in the Great Game: Travelogues and Orientalism (reprint ed.). Taylor & Francis. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-415-78153-4. Archived from the original on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  46. ^ Çiçek, Kemal, Kuran, Ercüment (2000). The Great Ottoman-Turkish Civilisation. University of Michigan. ISBN 978-975-6782-18-7. Archived from the original on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2015-06-20.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  47. ^ Ernest Meyer, Karl, Blair Brysac, Shareen (2006). Tournament of Shadows: The Great Game and the Race for Empire in Central Asia. Basic Books. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-465-04576-1. Archived from the original on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2020-11-08.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  48. ^ "The Gilan Republic". www.iran-bulletin.org.[permanent dead link]
  49. ^ Jessup, John E. (1989). A Chronology of Conflict and Resolution, 1945–1985. New York: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-24308-5.[page needed]
  50. ^ For more information see: Ali Morshedizad, Roshanfekrane Azari va Hoviyate Melli va Ghomi (Azari Intellectuals and Their Attitude to National and Ethnic Identity (Tehran: Nashr-e Markaz publishing co., 1380)
  51. ^ "Cold War International History Project Virtual Archive 2.0 Collection: 1945–46 Iranian Crisis". Archived from the original on July 15, 2010.
  52. ^ Kleiss, Wolfram. "AZERBAIJAN xii. MONUMENTS". Encyclopædia Iranica. Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  53. ^ a b "Azerbaijan". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2019-10-06. Archived from the original on 2020-04-20. Retrieved 2019-10-06. (excerpt:"geographic region that comprises the extreme northwestern portion of Iran. It is bounded on the north by the Aras River, which separates it from independent Azerbaijan and Armenia; on the east by the Iranian region of Gīlān and the Caspian Sea; on the south by the Iranian regions of Zanjān and Kordestān; and on the west by Iraq and Turkey. Azerbaijan is about 40,000 square miles (100,000 square km) in area.")
  54. ^ M. N. POGREBOVA, Encyclopædia Iranica, ARCHEOLOGY. viii. NORTHERN AZERBAIJAN (REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN), 16 June 2004 Archived March 24, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  55. ^ "Iran: 54 Mountain Summits with Prominence of 1,500 meters or greater" Archived 2019-05-07 at the Wayback Machine Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  56. ^ "East Azerbaijan Mountaineering Confederation". Archived from the original on September 25, 2009.
  57. ^ National Geographic Society (2005) National Geographic Atlas of the World (8th ed.) Washington, DC, ISBN 0-7922-7542-X
  58. ^ "Profile at UNESCO biosphere reserve directory". Archived from the original on June 5, 2009.
  59. ^ "Britanica". Britannica.com. Archived from the original on 7 September 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  60. ^ "Shorabil Lake". tripadvisor.in. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  61. ^ Tapper, Richard. "MOḠĀN". Encyclopædia Iranica. Archived from the original on 2013-03-13. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  62. ^ "خطا". www.a-gharbi.rmto.ir. Archived from the original on 2019-01-30. Retrieved 2015-06-30.
  63. ^ "The chairman of the Assembly of Experts died" (in Persian). Radio Zamaneh. 2007-08-30. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-08-08.
  64. ^ "Iranian Turks' new parliamentary faction breaking more taboos". en.trend.az. 31 October 2016. Archived from the original on 3 November 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  65. ^ "جدول مدارک تحصیلی و سوابق اجرایی اعضای 14 کمیسیون‌ مجلس نهم". Fars News Agency. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  66. ^ News Archived 2017-07-20 at the Wayback Machine Hamshahri Online
  67. ^ "15 of 18 Proposed Iranian Cabinet Ministers Devoted by Parliament". Mojnews. 16 August 2013. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  68. ^ "شهیندخت مولاوردی، معاون حسن روحانی در امور زنان شد". Persian Deutsche Welle. 13 August 2013. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  69. ^ "Ms Molaverdi appointed as vice president for women, family Affairs". President of Iran Website. 13 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  70. ^ "تبریز، میهمان رئیس جمهور ترکیه". ISNA. 17 February 2011. Archived from the original on 2013-10-20. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  71. ^ "مهمت بولوت سرکنسول جدید ترکیه در ارومیه ، با استاندار دیدار کرد". Asar-e Omid News Agency. Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  72. ^ "Ə.F.Əlizadənin İran İslam Respublikasının Təbriz şəhərində Azərbaycan Respublikasının baş konsulu təyin edilməsi haqqında Azərbaycan Respublikası Prezidentinin Sərəncamı". Presidential Azerbaijan Website. Archived from the original on 2013-10-20. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  73. ^ "دبیر اجرایی خانه کارگر تبریز: برندهای معتبر بزرگترین سرمایه کشورها هستند". Nasr News. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  74. ^ "برندهای برتر تولید و خدمات شمال غرب کشور انتخاب و معرفی می‌شوند". Tasnim News. September 2016. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  75. ^ "500 غول اقتصاد منطقه آذربایجان معرفی شدند+اسامی". Nasr News. September 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  76. ^ a b c "Irandaily | No. 3720 | Domestic Economy | Page 4". Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
  77. ^ a b c Official website Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine
  78. ^ "Goldstone Tire". Archived from the original on 2011-04-20. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
  79. ^ "Industry". Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
  80. ^ "ارس خودرو دیزل، واحد نمونه ملی در صنعت خودرو". Fars News. 2012. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  81. ^ "Automotive". 2008-06-17. Archived from the original on 2008-06-17. Retrieved 2011-05-29.
  82. ^ "خودروی جایگزین وانت پیکان+تصاویر". Mashregh News. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  83. ^ "Bardo". Iran Khodro Website. Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
  84. ^ "آغاز تولید سمند در ایران خودرو تبریز/ تولید روزانه حدود 150 دستگاه آریسان و 100 دستگاه سمند". Fars News Agency. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  85. ^ "احداث موزه فرش و ايجاد پايانه صادراتي فرش در تبريز". Fars News Agency. Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
  86. ^ Along with Kashan, Kerman, Herat, and every major city of Iran...
  87. ^ Jacoby, Heinrich (1952). How to know Oriental carpets and rugs. Allen & Unwin. p. 15. Persian carpets: Tabriz, Ramadan, ...
  88. ^ Jacobsen, Charles W. (2007). Facts about Oriental Rugs. READ BOOKS. p. 2. ISBN 978-1-4067-0467-9. "Different weaves...Persian rugs..Bakhtiari..Kashan..Lorestan..Shiraz..Tabriz..
  89. ^ "Karaja rug". Britannica Encyclopaedia. Archived from the original on 2013-10-18. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  90. ^ "استان‌های آذری نشین قطب تولید شیرینی و شکلات کشور". Donya-e-Eqtesad. 2010. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  91. ^ "غول صنعتي "مينو" بورسي مي شود". Donya-e-Eqtesad. 2014. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  92. ^ V. Minorsky, Studies in Caucasian History, Cambridge University Press, 1957, p. 112
  93. ^ "Azeris". Minority Rights Group International. 2009. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  94. ^ "Results a new nationwide public opinion survey of Iran" (PDF). New America Foundation. June 12, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  95. ^ Library of Congress, Library of Congress – Federal Research Division. "Ethnic Groups and Languages of Iran" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-01-30. Retrieved 2009-12-02. 16% estimated in 2012
  96. ^ CIA. "CIA World Factbook". Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  97. ^ "IRAN v. PEOPLES OF IRAN (1) A General Survey". Encyclopædia Iranica. March 29, 2012. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  98. ^ "Azerbaijani, South # A language of Iran". Ethnologue. 2013. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  99. ^ "Azerbaijani". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  100. ^ Brenda Shaffer. The Limits of Culture: Islam and Foreign Policy Archived 2017-03-21 at the Wayback Machine MIT Press, 2006 ISBN 0262195291 p 229
  101. ^ Keith Stanley McLachlan, The Boundaries of Modern Iran, Published by UCL Press, 1994. pg 55
  102. ^ Encyclopaedia Iranica, page 243, accessed January 9, 2007
  103. ^ Parviz Aḏkāʾi and EIr. "HAMADĀN i. GEOGRAPHY". Encyclopædia Iranica. Archived from the original on 2013-10-17. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
  104. ^ a b "زبانهاي رايج و نوع گويش در شهرستان". Governor of Hamadan. Archived from the original on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  105. ^ a b c d e f g "Country Study Guide-Azerbaijanis". STRATEGIC INFORMATION AND DEVELOPMENTS-USA. 2005. ISBN 9780739714768. Retrieved 13 August 2013.[permanent dead link]
  106. ^ a b c d e f g h "Iran-Azerbaijanis". Library of Congress Country Studies. December 1987. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  107. ^ "معرفی استان مرکزی". Office of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Archived from the original on 25 February 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  108. ^ "Kordestān". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  109. ^ Bazin, Marcel. "GĪLĀN i. GEOGRAPHY AND ETHNOGRAPHY". Encyclopædia Iranica. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  110. ^ Parviz Aḏkāʾi and EIr. "GILĀN xiv. Ethnic Groups". Encyclopædia Iranica. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  111. ^ Michael Knüppel, E. "Turkic languages of persia". Encyclopædia Iranica. Archived from the original on 2011-04-29. Retrieved 2013-09-19.
  112. ^ Robertson, Lawrence R. (2002). Russia & Eurasia Facts & Figures Annual. Academic International Press. p. 210. ISBN 0-87569-199-4. Archived from the original on 2015-03-20. Retrieved 2015-06-20.
  113. ^ "Bileh Savar". Encyclopaedia Islamica. Archived from the original on 2013-10-14. Retrieved 2014-08-21.
  114. ^ "برگزاری جشن "وحدت" در شهر اهل تسنن هشتجین". International Quran News Agency. Archived from the original on 2015-01-20. Retrieved 2014-08-21.
  115. ^ Hun, Abubakr. "ترکهای سنّی آذربایجان غربی قربانیان تبعیض مضاعف". urmu.freeoda. Archived from the original on 2013-10-07. Retrieved 2014-08-21.
  116. ^ a b c d Tapper, R. "AZERBAIJAN vi. Population and its Occupations and Culture". Encyclopædia Iranica. Archived from the original on 22 March 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  117. ^ "Mourning Azerbaijanis residing in Mashhad". Mehr News Agency. August 18, 2011. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  118. ^ "Tehran, Political situation". Municipality of Tehran. Archived from the original on 2013-09-21. Retrieved 2013-08-16.
  119. ^ "سیدحسین هاشمی استانداری تهران را تحویل گرفت". Hamshahri Online. 11 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-09-14. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
  120. ^ "سید حسین هاشمی استاندار تهران شد". Mehr News Agency. 8 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-07-29. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
  121. ^ "Azeris unhappy at being butt of national jokes". IRIN. 25 May 2006. Archived from the original on August 14, 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
  122. ^ "Foreign plots and cockroaches in Iran". Asia Times Online. 2006-06-08. Archived from the original on 2011-08-28. Retrieved 2009-06-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  123. ^ Abedin, Mahan (September 28, 2004). "Middle East | Iran at sea over Azerbaijan". Asia Times. Archived from the original on 2011-06-28. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
  124. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "The population of Iranian cities". Statistical Center of Iran. 14 February 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  125. ^ "تبریز مرکز استانهای آذربایجان شرقی، آذربایجان غربی، اردبیل، زنجان، گیلان و کردستان می گردد". TRT persian. July 2014. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  126. ^ "منطقه‌بندی کشور، بیم‌ها و امیدها". Jamejam Online. June 2014. Archived from the original on 15 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  127. ^ "استان‌های کشور به ۵ منطقه تقسیم شدند". Hamshahri Online. July 2014. Archived from the original on 23 June 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  128. ^ "استان‌های کشور به ۵ منطقه تقسیم شدند". Entekhab Online. July 2014. Archived from the original on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  129. ^ "ایران، فدرال می شود؟ تقسیم کشور به 5 منطقه مستقل". Khabar-Online. July 2014. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  130. ^ "استانهای کشور به ۵ منطقه تقسیم شدند". Jamejam Online. July 2014. Archived from the original on 15 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  131. ^ "استانهای کشور به 5 منطقه تقسیم شدند". yjc. July 2014. Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  132. ^ a b "AZERBAIJAN x. Azeri Turkish Literature". Encyclopaedia Iranica. May 24, 2012. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  133. ^ Minorsky, V. "Jihān-Shāh Qara-Qoyunlu and His Poetry (Turkmenica, 9)", Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 16, No. 2 (1954), p. 277
  134. ^ Cyril Glassé (ed.), The New Encyclopedia of Islam, Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, revised ed., 2003, ISBN 0-7591-0190-6, p. 392: "Shah Abbas moved his capital from Qazvin to Isfahan. His reign marked the peak of the Safavid dynasty's achievement in art, diplomacy, and commerce. It was probably around this time that the court, which originally spoke a Turkic language, began to use Persian"
  135. ^ Zabiollah Safa (1986), "Persian Literature in the Safavid Period", The Cambridge History of Iran, vol. 6: The Timurid and Safavid Periods. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-20094-6, pp. 948–65. P. 950: "In day-to-day affairs, the language chiefly used at the Safavid court and by the great military and political officers, as well as the religious dignitaries, was Turkish, not Persian; and the last class of persons wrote their religious works mainly in Arabic. Those who wrote in Persian were either lacking in proper tuition in this tongue or wrote outside Iran and hence at a distance from centers where Persian was the accepted vernacular, endued with that vitality and susceptibility to skill in its use which a language can have only in places where it truly belongs."
  136. ^ Price, Massoume (2005). Iran's Diverse Peoples: A Reference Sourcebook. ABC-CLIO. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-57607-993-5. Archived from the original on 2015-10-25. Retrieved 2015-06-20. The Shah was a native Turkic speaker and wrote poetry in the Azerbaijani language.
  137. ^ Abbas Amanat (2017). Iran: A Modern History. p. 60. A book of Turkish poetry, under the curious pen name Khata'i (presumably someone from "Cathay," today's China), was most likely composed by Isma'il for his Turkmen followers as inspirational literature.
  138. ^ "XƏTAİ". Azərbaycan kişi adlarının izahlı lüğəti (in Azerbaijani). məşhur Azərbaycan şairi və dövlət xadimi Şah İsmayılın bu təxəllüsü tədqiqatlarda "Xətay, Kitay türklərindən olan", "xəta törədən, əlindən xəta çıxan" və "Allah, Tanrı" kimi izah edilir. Çinin ən qədim adı olan "Kitay", "ki" od, Günəş, "tay" dağ sözlərindən düzəlmiş, "Günəşli dağ" və ya "Günəşli ölkə" mənasında işlənir. Zənnimizcə, Ş[ah] İ[smayıl] Xətainin Kitay türklərindən olması ehtimalı daha düzgündür.
  139. ^ Minorsky, Vladimir (1942). "The Poetry of Shah Ismail". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 10 (4): 1053. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00090182. S2CID 159929872.
  140. ^ "World Heritage Committee inscribes seven cultural sites on World Heritage List". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 31 July 2010. Archived from the original on 4 August 2010. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  141. ^ "Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  142. ^ "Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil – UNESCO World Heritage Centre". Whc.unesco.org. 2010-07-29. Archived from the original on 2018-07-06. Retrieved 2010-08-02.
  143. ^ Source: Unescopress. "World Heritage Committee inscribes seven cultural sites on World Heritage List | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization". Unesco.org. Archived from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2010-08-02.
  144. ^ Huff, Dietrich (2002-07-20). "Taḵt-e Solaymān". Encyclopædia Iranica. Archived from the original on 2013-05-17. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
  145. ^ Fallāḥʹfar, Saʻīd (سعید فلاح‌فر). The Dictionary of Iranian Traditional Architectural Terms (Farhang-i vāzhahʹhā-yi miʻmārī-i sunnatī-i Īrān فرهنگ واژه‌های معماری سنتی ایران). Kamyab Publications (انتشارات کامیاب). Kāvushʹpardāz. 2000, 2010. Tehran. ISBN 978-964-2665-60-0 US Library of Congress LCCN Permalink: http://lccn.loc.gov/2010342544 Archived 2012-07-13 at archive.today pp.16
  146. ^ Colin P. Mitchell (Editor), New Perspectives on Safavid Iran: Empire and Society, 2011, Routledge, 90–92
  147. ^ Basgoz, I (1970). "Turkish Hikaye-Telling Tradition in Azerbaijan, Iran". Journal of American Folklore. 83 (330): 394. doi:10.2307/539661. JSTOR 539661.
  148. ^ Albright, C. F. (1976). "The Azerbaijani cashiq and his performance of a dästän". Iranian Studies. 9 (4): 220–247. doi:10.1080/00210867608701517.
  149. ^ "به دنبال مکان مناسب برای راه‌اندازی بنیاد فرهنگی آذربایجان هستیم". Isna. 26 October 2016. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  150. ^ "Tabriz Metro Opens" Archived 2016-04-21 at the Wayback Machine (Railway Gazette)
  151. ^ "متروی تبریز اوایل خردادماه به راه می‌افتد". INN. Archived from the original on 2013-10-17. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
  152. ^ "ایجاد رشته زبان و ادبیات آذری در منطقه 3 آموزشی کشور". IRIB. 16 August 2016. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  153. ^ a b "لیست نشریات استان اردبيل". List of periodicals in the Iranian Provinces. Archived from the original on 27 August 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  154. ^ "ارومیه فعال در حوزه مطبوعات/ انتشار اولین نشریه شهرستانی در ارومیه". Mehr News Agency. 6 October 2013. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  155. ^ a b "لیست نشریات استان زنجان". List of periodicals in the Iranian Provinces. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  156. ^ a b c d e f g h "لیست نشریات آذربایجان شرقی". Mayor of Tabriz Website. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  157. ^ "برگزاری المپیاد ورزشی شمال‌غرب در اردبیل‌". Tasnim News. 10 October 2016. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.

Sources