View source for Place:Azerbaijan (Iran)

{{short description|Historical region in northwestern Iran}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
[[File:Iranian-Azerbaijan.png|thumb|right|Three provinces of Iranian Azerbaijan region]]
{{Coord|37.6|47.0|scale:5000000|display=title}}
'''Azerbaijan''' or '''Azarbaijan''' ({{lang-fa|آذربایجان}}, ''Āzarbāijān'' {{IPA-fa|ɒːzæɾbɒːjˈdʒɒːn|}}; {{lang-az-Arab|آذربایجان}}, ''Āzerbāyjān'' {{IPA-az|ɑːzæɾbɑjˈdʒɑn|}}), also known as '''Iranian Azerbaijan''',<ref>James Minahan. "Miniature Empires", Published by Greenwood Publishing Group, 1998.</ref> is a [[Place:Historical region|historical region]] in northwestern [[Religion:Iran|Iran]] that borders Iraq, [[Place:Turkey|Turkey]], the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, [[Place:Armenia|Armenia]], and the [[Place:Azerbaijan|Republic of Azerbaijan]].

Iranian Azerbaijan includes three northwestern Iranian provinces: West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan and Ardabil.<ref>{{cite web |title=Azerbaijan: Region, Iran |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Azerbaijan-region-Iran |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |language=en}}</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 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}}</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}}</ref> 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.<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 province of Azerbaijan.}}</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 ''[[Place:Atropatene|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,<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 [[Place:Russian Empire|Russian Empire]], Qajar Persia ceded all of its territories in the [[Earth:North Caucasus|North Caucasus]] and [[Place:Transcaucasia|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 |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}}</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&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 ''Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond''] 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 [[Place:Azerbaijan Democratic Republic|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&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 ''ON THE MODERN POLITICIZATION OF THE PERSIAN POET NEZAMI GANJAVI''] CCIS, 2012 {{ISBN|978-9993069744}} p 10</ref> incorporated into the [[Place:Soviet Union|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'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/atropates-aturpat-lit|title=ATROPATES – Encyclopaedia Iranica |last=electricpulp.com|website=www.iranicaonline.org}}</ref> the 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=[[Organization:Oxford University Press|Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-19-925275-6}}</ref> Satrap (governor) of Medea in the Achaemenid [[Social:Empire|empire]], who ruled a region found in modern Iranian Azerbaijan called ''[[Place:Atropatene|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 [[Social:Avesta|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}}</ref> 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, [[Social:Greek language|Greek]] ''Atropatḗnē'' (̓Ατροπατήνη), Byzantine Greek ''Adravigánon'' (᾿Αδραβιγάνων), [[Social:Armenian language|Armenian]] ''Atrpatakan'', 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}}</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 [[Biography:Zoroaster|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>

With Qajar Iran being forced to cede to Imperial Russia its Caucasian territories north of the Aras River (that is, modern-day [[Place:Georgia (country)|Georgia]], Dagestan, [[Place:Armenia|Armenia]], and the Republic of [[Place:Azerbaijan|Azerbaijan]]) during the course of the 19th century, through the treaties of Gulistan (1813) and Turkmenchay (1828), vast amounts of soil were irrevocably lost. Following the disintegration of the Russian Empire in 1917, as well as the short-lived [[Place:Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic|Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic]], in 1918, the leading Musavat government adopted the name "Azerbaijan" for the newly established [[Place:Azerbaijan Democratic Republic|Azerbaijan Democratic Republic]], which was proclaimed on May 27, 1918,<ref>Touraj Atabaki. [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 ''Iran and the First World War: Battleground of the Great Powers''] 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 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 [[Place:Shirvan|Shirvan]] are often distinguished, while in the pre-Islamic era, Arran or the western [[Place:Caucasian Albania|Caucasian Albania]] roughly corresponds to the modern territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In the [[Place:Soviet Union|Soviet]] era, in a breathtaking manipulation, historical Azerbaijan (northwestern [[Religion:Iran|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: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 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 [[Place:Iranian plateau|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=http://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 [[Place:Atropatene|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 [[History:Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|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, [[Place:Vaspurakan|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.<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: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.|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.}}</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 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 [[Religion:Islam|Islam]] and made it part of the [[Religion:Caliphate|caliphate]].

===Islamic period===
====Sasanian and early Islamic period====
During the [[History:Muslim conquest of Persia|Arab invasion of Iran]], the [[Social:Spahbed|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 [[Place:Caucasian Albania|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 [[Religion:Jizya|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====
[[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, the latter united it with Arran, [[Place:Shirvan|Shirvan]], and most of [[Social:Eastern Armenia|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 [[History:Kingdom of Georgia|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}}</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 }}</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}}</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}}</ref>

====Mongols and Turkmens====
The Mongols under Hulagu Khan established their capital at Maragheh. The book ''Safina-yi Tabriz'' describes the general state of [[Place:Tabriz|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 [[Place:Ardabil|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,<ref name="books.google.com.au">{{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}}</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}}</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 [[Earth: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 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 [[Place:Khanates of the Caucasus|Khanates of the Caucasus]] while the main power stayed in [[Place:Tehran|Tehran]].

Though the first Qajar Iranian ruler, Agha Mohammad Khan, had reconquered the [[Earth:Caucasus|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.{{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 [[Place:Tbilisi|Tbilisi]],<ref>Alekseĭ I. Miller. [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 ''Imperial Rule''] 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 [[Place:Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Place:Armenia|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 [[Place:Armenia|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 [[Earth:North Caucasus|North Caucasus]] and [[Place:South Caucasus|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, 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}}</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}}</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}}</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}}</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}}</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 [[Place: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====
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, 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 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 [[Social:White émigré|White émigré]]es who fled to Iran following the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. The history of Iran, especially its contemporary history has proven that the Azerbaijani people are one of the most patriotic people in Iran.{{Undue weight inline|date=June 2021}} 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|archiveurl=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|archivedate=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}}</ref>

==Geography==
Iranian Azerbaijan is generally considered the north-west portion of Iran comprising the provinces of East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, and [[Place:Ardabil|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}} (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, [[Earth:Alpine climate|alpine]] region, which includes Lake Urmia, is mountainous, with deep valleys and fertile lowlands.

The region is bounded in the north by [[Place:Armenia|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===
* ''[[Earth:Sabalan|Sabalan]]'' is an inactive [[Earth:Stratovolcano|stratovolcano]] in Ardabil province of northwestern [[Religion:Iran|Iran]]. It is the third highest mountain in Iran and has a permanent [[Earth: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"] Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2011-11-21.</ref>
* ''Sahand'' is a massive, heavily eroded [[Earth:Stratovolcano|stratovolcano]] in northwestern [[Religion:Iran|Iran]]. At {{Convert|3707|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, it is the highest mountain in the Iranian province of East Azarbaijan.
* ''Eynali'' is a small mountain range in north of [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]], [[Religion:Iran|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|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925062937/http://www.tabrizmount.com/comments.aspx?id=4|url-status=dead|title=East Azerbaijan Mountaineering Confederation|archivedate=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 and north of Mianeh, East Azarbaijan Province, Iran. Tulips are cultivated on the rich volcanic soil of Mount Bozgush, and medicinal herbs such as [[Biology:Mentha pulegium|pennyroyal]], [[Biology:Thyme|thyme]], [[Biology:Borage|borage]], [[Biology:Urtica|nettle]] and [[Biology:Liquorice|liquorice]] grow wild on the mountain's slopes. Mount Bozgush is a [[Earth:Stratovolcano|stratovolcano]] composed mostly of [[Earth:Andesite|andesite]].

<gallery class="center">
File:Sabalan01.JPG|[[Earth:Sabalan|Sabalan]]
File:Mount-Sahand.jpg|Sahand
File:Eynali picknick.jpg|Eynali
</gallery>

===Rivers===
[[File:Araz River.jpg|thumb|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:
* Urmia Lake basin: Aji Chay (Quri Chay), Zarriné-Rūd, Gadar River and many small permanent and seasonal rivers.
* Caspian Sea basin: Qizil Üzan, Sefīd-Rūd and Aras River (Zangmar River)

===Biosphere Reserve===
[[File:The misty mountains.jpg|right|thumb|Mountains of Arasbaran]]

''Arasbārān'' in the former Qaradagh, is a [[Organization:UNESCO|UNESCO]] registered [[Biology:World Network of Biosphere Reserves|biosphere reserve]] (since 1976) and an Iranian Dept. of Environment designated "Protected Area" in East Azarbaijan Province, [[Religion:Iran|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 [[Social:Nomad|nomad]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?code=IRA+01&mode=all|archiveurl=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|archivedate=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 and Marand counties in the west.

===Lakes===
* Urmia Lake is a [[Chemistry:Salt lake|salt lake]] near Iran's border with [[Place:Turkey|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 [[Place:Middle East|Middle East]],<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/619901/Lake-Urmia |title=Britanica |encyclopedia=Britannica.com |access-date=4 September 2011}}</ref>
* Shorabil Lake is located in a hilly area south of [[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]]. 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}}</ref>
* Gori Lake is a small fresh to brackish [[Earth:Lake|lake]] in the uplands of East Azarbaijan Province. Together with the adjacent reed marshes it is an important breeding area for [[Biology:Waterfowl|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">
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 [[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]] — Khalkhal road
</gallery>

===Plain===
The Mugan plain is a plain located between Iran and the southern part of the [[Place: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}}</ref>

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>

==Politics==
===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 [[Social:Supreme Leader of Iran|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<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 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;"
|-
!  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===
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 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}}</ref>
;Electorate According to County:<ref>{{cite news|title=جدول مدارک تحصیلی و سوابق اجرایی اعضای 14 کمیسیون‌ مجلس نهم|url=http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13910330000536|access-date=22 October 2013|work=Fars News Agency}}</ref>
{{refbegin|4}}
;Electoral district of East Azerbaijan: ''19''
;Tabriz, Osku and Azarshahr: ''6''{{ref|politician-i|i}}
;Mianeh: ''2'' {{ref|politician-n|n}}
;Kaleybar, Khoda Afarin: ''1''
;Marand and Jolfa: ''1''
;Sarab: ''1''
;Bostanabad: ''1''
;Maragheh and Ajabshir: ''1''
;Hashtrud and Charuymaq: ''1''
;Bonab: ''1''
;Varzaqan: ''1''
;Ahar and Heris: ''1''
;Shabestar: ''1''
;Malekan: ''1''
{{refend}}
----
{{refbegin|4}}
;Electoral district of West Azerbaijan: ''12''
;Urmia: ''3''{{ref|politician-j|j}}
;Miandoab, Shahin Dezh, Takab: ''2'' {{ref|politician-o|o}}
;Khoy, Chaypareh: ''1''
;Mahabad: ''1'' <small>(Kurd)</small>
;Bukan: ''1'' <small>(Kurd)</small>
;Maku, Poldasht, Showt, Chaldoran: ''1''
;Nagadeh, Oshnavieh: ''1'' <small>(Kurd)</small>
;Salmas: ''1''
;Piranshahr, Sardasht: ''1'' <small>(Kurd)</small>
{{refend}}
----
{{refbegin|3}}
;Electoral district of Ardabil Province: ''7''
;Ardabil, Nir, Namin and Sareyn: ''3''{{ref|politician-k|k}}

;Germi: ''1''
;Meshginshahr: ''1''

;Khalkhal and Kowsar: ''1''

;Parsabad and Bilesavar: ''1''
{{refend}}
----
{{refbegin|3}}
;Electoral district of Zanjan Province: ''5''
;Zanjan, Tarom: ''2''{{ref|politician-m|m}}

;Abhar, Khorramdarreh: ''1''
;Khodabandeh: ''1''

;Ijrud, Mahneshan: 1
{{refend}}

===Cabinet of Iran===
* Mohammadreza Nematzadeh: Minister of Industries and Business<ref>[http://hamshahrionline.ir/details/227147 News] Hamshahri Online</ref>
* Hamid Chitchian: 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 the section 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}}</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}}</ref>

===Consulate===
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; text-align:center;"
|-
!  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=ISNA|access-date=2013-10-20}}</ref>||[[Place:Tabriz|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>||[[Place:Urmia|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=Presidential Azerbaijan Website|access-date=2013-10-20}}</ref>||[[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]||East Azerbaijan
|}

===Military===
Several Iranian Army and Sepah divisions and brigades are based in Azerbaijan, including:
{| class="wikitable sortable"  style="margin:auto; text-align:center;"
|-
!  style="text-align:center; "|Type
!  style="text-align:center; "|Name
!  style="text-align:center; "|City
!  style="text-align:center; "|Province
|-
|Operational Headquarter of Army in North-West|| ''Northwestern Operational Headquarter of Ground Forces of Islamic Republic of Iran Army''|| [[Place:Urmia|Urmia]]|| West Azerbaijan
|-
|Division (military) of Army|| ''64th Infantry Division of Urmia''|| [[Place:Urmia|Urmia]]|| West Azerbaijan
|-
|Division (military) of Army|| ''21st Infantry Division of Azerbaijan''|| [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]|| East Azerbaijan
|-
|Logistic Headquarter of Army|| ''Maraqeh District 4 Headquarter''|| Maragheh|| East Azerbaijan
|-
|Brigade of Army|| ''40th Infantry Separate Brigade of Sarab''|| Sarab & [[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]]|| East Azerbaijan & Ardabil Province
|-
|Brigade of Army|| ''41st Infantry Separate Brigade of Qushchi''|| [[Place:Urmia|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''|| [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]|| East Azerbaijan
|-
|Military airbase of {{wipe|Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force}}|| ''Tactical Air Base 2'', or ''Paygah Dovvom-e Shekari''|| [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]|| East Azerbaijan
|-
|Agency of Navy|| ''Navy Office of Tabriz''|| [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]|| East Azerbaijan
|-
|Provincial Corps||''Ardabil Hazrat Abbas Provincial Corps''|| [[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]]|| Ardabil province
|-
|Provincial Corps|| ''West Azerbaijan Shohada Provincial Corps''|| [[Place:Urmia|Urmia]]|| West Azerbaijan
|-
|Provincial Corps|| ''East Azerbaijan Ashura Provincial Corps''||[[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]|| East Azerbaijan
|-
|Provincial Corps|| ''Zanjan Ansar al-Mahdi Provincial Corps''||[[Place:Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]|| Zanjan province
|}

==Economy==
[[File:Industry-Iran-map.jpg|thumb|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.<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
|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}}</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 [[Place:Tabriz|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 province, in the north-west of [[Religion:Iran|Iran]], adjacent to Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, [[Place:Armenia|Armenia]] and the Republic of [[Place:Azerbaijan|Azerbaijan]].<ref name="iran-daily">http://www.iran-daily.com/1389/4/13/MainPaper/3720/Page/4/Index.htm#</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 province, in the north-west of [[Religion:Iran|Iran]], adjacent to [[Place:Turkey|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:
* ''[[Company:Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company|Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company]]'' (ITMCO): is a producer of [[Engineering:Tractor|tractor]], diesel engines, and other auto parts and provider of industrial services with its headquarter and main site in [[Place:Tabriz|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 an [[ISO 9001]] audited, and has also received several rewards of quality and exporting.<ref name= ws/> ''ITMCO'' is listed as one of Iran's 100 fortune brands.
* ''Goldstone Tires'': operating under the [[Social:Brand|brand]] ''Goldstone Tires'' is an [[Religion:Iran|Iran]]ian [[Engineering:Tire|tire]] manufacturer for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, and heavy earth-mover machinery in [[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]]. Artawheel Tire is currently the largest non-government owned tire manufacturer in Iran by marketshare.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goldstoneir.com/English/index.php |title=Archived copy |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 [[Engineering:Peugeot 206|Peugeot 206]] Models<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iranexportsmagazine.com/Archive/mag%2066/industry66.html |title=Archived copy |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>
* ''Mashin Sazi Tabriz'' (MST): is manufacturer of industrial machinery and tools [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]. The major products of the factory are turning machines, milling machines, drilling machines, grinding machines, and tools.
* ''Rakhsh Khodro Diesel'': is an [[Religion:Iran|Iran]]ian [[Engineering:Truck|truck]] manufacturer established in 2005 and located in [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]. This company is a strategic partner of [[Company:Kamaz|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 [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]].
* ''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.com/newstext.php?nn=13910325000022|title=ارس خودرو دیزل، واحد نمونه ملی در صنعت خودرو
|publisher=Fars News|date=2012|access-date=30 August 2016}}</ref>
* ''[[Company:Iran Khodro#Production sites|Iran Khodro Tabriz]]'': is the leading Iranian vehicle manufacturer, with headquarters in [[Place:Tehran|Tehran]].<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> The company's original name was ''Iran National''. In addition to Tehran, largest car factory in Iran have 5 automobile factories throughout the Iran. and "''Iran Khodro – Tabriz''" until the 2014 have produces capacity 520,000<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}}</ref> Build 150 Samand Arisan instead of ''Bardo Pick-up Paykan''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ikco.com/en/Product.aspx?ID=86&Section=1 |title=Bardo |publisher=[[Company:Iran Khodro|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> also this Irankhodro site produces 100 Samand in day.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.farsnews.com/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}}</ref>
* and other major petrochemical companies, oil refineries and industries are including ''Machine works Company of Tabriz'', ''Iranian Diesel Engine Manufacturing (IDEM)'', ''Tabriz Oil Refinery'', ''Tabriz Petrochemical'', ''Copper Mine Songon'', etc.

===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.com/newstext.php?nn=8709131714|title=احداث موزه فرش و ايجاد پايانه صادراتي فرش در تبريز |publisher= Fars News Agency |access-date=2013-10-19}}</ref> Azerbaijani carpets and rugs are important:
* Tabriz rug is a type in the general category of Iranian carpets<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 [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]].
* Heriz rug are Persian rugs from the area of Heris, East Azerbaijan, northeast of [[Place:Tabriz|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 [[Place:Ardabil|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 [[Place:Azerbaijan|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=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/312018/Karaja-rug|title=Karaja rug |publisher= Britannica Encyclopaedia |access-date=2013-10-17}}</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
File:Zanjan carpet.JPG|Zanjan 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.{{cn|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}}</ref>

===Agriculture===
Grains, fruits, cotton, rice, nuts, and tobacco are the staple crops of the region.

==Demographics==
===People===

Iranian Azerbaijanis, are a Turkic-[[Social:Azerbaijani language|speaking]] people, of which are largely of Iranian origin<ref>Professor Ighrar Aliyev. The History of Aturpatakan. Persian Translation by Dr. Shaadman Yusuf. Balkh Publishers. Tehran. 1999.</ref><ref>"Azari: The Iranian Language of Azerbaijan" in Encyclopedia Iranica by E. YarshaterArchived 21 June 2009 at the [[Wayback Machine]]</ref><ref>(in Russian) Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary. "Turko-Tatars".<sup>[''permanent dead link'']</sup> St. Petersburg, Russia, 1890-1907</ref><ref>Frye R.N., Encyclopædia Iranica,"IRAN v. PEOPLES OF IRAN (1) A General Survey"</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Derenko | first1 = M. | last2 = Malyarchuk | first2 = B. | last3 = Bahmanimehr | first3 = A. | last4 = Denisova | first4 = G. | last5 = Perkova | first5 = M. | last6 = Farjadian | first6 = S. | last7 = Yepiskoposyan | first7 = L. | year = 2013 | title = Complete Mitochondrial DNA Diversity in Iranians | journal = PLOS ONE | volume = 8 | issue = 11| page = e80673 | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0080673 | pmid = 24244704 | pmc = 3828245 | bibcode = 2013PLoSO...880673D | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>V. Minorsky, ''Studies in Caucasian History'', Cambridge University Press, 1957, p. 112</ref> and minority Caucasian.<ref name=Minorsky/> 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}}</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}} 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}}</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}}</ref><ref name="Ethnologue-Azb">{{cite news|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/azb|title= Azerbaijani, South # A language of Iran|publisher=[[Social:Ethnologue|Ethnologue]] |year= 2013 |access-date=17 October 2013}}</ref><ref name="Britannica-Azerbaijani">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/46833/Azerbaijani|title= Azerbaijani|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |access-date=17 October 2013}}</ref> of 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''] MIT Press, 2006 {{ISBN|0262195291}} p 229</ref> In the Azerbaijan region, the population consists mainly of 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, West Azerbaijan and Ardabil), 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#}}</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 [[Place:Hamadan|Hamadan]] |access-date=21 October 2013}}</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,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://markazi.farhang.gov.ir/fa/moarefi|title=معرفی استان مرکزی |publisher=Office of Culture and Islamic Guidance |access-date=21 October 2013}}</ref> Kordestan,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/322153/Kordestan|title=Kordestān |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |access-date=21 October 2013}}</ref> 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}}</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}}</ref> and 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}}</ref>

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

[[File:Jenetic.jpg|thumb|Iranian Azerbaijanis have a stronger genetic affinity with their immediate geographic neighbors than with populations from Central Asia.]]
===Religion===
The majority of Azerbaijanis in Azerbaijan are followers of Twelver Shia [[Religion:Islam|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}}</ref> Azerbaijanis commemorate Shia holy days (ten first days of the holy month of [[Religion:Muharram|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=[[Organization:International Quran News Agency|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 (near the cities of [[Place:Urmia|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}}</ref>

<gallery class="center">
File:Ardabil - Aligapi.jpg|[[Religion:Muharram|Muharram]] in [[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]]
File:Blue Mosque of Tabriz.jpg|Blue Mosque in [[Place:Tabriz|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,<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}}</ref> mostly in [[Place:Mashhad|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}}</ref> as well as central Iran, due to internal migration to [[Place:Tehran|Tehran]],<ref name="Emigration" /> [[Place:Karaj|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}}</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}}</ref> of [[Place:Tehran|Tehran]] and of Tehran Province's population. They are the largest ethnic groups after Persians in Tehran and the Tehran Province.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.tehran.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=98|title=Tehran, Political situation|publisher=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|publisher=Hamshahri Online|access-date=2013-10-21}}</ref> from 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|publisher=Mehr News Agency|access-date=2013-10-21}}</ref> Ali Khamenei, the [[Social:Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader of Iran]], was born in [[Place:Mashhad|Mashhad]] and is of 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 Azerbaijani people in [[Place:Tehran|Tehran]].

===Population===
[[File:Iranian Azerbaijan.png|thumb|right|Four provinces in Iranian Azerbaijan the current division of Iran]]
According to the population census of 2012, the four provinces of East Azerbaijan (2012 pop. 3,724,620), West Azarbaijan (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.<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 [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]<ref name="Country Study Guide-Azerbaijanis" /><ref name="Iran-Azerbaijanis" /> (the capital of East Azerbaijan), [[Place:Urmia|Urmia]]<ref name="Country Study Guide-Azerbaijanis" /><ref name="Iran-Azerbaijanis" /> (the capital of West Azerbaijan), [[Place:Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]<ref name="Country Study Guide-Azerbaijanis" /><ref name="Iran-Azerbaijanis" /> (the capital of Zanjan Province), [[Place:Ardabil|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
|[[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]] ||Tabriz County || East Azerbaijan||  {{nts|1558693}}<ref name="The population of Iranian cities" />|| [[File:Elgölü front.jpg|160px]]
|-
!2
|[[Place:Urmia|Urmia]] ||Urmia County || West Azerbaijan||  {{nts|736224}}<ref name="The population of Iranian cities" />|| [[File:3 Gonbad photo 2.jpg|160px]]
|-
!3
|[[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]] ||Ardabil County || Ardabil Province||  {{nts|529374}}<ref name="The population of Iranian cities" />|| [[File:Sheikh-safi tomb.JPG|160px]]
|-
!4
|[[Place: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|New 5 Regions of Iran, North-West called Regions 3 and capital regions 3 is Tabriz<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=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>]] Ministry of Interior of Hassan Rouhani's government stated:<ref name="New ad">{{cite news|url=http://www.jamejamonline.ir/NewsPreview/1549246292375749350 |title=منطقه‌بندی کشور، بیم‌ها و امیدها |publisher=Jamejam Online |date= June 2014 |access-date=1 August 2014}}</ref> 31 Province in Iran conversion to Region, and 3rd Region in North-West Iran named ''Region 3'' that are included 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}}</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}}</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}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jamejamonline.ir/NewsPreview/1541246114000873209 |title=استانهای کشور به ۵ منطقه تقسیم شدند |publisher=Jamejam Online |date= July 2014 |access-date=1 August 2014}}</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}}</ref>

==Culture==
[[File:Folio from a Khamsa-c.jpg|thumb|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, a Turkic speaking people, are culturally a part of the Iranian peoples and have influenced Iranian culture.<ref>"Azerbaijan" Archived 17 May 2006 at the [[Wayback Machine]] - ''Columbia Encyclopedia'' (retrieved 8 June 2006).</ref> At the same time, they have influenced and been influenced by their non-Iranian neighbors, especially Caucasians and Russians. Azerbaijanis in both Iran and the [[Place:Azerbaijan|Republic of Azerbaijan]] are mostly [[Religion:Shia Islam|Shiite Muslims]]. Azerbaijanis in Iran and in the Republic of Azerbaijan 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 [[Social:Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani language]] is not an official language of Iran it is widely used, mostly orally, among the Iranian Azerbaijanis.

===Literature===
Many poets that came from Azerbaijan wrote poetry in both [[Social:Persian language|Persian]] and [[Social:Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]]. Renowned poets in [[Social:Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani language]] are Nasimi, Shah Ismail I (who was known with the pen-name Khatai), Fuzuli, Nasimi and Jahan Shah were probably born outside what is now Iranian Azerbaijan. [[Social:Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]] was the dominant language of the ruling dynasties of the Turkic rulers of the area such as the Ak Koyunlu,<ref name="Azeri Turkish Literature" /> 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 later it was used in the Safavid court until Isfahan became 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 [[Place:Qazvin|Qazvin]] to [[Place:Isfahan|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 religious dignitaries, military.<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.}}</ref> In the 16th century, Azerbaijani literature further flourished with the development of Ashik ({{lang-az|Aşıq}}) poetic genre of bards. During the same period, under the pen-name of Khatāī ({{lang-ar|خطائی}} for ''sinner'')<ref name="ismailsafaviiranica">[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v8f6/v8f665.html Encyclopædia Iranica. ''ٍIsmail Safavi''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021235105/http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v8f6/v8f665.html |date=October 21, 2007 }}</ref> Shah Ismail I wrote about 1400 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}}</ref> which were later published as his ''Divan''. A unique literary style known as ''qoshma'' ({{lang-az|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.<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}}</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, Shah Abbas Sani, Khasta Qasim, [[Biography:Mirza Fatali Akhundov|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 [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]] in 1954 and written in colloquial Azerbaijani, became popular among [[Religion:Iran|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.

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

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, and [[Place:Gorgan|Gorgan]].<br>
—''Vis o Ramin''

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

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

===UNESCO World Heritage Sites===
Nine historical sites in Azerbaijan have been designated as World Heritage Sites by [[Organization:UNESCO|UNESCO]]:
* Bazaar of Tabriz: is one of the oldest bazaars in the [[Place:Middle East|Middle East]] and the largest covered bazaar in the [[Philosophy:World|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}}</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}}</ref>
* Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble: is the tomb of Sheikh Safi-ad-din Ardabili located in [[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]], [[Religion:Iran|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}}</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}}</ref>
* 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}}</ref> literally the Fire of the Warrior Kings) is an archaeological site in West Azarbaijan. It lies midway between [[Place:Urmia|Urmia]] and [[Place:Hamadan|Hamadan]], very near the present-day town of Takab,
* Dome of Soltaniyeh: located near [[Place:Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]], {{convert|240|km|mi}} to the north-west of [[Place:Tehran|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.
* The Armenian Monastic Ensemble: St. Thaddeus Monastery, Saint Stepanos Monastery, Church of the Holy Mother of God, Darashamb, Chapel of Dzordzor and Church of Chupan are World Heritage Sites.

<gallery class="center">
File:Tabriz bazaar 012008.jpg|Bazaar of Tabriz
File:Sheikh-safi.jpg|Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble
File:Takht-e-soleiman-1.jpg|Takht-e Soleymān
File:Soltaniyeh exterior.jpg|Soltanieh Dome in Soltaniyeh
File:Northwestthaddes.jpg|Qara Klisa
</gallery>

===Colleges and universities===
There are many universities in Azerbaijan, included units and centers: public university and private university Islamic Azad University, [[Organization:Payame Noor University|Payame Noor University]], Nonprofit educational institutions, [[Organization:University of Applied Science and Technology|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
|Tabriz University||[[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]||East Azerbaijan
|-
!2
|[[Organization:Urmia University|Urmia University]]||[[Place:Urmia|Urmia]]||West Azerbaijan
|-
!3
|Mohaghegh Ardabili University||[[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]]||Ardabil Province
|-
!4
|Zanjan University||[[Place:Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]||Zanjan Province
|-
!5
|[[Organization:Sahand University of Technology|Sahand University of Technology]]||[[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]||East Azerbaijan
|-
!6
|[[Organization:Urmia University of Technology|Urmia University of Technology]]||[[Place:Urmia|Urmia]]||West Azerbaijan
|-
!7
|[[Organization:Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences|Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS)]]||[[Place:Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]||Zanjan Province
|-
!8
|Tabriz University of Medical Sciences||[[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]||East Azerbaijan
|-
!9
|[[Organization:Urmia University of Medical Sciences|Urmia University of Medical Sciences]]||[[Place:Urmia|Urmia]]||West Azerbaijan
|-
!10
|[[Organization:Ardabil University of Medical Sciences|Ardabil University of Medical Sciences]]||[[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]]||Ardabil Province
|-
!11
|[[Organization:Zanjan University of Medical Sciences|Zanjan University of Medical Sciences]]||[[Place:Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]||Zanjan Province
|-
!12
|[[Organization:Tabriz Islamic Arts University|Tabriz Islamic Arts University]]||[[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]||East Azerbaijan
|-
!13
|Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University||[[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]||East Azerbaijan
|-
!14
|[[Organization:University of Maragheh|University of Maragheh]]||Maragheh||East Azerbaijan
|-
!15
|Maragheh observatory||Maragheh||East Azerbaijan
|-
!16
|[[Organization:University of Bonab|University of Bonab]]||Bonab||East Azerbaijan
|}

<gallery class="center">
File:Portal of Medical University of Ardabil.JPG|[[Organization:Ardabil University of Medical Sciences|Ardabil University of Medical Sciences]]

File:IASBS Physics.JPG|Physics department interior of [[Organization:Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences|IASBS]] in [[Place:Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]
File:ElectricMechanicFacultiesofZanjanUni.jpeg|Zanjan University
File:Westminister Hospital Urmia.jpg|Joseph Cochran in Westminister Hospital Urmia (Now [[Organization:Urmia University of Medical Sciences|Urmia University of Medical Sciences]])
File:Urmia uni central library.jpg|Shahid Chamran Hall (central library) — of [[Organization:Urmia University|Urmia University]]
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 [[Organization:Tabriz Islamic Arts University|Tabriz Islamic Arts University]]
File:Tabriz University main enterance.jpg|Tabriz University'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 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 and 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=Isna|date=26 October 2016 |access-date=26 October 2016}}</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||[[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]||East Azerbaijan
|-
!2
|Urmia Airport||[[Place:Urmia|Urmia]]||West Azerbaijan
|-
!3
|Ardabil Airport||[[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]]||Ardabil Province
|-
!4
|Zanjan Airport||[[Place: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 [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]], [[Religion:Iran|Iran]]. Operates scheduled domestic services and international services in the [[Place:Middle East|Middle East]], as well as charter services including [[Earth:Europe|Europe]]. Its main base is Tabriz International Airport. This airplane company is in Azerbaijan with Eram Air.

===Bridge===
[[File:Meshkin Shahr Suspension Bridge.jpg|thumb|Meshginshahr suspension bridge, Middle East's largest suspension bridge in height of 80 meters.]]

* ''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 [[Engineering:Suspension bridge|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 [[Place:Tehran|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 1912–1916. 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 [[Place:Tabriz|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 {{wipe|Russia}}ns. The railway started from Jolfa, a city on the border of Iran and the modern Republic of Azerbaijan.

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

===Metro===
Tabriz Metro being built in the [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]] City since 2001. 5 line (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. 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"
|-
!style="background: #0065CA; color:black" scope="col"| type
!style="background: #0065CA; color:black" scope="col"| Number Road
!style="background: #0065CA; color:black" scope="col"| Distance (km)
!style="background: #0065CA; color:black" scope="col"| Distance (mi)
!style="background: #0065CA; color:black" scope="col"| City of Origin
!style="background: #0065CA; color:black" scope="col"| City of Destination
!style="background: #0065CA; color:black" scope="col"| Location
!style="background: #0065CA; color:black" scope="col"| Image
|-
|Freeways
|Freeway 2 (Iran)
|{{convert|600|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Place:Tehran|Tehran]]
|[[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 2 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|[[File:Tehran-Karaj Freeway, Apadana, آزادراه تهران-كرج، دي86 - panoramio.jpg|130px]]
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 11 (Iran)
|{{convert|325|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|Jolfa (Az)
|Baneh
|[[File:Road 11 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 12 (Iran)
|{{convert|572|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|Bazargan (Az)
|Bileh Savar (Az)
|[[File:Road 12 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 14 (Iran)
|{{convert|460|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|Razi, Ardabil (Az)
|Salmas (Az)
|[[File:Road 14 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 16 (Iran)
|{{convert|428|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|Astara
|Serow (Az)
|[[File:Road 16 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|[[File:Lake Urmia bridge 2010.jpg|130px]]
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 21 (Iran)
|{{convert|978|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Place:Ilam, Iran|Ilam]]
|Jolfa (Az)
|[[File:Road 21 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 22 (Iran)
|{{convert|428|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|Sarakhs
|Khalkhal (Az)
|[[File:Road 22 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|[[File:Golestan jungle.jpg|130px]]
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 23 (Iran)
|{{convert|390|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|Miandoab (Az)
|[[Place:Hamadan|Hamadan]]
|[[File:Road 23 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 24 (Iran)
|{{convert|142|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|Hashtrud (Az)
|Bonab (Az)
|[[File:Road 24 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 26 (Iran)
|{{convert|151|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|Miandoab (Az)
|Piranshahr (Az)
|[[File:Road 26 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 27 (Iran)
|{{convert|245|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|Khomarlu (Az)
|[[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]] (Az)
|[[File:Road 27 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 31 (Iran)
|{{convert|539|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|Parsabad (Az)
|Manjil
|[[File:Road 31 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 32 (Iran)
|{{convert|880|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Place:Tehran|Tehran]]
|Bazargan (Az)
|[[File:Road 32 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 33 (Iran)
|{{convert|155|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]] (Az)
|Bileh Savar (Az)
|[[File:Road 33 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|-
|[[Engineering:Highway|Highway]]s and Roads
|Road 35 (Iran)
|{{convert|155|km|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|[[Place:Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]] (Az)
|[[Place:Khorramabad|Khorramabad]]
|[[File:Road 35 (Iran).jpg|100px]]
|
|}

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

===TV and radio===
* Sahand TV from [[Place:Tabriz|Tabriz]]
* Eshragh TV from [[Place:Zanjan, Iran|Zanjan]]
* Sabalan TV from Ardebil
* Azerbaijan TV from [[Place:Urmia|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}}</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}}</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}}</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}}</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=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 [[Place:Ardabil|Ardabil]] city will be held the presence of West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, Ardabil and Zanjan provinces.<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}}</ref>

[[File:Sahand Stadium.jpg|thumb|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
* Machine Sazi
* Gostaresh Foolad
* Shahrdari Tabriz

;Futsal
* Mes Sungun
* Behrad Ardabil

;Volleyball
* Shahrdari Urmia
* Shahrdari Tabriz

;Basketball
* Shahrdari Tabriz

;Cycling Team
* {{ct|TPT}}
* {{ct|TST}}

===Major sport events===
* ''2010 Asian Men's Cup Volleyball Championship'' Ghadir Arena in [[Place:Urmia|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 [[Place:Tabriz|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:
{{refbegin|5}}
* ''Yadegar-e Emam Stadium''
* ''Ali Daei Stadium''
* ''Takhti Stadium''
* ''Gostaresh Foulad Stadium''
* ''Tabriz Cycling Track''
* ''Shahid Pour Sharifi Arena''
* ''Ghadir Arena''
* ''Rezazadeh Stadium''
* ''Marzdaran Stadium''
* ''Tractor Stadium''
* ''Sahand Ski Resort''
{{refend}}

==See also==
{{columns-list |colwidth=15em|
* [[Place:Atropatene|Atropatene]]
* Azerbaijan People's Government
* History of the name Azerbaijan
* [[Religion:Iran|Iran]]
* [[Place:Azerbaijan|Azerbaijan]]
* [[Social:Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani language]]
* Iranian Azerbaijanis
* Azerbaijani people
* Kurds
* Armenians
* Assyrians
* [[Social:Old Azeri language|Old Azeri language]]
}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note|30em}}
:{{note|The World Factbook|a|Reporting and estimation World Factbook and Library of Congress}}
:{{note|New America Foundation|c|Reporting and estimation New America Foundation}}
:{{note|Minority Rights|d|Reporting and estimation Minority Rights Group International}}
:{{note|Britannica|e|Reporting and estimation Britannica Encyclopaedia}}
:{{note|Ethnologue|f|Reporting and estimation [[Social:Ethnologue|Ethnologue]]}}
:{{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, 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==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Sources==
* {{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 = {{wipe|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)]

[[Category:Historical regions]]

{{Sourceattribution|Azerbaijan (Iran)|1}}