The independent state of Azerbaijan was established in 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. For many years, the people of Azerbaijan lived under imperial rule, such as the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. The creation of the Republic of Azerbaijan finally allowed the Azeris to live as a free nation.
It is not widely known that, besides the citizens of Azerbaijan, there are many Azeris who still live under imperialist rule, a regime that crushes their culture and oppresses them daily – the rule of the ayatollahs in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
During the wars between the Russian and Persian empires in the 19th century, the Azerbaijani people were divided into Northern Azerbaijan (under Russia/the Soviet Union) and Southern Azerbaijan, located in the northwest of Iran.
The term Southern Azerbaijan refers to the Iranian provinces of East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Ardabil, and Zanjan. In these provinces, Azerbaijanis constitute the largest ethnic group in the region so Azerbaijani Turkish is the most widely spoken language.
The free Republic of Azerbaijan is a tolerant country, allowing all the communities living within it to enjoy religious freedom and cultural autonomy. A prime example of this is the Jewish community in Azerbaijan, which is not restricted in any way by the Azerbaijani government (which is a Shi’ite Muslim country – like Iran).
Azerbaijani Jews have no issues praying as Jews, wearing a kippah in public, and teaching Hebrew. In Southern Azerbaijan, residents do not enjoy such freedoms from the Iranian authorities.
A journalist at Gunaz TV, Mahboub Tisheh, a South Azerbaijani dissident, testified about life in the area: “South Azerbaijanis face systematic discrimination in every aspect of life – our language is banned from our education system, our culture is suppressed, and our economic resources are plundered to benefit Tehran.”Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and the rise of the Revolutionary Guards to power in Iran, the situation for the people of Southern Azerbaijan has only worsened.As mentioned, Iran has made efforts to erase the cultural markers of Southern Azerbaijan. Azeris are banned from teaching Azerbaijani literature and language, and are generally prohibited from publicly displaying a culture that is not Iranian-Persian.
North vs South Azerbaijan
The situation for Jews is also 180 degrees different in Southern Azerbaijan compared to Northern Azerbaijan. They do not receive the same treatment that their Azerbaijani Jewish brothers and sisters enjoy in Azerbaijan.
Anyone living under the rule of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps does not live a peaceful and secure life, but the Azeris living in Southern Azerbaijan suffer even more. Azerbaijanis are the largest ethnic minority in Iran; they have ties with the Republic of Azerbaijan, which has strong relations with the West and the State of Israel, both of which are enemies of the Islamic Republic.
Furthermore, Southern Azerbaijan and Northern Azerbaijan share a “common border,” meaning that if the day comes when the Azerbaijanis living in Southern Azerbaijan gain enough power (international, military, economic, etc.), they will likely succeed in uniting with Northern Azerbaijan.
It is much easier for Southern Azerbaijan to break away from Iran because it is on the edge of Iranian territory, so it’s not a “big issue.” Perhaps this is why the Iranian regime is so harsh toward Azerbaijani culture in Iran, which has coexisted peacefully with Persian culture for generations. If the Iranians are so afraid of Southern Azerbaijan’s secession, maybe it would be in the interest of their enemies to support Southern Azerbaijan’s separation from Iran.
One of Iran’s greatest enemies is the State of Israel, which has close and warm relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan. The two countries have established ties in areas such as trade, economics, security, energy and more.
Azerbaijan is undoubtedly Israel’s closest ally in the Middle East and the relationship between the two countries has proven effective for both sides on multiple occasions.
Since we assume that Iran fears the independence of Southern Azerbaijan and given the strong ties between Northern Azerbaijan and Israel, the question arises: Why shouldn’t such relations also exist with Southern Azerbaijan?
According to Tisheh, the people of the region look upon the alliance between Israel and Northern Azerbaijan with admiration and appreciation for the Jewish people. “Our respect for Israel and the Jewish people has only grown in recent years, particularly in light of the unwavering support extended to our ethnic brothers and sisters in North Azerbaijan,” he said.
“Following the 44-day war over Karabakh, Jewish doctors played a crucial role in treating our wounded soldiers. These acts of solidarity were not forgotten; they strengthened the bonds between our peoples and reaffirmed our belief in shared values and mutual support.”
Although Southern Azerbaijan is located within Iranian territory, the people there have almost no connection to the ayatollah’s regime. This is how Tisheh spoke about Israeli airstrikes in Iran: “We, the young people of South Azerbaijan, fully support Israel’s firm stance against the Iranian regime, including any actions it may take against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“Israel’s commitment to countering the regime’s threats is crucial, as Iran continues to oppress its own people and destabilize the region.”
Israel should support Southern Azerbaijan
It seems that supporting the independence of Southern Azerbaijan by Israel would create a new ally for the State of Israel in the Middle East, one with deep knowledge of the ayatollah’s regime, under which they currently live.
In addition to helping and supporting the people of Southern Azerbaijan, there is an obvious strategic interest for Israel to create another country that would be its ally in the Middle East. But why stop there? Once Southern Azerbaijan gains independence and breaks away from Iran, this extraordinary event will likely inspire other ethnic minorities in Iran – the Kurds, Balouch, Arabs, and Turkmens – to demand independence and even take action.
There are many ethnic minority areas in Iran: Khuzestan, populated mainly by Arabs – Sistan and Baluchestan, populated by Baluchis; Golestan, populated mainly by Turkmens, etc. Each ethnic minority will demand to secede from the Persian empire and gain independence after Southern Azerbaijan. Israel must seize this strategic opportunity, which will not only help it create another reliable and close ally but also contribute to the disintegration of Iran.
Therefore, in light of the situation of the residents of Southern Azerbaijan in Iran and the geopolitical and geostrategic benefits Israel will gain, it is highly beneficial for Israel to support the independence of Southern Azerbaijan from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The writer is a Middle East scholar and commentator on the region.