Exploring Azerbaijan And Iran: A Comparative Overview

Azerbaijan and Iran share a lot of similarities, including their name. The name Azerbaijan is derived from the Persian Satrap (governor) of Medea in the Achaemenid Empire, Atropates. The region of Iranian Azerbaijan was historically called Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Azerbaijan appropriated the name in the 20th century.

Both countries are majority Shia Muslim and have the highest and second-highest Shia population percentages in the world, respectively. They also share a border and have similar cultures and histories.

However, there are some differences between the two countries. The Republic of Azerbaijan has become increasingly pro-Western, while Iran is largely pro-Russian and pro-Chinese. Additionally, the Republic of Azerbaijan has a secular government, while Iran is an Islamic republic.

Religion: Both countries are majority Shia Muslim

Religion is a key aspect in which Iran and Azerbaijan share similarities. Both countries are majority Shia Muslim nations, with Iran having the highest and Azerbaijan the second-highest Shia population percentage in the world. The history of Shi'ism in both countries is rooted in the same moment in history, dating back to the Safavid era.

The religious ties between the two countries are strong, with Azerbaijan and Iran being two of only four Shia majority countries in the world. The shared religious heritage is also reflected in their culture and history, with the territory of what is now known as the Republic of Azerbaijan once being a part of Iran.

Despite the strong religious similarities, there are some tensions between the two countries due to differing political alignments. Azerbaijan has become increasingly pro-Western, allying with Israel, Turkey, and the United States, while Iran is largely pro-Russian and pro-Chinese due to its hostility towards the U.S.

History: Azerbaijan was part of Iran until the 19th century

Azerbaijan was part of Iran until the 19th century. The territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan were separated from Iran in the first half of the 19th century through the Russo-Persian Wars. The territories north of the Aras River, which included the territory of the contemporary Republic of Azerbaijan, were Iranian until they were occupied by Russia during the 19th century.

The Russo-Persian Wars of 1804-1813 and 1826-1828 resulted in Qajar Iran ceding its Caucasian territories to the Russian Empire. The treaties of Gulistan in 1813 and Turkmenchay in 1828 defined the border between Czarist Russia and Qajar Iran. The Treaty of Turkmenchay also saw Qajar Iran recognise Russian sovereignty over the Erivan, Nakhchivan and Talysh Khanates, the last parts of Azerbaijan still in Iranian hands.

The territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan were historically and originally called Azerbaijan. The appropriation of the name by the Azerbaijani-populated Republic of Azerbaijan occurred in the 20th century.

Geography: Azerbaijan is landlocked, while Iran has a coastline

Azerbaijan and Iran share a border, but the two countries are geographically distinct. Azerbaijan is landlocked, while Iran has a coastline.

Azerbaijan is a landlocked country in eastern Transcaucasia. It is bounded by Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Iran to the south, Armenia to the west, and the Caspian Sea to the east. The Caspian Sea is the world's largest lake and is classified as a closed sea.

Azerbaijan's coastline on the Caspian Sea is 713 km (443 mi) long. However, its maritime boundaries with neighbouring countries are still disputed. The country has no access to the open sea.

Iran, on the other hand, has a coastline on two seas: the Caspian Sea in the north and the Persian Gulf in the south. The country is located in West Asia and borders the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman. Its diagonal distance from Azerbaijan in the northwest to Sistan and Baluchestan province in the southeast is approximately 2,333 kilometres (1,450 mi).

Iran's coastline on the Caspian Sea is part of the broader Caspian coastal plain, which extends for some 640 kilometres (400 mi) along the shore. The coastal plain is narrow, with the shore and the Alborz mountain range foothills rarely being more than 50 kilometres (31 mi) apart.

The southern coast of Iran borders the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, forming a total coastline of 1,770 kilometres (1,100 mi). The Persian Gulf is a shallow marginal sea of the Indian Ocean, with a length of about 615 miles (990 km) and a width varying from a maximum of about 210 miles (340 km) to a minimum of 35 miles (55 km).

The Iranian shore of the Persian Gulf is mountainous, with cliffs in some areas and a narrow coastal plain in others. The coastal plain widens north of the city of Būshehr, passing into the broad deltaic plain of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

In contrast, the Arabian shore of the Persian Gulf is mostly bordered by sandy beaches, with many small islands enclosing lagoons. The gulf is shallow, rarely deeper than about 300 feet (90 meters), and has a notably asymmetrical profile, with deeper water along the Iranian coast and a broad shallow area along the Arabian coast.

Language: Most Iranian Azerbaijanis are bilingual in Azerbaijani and Persian

Iranian Azerbaijanis are Iranians of Azerbaijani ethnicity, and most are bilingual in Azerbaijani and Persian. They are mainly of Iranian descent and are native to the Iranian Azerbaijan region, which includes the provinces of East Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Zanjan, and West Azerbaijan. Smaller numbers can also be found in Kurdistan, Qazvin, Hamadan, Gilan, Markazi, and Kermanshah.

Azerbaijani is a Turkic language from the Oghuz sub-branch, and it is closely related to Turkmen, Turkish, Gagauz, and Qashqai. It is spoken primarily by the Azerbaijani people, who live mainly in the Republic of Azerbaijan and in the Azerbaijan region of Iran. Azerbaijani has official status in the Republic of Azerbaijan and Dagestan (a federal subject of Russia) but does not have official status in Iran, where the majority of Iranian Azerbaijanis live.

The language has two varieties: North Azerbaijani, spoken in the Republic of Azerbaijan and Russia, and South Azerbaijani, spoken in Iran, Iraq, and Syria. There is a high degree of mutual intelligibility between the two forms, although there are significant differences in phonology, lexicon, morphology, syntax, and loanword sources. North Azerbaijani is based on the Shirvani dialect, while South Azerbaijani uses a variety of regional dialects.

Azerbaijani has been influenced by Persian, and Persian loanwords make up a large part of its vocabulary. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Azerbaijani lexicon underwent a process of de-Russification, replacing many Russian loanwords with Azerbaijani words.

Iranian Azerbaijanis are well-integrated into Iranian society, and few display separatist tendencies. They are quite conservative compared to most Azerbaijanis in the Republic of Azerbaijan. While they may seek greater linguistic rights, their political loyalty to Iran outweighs their ethnic and regional affiliations.

Politics: Azerbaijan is a secular nation, while Iran is an Islamic republic

Azerbaijan and Iran share a lot of similarities, including history, religion, and culture. However, they differ significantly when it comes to their political ideologies. While Azerbaijan is a secular nation, Iran is an Islamic republic, and this distinction has had a profound impact on the two countries' domestic and foreign policies.

Azerbaijan's secular government has fostered a modernistic and progressive society, where public expressions of Islam are rare. The country has a strong relationship with Israel and other Western nations, and its foreign policy is driven by the goal of checking the spread of political Islam and Iranian influence. Azerbaijan's government is determined to prevent its Islamic neighbour from encroaching and views Iranian Islamic influence as a threat to its nation-state. This stance has led to tensions and competition between the two countries, despite their shared heritage.

On the other hand, Iran, officially known as the Islamic Republic of Iran, is governed by a theocratic regime that imposes strict religious rules on its citizens. The country's Supreme Leader, currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, holds ultimate authority and controls key aspects of the government, including foreign policy and the appointment of critical ministers and ambassadors. Iran's government actively supports the spread of its Islamic Revolution and has been accused of sponsoring terrorism and destabilizing the region.

The contrasting political ideologies of Azerbaijan and Iran have resulted in divergent paths and strained relations between the two countries. Azerbaijan, with its secular government, aligns more closely with Western nations like Israel, Turkey, and the United States, while Iran, as an Islamic republic, has pursued a more hostile stance towards these countries.

Despite their shared history and cultural connections, the political differences between Azerbaijan and Iran have created a rivalry and competition that continues to shape their domestic and foreign policies.

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