Unite North and South Azerbaijan?

Not too long ago, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev declared, ““We will do everything possible to defend our way of life as well as the secular direction of the development of Azerbaijan and of Azerbaijanis, including Azerbaijanis living in Iran. They are part of our nation.”   In the wake of the Iran protests, there have been increased calls for the unification between North and South Azerbaijan, as the two nations are historically part of the same nation.

Under Sassanid rule in the 3^rd and 6^th centuries, Azerbaijan was a united territory.  This was also the case under the Arab Caliphate, the Azerbaijan Sajis state, the Atabey state, during the Mongol rule, and under the Azerbaijani state of the 15^th century, which was followed by Safavid rule.    South and North Azerbaijan were then under the rule of twenty independent khanates, who had a movement to unite the country as one, a movement that was interrupted.

Indeed, it was only at the end of the 18^th century and the beginning of the 19^th century that North and South Azerbaijan were divided following the Russo-Iranian wars of 1804-1813 and 1826-1828.   Following the division of Azerbaijan in the Gulustan and Turkmenchay treaties, North Azerbaijan experienced a journey where they went from living under Russian colonialism to obtaining independence, while South Azerbaijan continued to live under Iranian hegemony.

Talran Ahmadov, the head of the Azerbaijani Society of Maine, proclaimed that the Iran protests are a “great opportunity” to change this status quo: “I am not sure if it will happen now or later, but it will happen eventually and at some point.   It is the destiny of many nations to reunite.   We can look at this in Germany.  It was divided and united again.”

According to him, “Azerbaijan will reunite.  There is a prophecy that all of the divided nations will reunite.  The people of Azerbaijan will play a very important role in this reunification.   It is not just about reopening the borders.   It is about the freedom of a population of 35 million.  As a nation, we will play a big role in supporting, encouraging and seeing that this happens.  We will inspire them to see this happen.  The Second Karabakh gave another brief to this notion of freedom.“

Ahmadov declared: “We are now a strong community and nation, and encouraged the Azerbaijanis in Iran that they can be freed from this oppression.  This is an important time.  It is going to be a painful process.  It will not be easy.  But the process already started.  It is the beginning of the end of the mullahs, praise be to Allah.”

Ahmad Obali, who founded the Iranian Azerbaijani language Gunaz TV, declared that Iran now is more isolated than ever: “the demonstrations continue and weaken not only Iran internally, but also internationally.   People are focused on Iran’s actions against their own citizens.  The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution to create a fact-fighting mission that will investigate Iran’s atrocities against its own civilians.  Thousands have been detained, more than 1500 have been killed and this will bring more focus on Iran internationally.  The fact-finding mission could be an opportunity to send Iran’s file to the UN Security Council.   Within the six months, the commission has to come up with a specific plan and a specific members that will be announced to investigate.   After six months, they have to come up with a report.  This is a result of the protests weakening Iran.  Iran is at its weakest time in the last 42 years.   They are susceptible to further investigations from the international community and human rights organizations.  That is one side.“

On the other side he noted, “Azerbaijan is getting stronger, as are Turkish-Azerbaijani and Turkish-Israeli relations.   Turkey is repairing its relationship not just with Israel but the Arab world.   Iran is now having more difficulties with Turkey, the Arab world and Israel.   Regionally, Iran is in trouble.   Within Iranian society, all of the ethnic groups are shooting for their ethnic rights.    Therefore, the front against Iran is getting bigger and bigger.   South Azerbaijanis are asking for a national government for Azerbaijanis given the conditions internationally and regionally.   We think this is an opportunity to ask for outright independence from Iran.”

According to him, “Azerbaijan in the North and South are the same people.  We were divided in 1828 as a result of the Russia-Qajar dynasty war, but we have the same culture, land, and people.   People after independence will move towards reunification.   It will take time, but it will happen.  In South Azerbaijan, we feel like our land was occupied just like Karabakh.    All of the feelings of being one nation are there.  It is just a matter of time before we look forward to reunification after there is independence.  Within a decade after independence, we can move towards reunification.”

Obali declared: “Once the South Azerbaijan becomes independent, the Iranian government’s power will be cut in half.  They won’t be able to meddle in other countries’ internal affairs and attack others via proxies.  They won’t be able to force Azerbaijanis away from Western values.    The independence of South Azerbaijan will create a wide land corridor from Europe to Turkey to Central Asia to the Chinese border.   Iran, Armenia, Georgia cut off this route, but if we become independent, this route will be open.”

In conclusion, Obali declared: “Israel will have freer access to all of the markets on the eastern Caspian Sea.   Israel, the Turkic world and the West will benefit from this.   This will make us a major power in the region for the future, along with Turkey and Israel.  We feel like Israel, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Turkic world is a power that needs to be worked towards and a power to be reckoned with.   As long as Israeli-Arab relations improve, this region will have a stable future.   Otherwise, the Middle East will continue to be a battleground.   South Azerbaijan independence changes the balance for our allies’ benefit forever.”

Rachel Avraham is the CEO of the Dona Gracia Center for Diplomacy and an Israel-based journalist.  She is the author of “Women and Jihad: Debating Palestinian Female Suicide Bombings in the American, Israeli and Arab Media.”