Azadistan (), was a short-lived state in

Iranian Azerbaijan Azerbaijan or Azarbaijan (, , ), also known as Iranian Azerbaijan, is a historical region in northwestern Iran that borders Iraq and Turkey to the west and Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijani exclave of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republ ...

that lasted from early 1920 until September of that year. It was established by

Mohammad Khiabani Shaikh Mohammad Khiābāni (, 1880–1920), sometimes spelled Khiyabani, also known as Shaikh Mohammad Khiābāni Tabrizi was an Iranian peoples, Iranian Shia cleric, political leader, and representative to the Majlis of Iran, parliament. He was ...

, an

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

ian patriot, who was a representative to the

parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

, and a prominent dissident against the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and

British colonialism The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts establish ...

.
AZERBAIJAN iv. Islamic History to 1941. Khiabani and his followers chose the name "Azadistan" as a gesture of protest against the giving of the name " Azerbaijan (toponym), Azerbaijan" to the government centered on

Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...

Transcaucasia The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and West Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Armenia, ...

which was called

Azerbaijan Democratic Republic The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (), also known as the Azerbaijan People's Republic (; ), was the first secular democracy, democratic republic in the Turkic peoples, Turkic and Muslim worlds. *Tadeusz Swietochowski. ''Russia and Azerbaijan: ...

, and also to serve as a model of freedom and independence for the rest of Iran. Shortly after the

Russian Revolution of 1917 The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution, social change in Russian Empire, Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia Dissolution of the Russian Empire, abolish its mona ...

, Khiabani re-established the Democrat Party of Tabriz after being banned for five years, and published the ''Tajaddod'' newspaper, the official organ of the party. After the end of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, in a protest to the 1919 Treaty between

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, which exclusively transferred the rights of deciding about all military, financial, and customs affairs of Persia to the British, Khiabani disputed control of Tabriz with the central government of Vosough od-Dowleh in

Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...

and, in 1920, Khiabani proclaimed Azerbaijan to be Azadistan, to provide a model of freedom and democratic governance for the rest of Iran. He considered himself not a separatist but an Iranian nationalist. Following the capture of the police station, Khiabani issued a statement on behalf of the Democratic Party's board of directors in both Persian and French stating that the Sheikh's plan was to establish public order and to execute the constitution of Iran. Khiabani's movement was suppressed militarily on 4 September 1920. After the fall of prime minister Vosough od-Dowleh the new prime minister sent

Mehdi Qoli Hedayat Mehdi Qoli Khan Hedayat (; 1863 – September 21, 1955), also known as Mokhber-ol Saltaneh (Persian: ), was Prime Minister of Iran and an author of several books on Iranian music, modern education, poetry, current affairs, and most notably a mem ...

to Tabriz, giving him full authority, and he crushed and killed Khiabani in the late summer of 1920 and Azadistan was dissolved.

In fiction

* In the anime ''

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 is a Japanese anime television series, the eleventh installment in Sunrise studio's long-running ''Gundam'' franchise comprising two seasons. The series is set on a futuristic Earth and is centered on the exploits of the fictional paramilit ...

'', Azadistan is a sovereign country located in the Middle East.

References

{{Unrecognized states in the Iranian territory 1920 establishments in Iran Politics of Qajar Iran History of Tabriz History of East Azerbaijan province History of West Azerbaijan province History of Zanjan province History of Ardabil province States and territories established in 1920 States and territories disestablished in 1920

In fiction

See also

References