Pishevari: A Reflection on the Fragility of a Charisma

 Ruzbeh Saadati – September 4, 2025

Sayyed Ja'far Pishevari was an Iranian/South Azerbaijani politician best known for founding and leading the Azerbaijani Democratic Party, which established and governed the short-lived Azerbaijan People's Government from November 1945 to December 1946.

The historical memory of the twentieth century is replete with charismatic leaders who emerged amid social crises. Nelson Mandela, in apartheid-era South Africa—a society divided between Black people fighting for equality and whites concerned with maintaining security and privileges—became a symbol of unity and hope. Similarly, Martin Luther King Jr. emerged in racially segregated America, where African Americans demanded civil rights and white populations feared social instability. Through his inspiring leadership, King united millions around his charismatic vision.

While these figures are not directly comparable to Mir Jafar Pishevari, their examples offer a clearer understanding of the mechanics of charisma through minimal theoretical lenses.

Teoman Aktan: The Demonization of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party is Part of Iran’s Policy to Exclude Turkish Identity from the Political Sphere

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 12, 2024

Teoman Aktan, political analyst

Seventy-nine years have passed since the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP), under the leadership of Seyyed Jafar Pishevari, established the short-lived Azerbaijan National Government in Tabriz.

Political analyst and activist Teoman Aktan, in an interview with Voice of America, discussed the significance of the ADP in Iran’s contemporary history and the perspectives of Iranian intellectuals and politicians on that period. In the interview, Aktan emphasized that the negative campaigns against the ADP are part of the Iranian government’s policy to marginalize Turkish identity and exclude Turks from the political arena.

The Democratic Party of Azerbaijan’s Letter to the American Consul in Tabriz

Younes Leysi-Derilou (Younes.Leysi@gmail.com) - December 12, 2024

In this article, Younes Leysi Darilou examines and publishes a letter from the head of the Social Affairs Committee of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (DPA), signed by M. Ravandi in November 1945. The letter, written in both Persian and Azerbaijani Turkish, was addressed to the American Consul in Tabriz. It discusses issues such as oppression of rural villagers and the demands of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan to have their voices heard in international media. This declassified letter is analyzed in the article along with its relevant historical and political background.

The 79th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Azerbaijan National Government in Tabriz

By Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 11, 2024

Seyyed Jafar Pishevari, Founder of the Azerbaijan National Government

Seventy-nine years have passed since the Azerbaijan Democratic Party established the Azerbaijan National Government in Tabriz. Seyyed Jafar Pishevari served as the government's leader, founded on December 12, 1945 (21 Azar 1324 in the Hijri calendar).

While the 21st of Azar is commemorated in various cities of Iranian Azerbaijan as the anniversary of the establishment of the National Government, Iranian media and official Tehran present it as "the day Azerbaijan was liberated from separatist forces." Over the years, Iranian security forces have arrested numerous citizens and political activists for marking the anniversary of the National Government.

Cultural Activists in Iranian Azerbaijan Commemorate the 77th Anniversary of the Burning of Turkish Books

By Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 17, 2023

Cultural activists have distributed Turkish books in cities such as Urmia, Tabriz, and Ardabil.

Cultural activists in various cities of Iranian Azerbaijan are commemorating the 77th anniversary of the burning of Turkish books by the Pahlavi government following the overthrow of the Azerbaijan National Government in 1946.

According to reports and images shared by sources such as Araz News and the Abbas Lisani Telegram channel, Turkish language rights activists distributed children’s Turkish books in neighborhoods and in front of schools in cities like Urmia, Tabriz, and Ardabil.

Toğrul Atabay: In 1945-46, a "Language Revolution" Similar to Turkey's Took Place in Iranian Azerbaijan

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 17, 2023

Toğrul Atabay, Turkologist

Turkologist and writer Toğrul Atabay spoke to Voice of America about the language reforms carried out by the Azerbaijan National Government, centered in Tabriz, during the years 1945-46, and the characteristics of Turkish used in the government institutions, press, and education during that period.

Many Turkish language rights activists in Iranian Azerbaijan commemorate the anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan National Government as the "Day Turkish Became Official." The government was overthrown in December 1946 when the Iranian army attacked Tabriz and other cities. During this period, Turkish-language books and magazines published were burned by the Iranian army in schools and city squares.

The Mass Burning of Turkish Books

Mohammad Rahmanifar - 13 December 2023 

Remembering the destruction of culture and language: A burning book symbolizes the efforts to erase the Turkish language in South Azerbaijan. Yet, the spirit of resistance lives on as cultural activists continue to preserve and promote their heritage through books in their mother tongue.

Before the fall of the Qajar dynasty and the rise of Reza Shah to the throne in 1925, it was possible to publish books in Turkish, Persian, and Arabic in Iran and South Azerbaijan. However, during Reza Shah's reign, not only were books banned, but the writing and publication of Turkish were also forbidden. During this period, a total of 13 newspapers and publications were released in Azerbaijan—12 in Persian and one in Armenian. In other words, throughout his rule, no Turkish-language newspapers were published in Azerbaijan.

Teoman Aktan: In 1945, the Azerbaijan Democratic Party aimed to build democracy at a local level

 Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 11, 2023

Teoman Aktan

Political analyst and activist Teoman Aktan, in an interview with Voice of America on the 78th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan National Government in Tabriz under the leadership of Seyyed Jafar Pishavari in 1945-46, discussed the political identity and concept of social justice of the short-lived government.

He analyzed the reforms carried out by the founding party, the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, in the fields of politics, economy, and education.

Linguistic Policy and the Structure of the Azerbaijani National Government

Dr. Riza Heyet

The group photo of the founders, members, and supporters of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party led by Seyed Jafar Pishavari.

The one-year period of the "Azerbaijani National Government," established in Southern Azerbaijan in 1945, which lasted until 1946, was of vital significance, especially in terms of linguistic and socio-cultural aspects, for the Turks of Southern Azerbaijan. The Turks of Iran, who had been defeated in the political struggle in 1925, were subjected to a severe phase of Persianization along with a prohibition on their language. This phase, which lasted for more than 15 years, was briefly ended in 1945 with the establishment of the "Azerbaijani National Government" by the politicians and intellectuals of Azerbaijan, with Seyed Jafar Pishavari at the forefront. The establishment and continuation of the "Azerbaijani National Government" aimed at eradicating assimilation policies and instilling national identity awareness in the Turks of Southern Azerbaijan during a turbulent one-year period. The linguistic policy of the Turkish language in the "Azerbaijani National Government" gave national identity to the Turkish language. Turkish became the official language of Azerbaijan. Along with the development of the Turkish language in schools, courts, and all official bodies, opportunities for the education and preservation of the languages of other minorities were also provided. In just one year, the number of published books exceeded one hundred volumes. The population of poets and writers of Azerbaijan was established, and cultural relations between the two Azerbaijans were developed. However, with the dissolution of the Azerbaijani National Government in 1946 and the re-subordination of Azerbaijan to the Pahlavi regime, a new and longer period of Persianization began.

Ural Hatemi: "To Analyze Our Current Situation, We Must Look at Our Past, Especially the Period of the Azerbaijan National Government"

 Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 11, 2022

Ural Hatemi

It has been 76 years since the fall of the Azerbaijan National Government, which was established in Tabriz in 1945. Sociologist Ural Hatemi discussed the historical significance of the short-lived national government in an interview with Voice of America. He also commented on the slogan "Freedom, Justice, National Government," which has recently been heard in the streets of various cities in Iranian Azerbaijan.

The Position of Turkish from Reza Shah to Pishavari (1920-1945)

Younes Leysi-Derilou (Younes.Leysi@gmail.com) - December 12, 2021

An overview of the trajectory and fate of the discussion about the Turkish language and its manifestation in the political arena until the rise of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, its downfall, and the eventual attainment of the right to speak and be taught in the mother tongue in Iranian Azerbaijan.

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The status of the Turkish language from the time Reza Shah came to power until the establishment of the national government of Azerbaijan under the leadership of Sayed Jafar Pishavari experienced both decline and resurgence. During Reza Shah’s rule, the Turkish language was heavily suppressed. Ahmad Kasravi and others with Pan-Iranian ideologies, both during Reza Shah's reign and afterwards, sought to eliminate Turkish by promoting the theory of “Azari” as a language distinct from Turkish. Accusations against the Turkish language, alongside the promotion of the Persian language and the economic oppression of Azerbaijan, became central to Reza Shah’s policies. However, when Iran was occupied by Soviet forces and Reza Shah was exiled by British forces, the way was paved for the promotion of Turkish in Azerbaijan. During the short-lived year of the Azerbaijan National Government, Azerbaijani Turkish flourished, and after its collapse, Mohammad Reza Shah’s government took measures to destroy books written in Turkish and followed in the footsteps of his father.

The Day They Burned Our Books

Ruzbeh Saadati – December 17, 2017

On December 18, 1946, the newspaper Ettelaat reported: "Turkish books were burned. Signs were replaced, and the bazaar was inaugurated with a grand ceremony. Yesterday, the people of Tabriz and students at Ferdowsi High School expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Colonel Zangeneh and Hero Rezaei (from Urmia). The crowd burned Turkish books in front of the municipality."

When Mirza Hassan Roshdieh founded the first modern schools in Iran—first in Tabriz, then in Mashhad—he faced fierce opposition from reactionaries who saw knowledge as a threat to their culture and traditions. His schools were considered “foreign imports,” and anything that carried the scent of modernity was met with hostility. Authorities repeatedly forced his schools to close and even threatened him personally. Among his many contributions, Roshdieh authored a Turkish-language book, Vatan Dili. Decades later, this legacy was co-opted by the Pahlavi regime to advance nationwide education alongside cultural homogenization.

Mostafa Tajzadeh and the Reformists’ Centralist Alignment

Ruzbeh Saadati – December 11, 2017

Mostafa Tajzadeh is an Iranian reformist politician

Mostafa Tajzadeh, a leading figure of mainstream reformism in Iran, recently shared on his Telegram channel a poster commemorating the anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party. The poster’s title—“Saving Iran from Disintegration and Foreign Domination”—sets the tone. Alongside the text, it features an image of Garshasp’s statue locked in battle with Ahriman. The symbolism is clear: Ahriman stands for the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, while Garshasp appears as the savior who rescues Azerbaijan from its clutches.

Abdulla Amir Hashimi: The Burning of Turkish Books in 1946 Was Cultural Genocide

 By Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 16, 2016

Abdulla Amirhashimi

In an interview with Voice of America, Abdulla Amir Hashimi, chairman of the South Azerbaijan Congress, reflected on the events following the overthrow of the Azerbaijani National Government by the Iranian army in 1946.
  

The Azerbaijan Democratic Party: Intellectual Roots, Social Base, and Struggles for Political and Social Change

Ruzbeh Saadati – September 3, 2016

Seyid Jafar Pishevari with members and leaders of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, 1945

Azerbaijan Before September 1941

Seventy-one years ago on this day, Azerbaijanis, through the establishment of the Azerbaijani Democratic Party and subsequently the National Government, were once again able to enter the political equations of the country. With the rise of the National Government, many existing structures changed—among them the removal of the monopoly of Persian as the sole official language, land reforms, and granting women, for the first time in Iran, the right to vote and to be elected. Before that, and as a result of Reza Khan’s despotism and the events of 1920, Azerbaijan had witnessed a comprehensive decline. The authoritarian modernization policies of the government, Tehran’s homogenizing policies, and systemic economic discrimination had pushed Azerbaijan—once the most influential region of Iran—into the margins.

The National Movement in Azerbaijan and the Legacy of the 1945-46 National Government

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 25, 2014

Alirza Ardabili

In an interview with Voice of America, Tribun website editor Alireza Ardabili discussed whether the democratic and progressive values adopted by the Azerbaijani National Government established in 1945-46 are reflected in the activities of various political movements currently existing in Iranian Azerbaijan.

The Rise and Fall of the Azerbaijan National Government: Struggle, Betrayal, and Occupation

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 12, 2014

Yadulla Kanani

Yadulla Kanani states that there were certain disagreements among the leaders of the Azerbaijan National Government. According to him, while a group led by Seyid Jafar Pishevari wanted to resist in 1946, the majority chose to engage in negotiations and accept Tehran’s conditions.

Daryoush Andalibian: Unlawful Sentencing for Honoring the Azerbaijan National Government

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, September 15, 2014

Daryoush Andalibian

Southern Azerbaijani activist Daryoush Andalibian, who was sentenced to nine months in prison by Iranian courts for attending the anniversary ceremony of the Azerbaijan National Government, told Voice of America that the court’s decision was made under the orders of Iran’s security agencies.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Party: A Historic Necessity and the Struggle for National Rights

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, September 13, 2014

Yadulla Kanani

In September 1945, on the 69th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP) in Tabriz, Southern Azerbaijani political activist Yadulla Kanani spoke with Voice of America about the reasons behind the party’s formation. He also assessed the activities of leftist groups in Southern Azerbaijan and Iran regarding the rights of non-Persian peoples and national issues since the period of the Azerbaijan National Government.

Reclaiming History: Azerbaijani Turks Break Free from Soviet and Iranian Narratives on the Azerbaijan National Government

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 13, 2013

Alirza Ardabili

"Today, Azerbaijani Turks no longer evaluate the National Government established by Seyid Jafar Pishavari through a Soviet or Iranian perspective; they have developed their own unique viewpoint," says the editor of Tribun website. In an interview with Voice of America, Alireza Ardabili assessed the different perspectives of Soviet, Iranian, and Azerbaijani historiography on the Azerbaijan National Government established in southern Azerbaijan in 1945-46.