Ethnic orientation and its Impact on the Relations of Islamic Republic of Iran and Azerbaijan Republic

The disintegration of former Soviet Union is one of the important events of the second half of the twentieth century. This event has had deep impact on the world, regional and interstate relations. The result of Soviet Union disintegration was the birth of new republics in Central Asia and Caucasus. One of these new republics is republic of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan had independence between 1918 till 1920 but later was annexed to the Soviet Union). The Azeri community with 90 per cent majority and Turkish language with intense patriotic feeling constitute the Azerbaijan republic population. Iran and Azerbaijan despite having so many commonalities like culture, history, religion, Shiite belief and common border have tense relations with each other. Why are the relations between the two countries tense despite so much commonality? The hypothesis of the authors of the article is that the ethnic orientation by Azerbaijan republic which is propagated under the name of one united Azerbaijan, has led to politicization of Azeri population of Iran and acts as an obstacle on the way of normal relations between Iran and Azerbaijan. This policy orientation has overshadowed other positive binding factors like common history, religion, Shiite belief and common border and thus it has led to tension in the relations of the two.