Components of the Historiography of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Local Historiography of North-western Iran

In the last decade of the twentieth century, the local historiography of the northwestern regions of Iran was confronted with challenges arising from the establishment of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the resulting process of identity formation through divergent historical narratives about a millennia-long shared past with Iran. These challenges were mainly influenced by scholarly works originating from the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Republic of Azerbaijan, as an autonomous nation with historical, linguistic, and cultural ties to the northwestern territories of Iran, serves as a point of departure for examining the impact of its formation and official historiography on the historiographical landscape of the Turkish-speaking provinces of northwestern Iran. This study seeks to explore how the emergence of this sovereign state and its historical narratives have shaped and influenced the local historiography of these provinces. It is evident that the establishment of the Republic of Azerbaijan and its sanctioned historiography have exerted both overt and nuanced influences on the construction of national identity through a specific rendition of history and its associated elements. These elements encompass a diverse range of themes, including the etymology and historical evolution of the term "Azerbaijan," demarcation of territorial boundaries, discussions of North and South Azerbaijan, examinations of ancient Turkish presence and governance in the region, promotion of the Turkish language, analyses of political trajectories within the Republic of Azerbaijan and their attendant controversies, as well as a broader exploration of Turkish influence on local historiography in Turkish-speaking provinces.