1.
Azerbaijan (Iran)
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Azerbaijan or Azarbaijan, also known as Iranian Azerbaijan, is a region in northwestern Iran that borders Iraq, Turkey, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan. Iranian Azerbaijan is administratively divided into West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, Ardabil, the region is mostly populated by Azerbaijanis, with minority populations of Kurds, Armenians, Tats, Talysh, Assyrians and Persians. Historic Azerbaijan was called Atropatene in antiquity and Aturpatakan in the pre-Islamic Middle Ages, some refer to Iranian Azerbaijan as South Azerbaijan and the Republic of Azerbaijan as Northern Azerbaijan, although others believe that these terms are irredentist and politically motivated. Since then the Azerbaijani people have been partitioned between nations, the territories south of the Aras River, which comprised the region historically known as Azerbaijan, became the new north-west frontier of the Persian Empire and later Iran. The name Azerbaijan itself is derived from Atropates, the Persian Satrap of Medea in the Achaemenid empire, Atropates name is believed to be derived from the Old Persian roots meaning protected by fire. The name is mentioned in the Avestan Frawardin Yasht, âterepâtahe ashaonô fravashîm ýazamaide which translates literally to. The name Atropat in Middle Persian was transformed to Adharbad and is connected with Zoroastrianism, a famous Zoroastrian priest by the name Adarbad Mahraspandan is well known for his counsels. Thus, until 1918, when the Musavat regime decided to name the newly independent state Azerbaijan, the oldest kingdom known in Iranian Azerbaijan is that of the Mannea who ruled a region south-east of Lake Urmia centred around modern Saqqez. The Manneans were a confederation of Iranian and non-Iranian groups, according to Professor Zadok, it is unlikely that there was any ethnolinguistic unity in Mannea. Like other peoples of the Iranian plateau, the Manneans were subjected to an ever increasing Iranian penetration, the Mannaeans were conquered and absorbed by an Iranian people called Matieni, and the country was called Matiene, with Lake Urmia called Lake Matianus. Matiene was later conquered by the Medes and became a satrapy of the Median empire, after Alexander the Great conquered Persia, he appointed as governor the Persian general Atropates, who eventually established an independent dynasty. The region, which came to be known as Atropatene or Media Atropatene, was much disputed, in the 2nd century BC, it was liberated from Seleucid domination by Mithradates I of Arsacid dynasty, and was later made a province of the Sassanid Empire of Ardashir I. Under the Sassanids, Azerbaijan was ruled by a marzubān, and, towards the end of the period, large parts of the region were conquered by the Kingdom of Armenia. Large parts of the made up part of historical Armenia. The parts of historical Armenia within what is modern-day Azerbaijan comprise, Nor Shirakan, Vaspurakan, Vaspurakan, of which large parts were located in what is modern-day Iranian Azerbaijan is described as the cradle of Armenian civilization. On 26 May 451 AD, an important battle was fought that would prove immensely pivotal in Armenian history. On the Avarayr Plain, at what is modern-day Churs, the Armenian Army under Vardan Mamikonian clashed with Sassanid Persia, heraclius, the Byzantine emperor, briefly held the region in the 7th century until peace was made with the Sassanids. After the Islamic Conquest of Iran, Arab invaders converted most of its people to Islam, rustam himself was born in Azerbaijan and led the Sasanian army into battle
2.
Road bicycle racing
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Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held on paved roads. Road racing is the most popular form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events. Professional racing has been most popular in Western Europe, centered historically on France, Spain, Italy, since the mid-1980s the sport has diversified with professional races now held on all continents of the globe. Semi-professional and amateur races are held in many countries. The sport is governed by the Union Cycliste Internationale, as well as the UCIs annual World Championships for men and women, the biggest event is the Tour de France, a three-week race that can attract over 500,000 roadside supporters a day. Road bicycle racing began as a sport in 1868. The first world championship was in 1893 and cycling has been part of the Olympic Games since the sequence started in Athens in 1896. Road racing in its modern form originated in the late 19th century, the sport was popular in the western European countries of France, Spain, Belgium, and Italy. Some of Europes earliest road bicycle races remain among the sports biggest events and these early races include Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Paris–Roubaix, the Tour de France, the Milan–San Remo and Giro di Lombardia, the Giro dItalia, the Volta a Catalunya, and the Tour of Flanders. They provided a template for other races around the world, while the sport has spread throughout the world, these historic races remain the most prestigious for a cyclist to win. Single-day race distances may be as long as 150 miles, races over short circuits, often in town or city centres, are known as criteriums. Individual time trial is an event in which cyclists race alone against the clock on flat or rolling terrain, a team time trial, including two-man team time trial, is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock. In both team and individual time trials, the start the race at different times so that each start is fair. Race distances vary from a few km to between approximately 20 miles and 60 miles, stage races consist of several races, or stages, ridden consecutively. The competitor with the lowest cumulative time to all stages is declared the overall, or general classification. Stage races may also have other classifications and awards, such as stage winners, the points classification winner. A stage race can also be a series of road races, the stage winner is the first person to cross the finish line that day or the time trial rider with the lowest time on the course. The overall winner of a race is the rider who takes the lowest aggregate time to complete all stages
3.
UCI Asia Tour
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The UCI Continental Circuits are continental circuits for a series of road bicycle racing competitions since 2005. The five circuits are inferior to the UCI World Tour, both the World Tour and the Continental Circuits comprise a series of races in which various cycling teams compete regularly. It was introduced by the Union Cycliste Internationale to provide an adequate and realistic context in order to encourage the expansion of cycling, everywhere in the world. There is a competition for the ranking, team ranking. The rider in the first place of the ranking of the continental circuit at the end of the season will be the sacred winner of his circuit. The list shows the UCI Africa Tour champions according to the year, there is a competition for the individual ranking, team ranking and country ranking with the most points gained from winning or achieving a high place in the races. The rider in the first place of the ranking of the continental circuit at the end of the season will be the sacred winner of his circuit. The list shows the UCI America Tour champions according to the year, there is a competition for the individual ranking, team ranking and country ranking with the most points gained from winning or achieving a high place in the races. The rider in the first place of the ranking of the continental circuit at the end of the season will be the sacred winner of his circuit. The list shows the UCI Asia Tour champions according to the year, there is a competition for the individual ranking, team ranking and country ranking with the most points gained from winning or achieving a high place in the races. The rider in the first place of the ranking of the continental circuit at the end of the season will be the sacred winner of his circuit. The list shows the UCI Europe Tour champions according to the year, there is a competition for the individual ranking, team ranking and country ranking with the most points gained from winning or achieving a high place in the races. The rider in the first place of the ranking of the continental circuit at the end of the season will be the sacred winner of his circuit. The list shows the UCI Oceania Tour champions according to the year, UCI Africa Tour UCI America Tour UCI Asia Tour UCI Europe Tour UCI Oceania Tour
4.
Rob Ruijgh
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Rob Ruijgh is a Dutch racing cyclist, who rides for UCI Continental team Pauwels Sauzen–Vastgoedservice. As a youth Ruijgh liked to watch cycling on television, after visiting the local velodome in Geleen, he started racing at the age of 9. Three years later he became Dutch Youth Champion for 12-year-olds in Oldenzaal, because Ruijgh continued to drive good results, he came into the picture at the former Dutch national coach Egon van Kessel. As he became older, as Junior cyclist National coach Egon van Kessel invited Ruijgh to compete against foreign opponents of his age, Rob did not disappoint, winning the highly regarded World Cup Giro della Lunigiana in 2004. Shortly after that he rode the Mens Junior World Championships in Verona. By a fall and a wasp sting Rob can not join the front of the race, in 2005 Ruijgh ride for Belgium team Amuzza. com. Davo, where former topsprinter Wilfried Nelisse was his team leader. In the second year Ruijgh took the chance to joint the training squad of Team Rabobank, because of a virus in 2007, he could not keep up his good results, which took him out for a few months. In 2007 Ruijgh joined the German Team Sparkasse, Ruijgh started to perform well again and in 2008 he came out for the Dutch national team for men under 23. In 2009 he continued his good results at Team BPL-Belisol, where he won Romsée-Stavelot-Romsée and his 11th place in the Tour of Britain showed his talent again. Therefore, team manager Daan Luijkx from team Vacansoleil Pro Cycling offered him an internship in mid-2009, after the internship in mid-2009, he became a pro with the Vacansoleil-DCM pro cycling team. And signed a contract until 2011 and he made his debut in the 2010 Tour of Qatar. After the Dutch championship in Beek, Netherlands, he broke his hand while training behind a scooter, the rest of the year he finished in the top 10 five times with a 3rd place in the Binche–Tournai–Binche. In 2011, Ruijgh had a great year, at the Dutch national championships he drove his team mate Pim Ligthart to the national title in Ootmarsum, Netherlands, finishing 6th himself. He also had a performance in the Critérium du Dauphiné. After these results Ruijgh made his debut in the Tour de France and he made an excellent impression as the best Dutch cyclist, finishing 21st in the general classification and 5th in the young riders classification,33 minutes 4 seconds behind winner Cadel Evans. Because of three reasons Ruijgh could not continue his rising star, in 2012 he could not perform in the Tour de France because of a knee injury. Ruijgh also had to quit the Tour of Spain, tests proved a parasite in his stomach was the reason for his inferior condition in 2012. Also 2013 did not start well for Ruijgh, When his beloved Amstel Gold Race was in his home ares, he fell, the recovery took longer than expected because he got fever after Liège–Bastogne–Liège
5.
Iran
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Iran, also known as Persia, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a sovereign state in Western Asia. Comprising a land area of 1,648,195 km2, it is the second-largest country in the Middle East, with 82.8 million inhabitants, Iran is the worlds 17th-most-populous country. It is the country with both a Caspian Sea and an Indian Ocean coastline. The countrys central location in Eurasia and Western Asia, and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran is the countrys capital and largest city, as well as its leading economic and cultural center. Iran is the site of to one of the worlds oldest civilizations, the area was first unified by the Iranian Medes in 625 BC, who became the dominant cultural and political power in the region. The empire collapsed in 330 BC following the conquests of Alexander the Great, under the Sassanid Dynasty, Iran again became one of the leading powers in the world for the next four centuries. Beginning in 633 AD, Arabs conquered Iran and largely displaced the indigenous faiths of Manichaeism and Zoroastrianism by Islam, Iran became a major contributor to the Islamic Golden Age that followed, producing many influential scientists, scholars, artists, and thinkers. During the 18th century, Iran reached its greatest territorial extent since the Sassanid Empire, through the late 18th and 19th centuries, a series of conflicts with Russia led to significant territorial losses and the erosion of sovereignty. Popular unrest culminated in the Persian Constitutional Revolution of 1906, which established a monarchy and the countrys first legislative body. Following a coup instigated by the U. K. Growing dissent against foreign influence and political repression led to the 1979 Revolution, Irans rich cultural legacy is reflected in part by its 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the third-largest number in Asia and 11th-largest in the world. Iran is a member of the UN, ECO, NAM, OIC. Its political system is based on the 1979 Constitution which combines elements of a democracy with a theocracy governed by Islamic jurists under the concept of a Supreme Leadership. A multicultural country comprising numerous ethnic and linguistic groups, most inhabitants are Shia Muslims, the largest ethnic groups in Iran are the Persians, Azeris, Kurds and Lurs. Historically, Iran has been referred to as Persia by the West, due mainly to the writings of Greek historians who called Iran Persis, meaning land of the Persians. As the most extensive interactions the Ancient Greeks had with any outsider was with the Persians, however, Persis was originally referred to a region settled by Persians in the west shore of Lake Urmia, in the 9th century BC. The settlement was then shifted to the end of the Zagros Mountains. In 1935, Reza Shah requested the international community to refer to the country by its native name, opposition to the name change led to the reversal of the decision, and Professor Ehsan Yarshater, editor of Encyclopædia Iranica, propagated a move to use Persia and Iran interchangeably
6.
Tabriz
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Tabriz is the most populated city in the Iranian Azerbaijan, one of the historical capitals of Iran, and the present capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Located in the Quru River valley between the ridge of the volcanic cones of the Sahand and Eynali mountains, Tabrizs elevation ranges between 1,350 and 1,600 metres above sea level. The valley opens up into a plain that slopes down to the eastern shores of Lake Urmia,60 kilometres to the west. With cold winters and temperate summers, the city is considered a summer resort, Tabriz is named Worlds Carpet and Crafts City, it is also appointed as the exemplary tourism city in 2018 by Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. With a population of 1.6 million, Tabriz is the biggest economic hub, the population consists mostly of Iranian Azerbaijanis and the most spoken language in the city is Azeri Turkish. Tabriz is a heavy industry hub for automobile, machine tools, refineries and petrochemical, textile. The city is famous for its handicrafts including hand-woven rugs and jewelry, local confectioneries, chocolates, dried nuts, and traditional food of Tabriz are recognized all around Iran as some of the best Iranian food. Tabriz is also a hub and a site for some of the most prestigious cultural institutes in the northwest of Iran. The city contains many historical monuments representing the transition of Iranian architecture in its long historical timelines. Most of the historical sites in the city belong to Ilkhanid, Safavid. From the early era, the city was pivotal in the development, movement. From the 19th century, it became the most important city in the country in numerous respects, as the closest Iranian hub to Europe, many aspects of the early modern modernisation in Iran started in Tabriz. During almost the entire Qajar period, it functioned as the seat for the prince as well. According to some sources, including Encyclopædia Britannica, the name Tabriz derives from tap-riz, in AD297, it became the capital of Tiridates III, king of Armenia. However, this story has an origin and no ancient source has recorded such event. This is based on accounts of Vardan, the Armenian historian in 13th century, the early history of Tabriz is not well-documented. The earliest inscription about Tabriz, referring to the city as Tarui or Tauris, is on the Assyrian King Sargon IIs epigraph in 714 BC, Tabriz has been chosen as the capital for some rulers commencing from Atropates era and his dynasty. A recent excavation at the site of the Iron Age museum, in the north of the Blue Mosque site, more likely the city has been destroyed multiple times either by natural disasters or by the invading armies
7.
Lake Urmia
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Lake Urmia is an endorheic salt lake in Iran. The lake is between the provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan in Iran, and west of the portion of the Caspian Sea. At its full size, it was the largest lake in the Middle East and the sixth-largest saltwater lake on Earth with an area of approximately 5,200 km2,140 km length,55 km width. The lake has shrunk to 10% of its size due to damming of the rivers that flow into it. Urmia Lake, along with its once approximately 102 islands, are protected as a park by the Iranian Department of Environment. Currently, the lake is named after the capital city of Urmia. However, in the early 1930s, it was called Lake Rezaiyeh after Reza Shah Pahlavi, after the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970s the lake was renamed Urmia. Its Old Persian name was Chichast, in medieval times it came to be known as Lake Kabuda, from the word for azure in Persian, or կապույտ in Armenian. Its Latin name was Lacus Matianus so it is referred to in texts as Lake Matianus or Lake Matiene. Locally, the lake is referred to in Persian as دریاچه ارومیه, Daryāche-ye Orūmiye, in Azerbaijani as Urmu gölü, ﺍﻭﺭﻣﻮ ﮔﺆﻟﻮ, the traditional Armenian name is Կապուտան ծով, Kaputan tsov, literally blue sea. One of the mentions of Urmia Lake is from the Assyrian records from 9th century BC. There, in the records of Shalmaneser III, two names are mentioned in the area of Urmia Lake, Parsuwash and Matai and it is not completely clear whether these referred to places or tribes or what their relationship was to the subsequent list of personal names and kings. But Matais were Medes and linguistically the name Parsuwash matches the Old Persian word pārsa, the lake was the center of the Mannaean Kingdom. A potential Mannaean settlement, represented by the mound of Hasanlu, was on the south side of the lake. Mannae was overrun by the people who were called Matiani or Matieni and it is not clear whether the lake took its name from the people or the people from the lake, but the country came to be called Matiene or Matiane, and gave the lake its Latin name. The main cations in the water include Na+, K+, Ca2+, Li+ and Mg2+, while Cl−, SO2−4. The Na+ and Cl− concentration is roughly four times the concentration of natural seawater, sodium ions are at slightly higher concentration in the south compared to the north of the lake, which could result from the shallower depth in the south, and a higher net evaporation rate. The lake is divided north and south, separated by a causeway in which a 1. 5-kilometre gap provides little exchange of water between the two parts
8.
Urmia
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Urmia (Azerbaijani, اورمو –اورمیه, Persian, ارومیه is the second largest city in the Iranian Azerbaijan and the capital of West Azerbaijan Province. Urmia is situated at an altitude of 1,330 m above sea level, Lake Urmia, one of the worlds largest salt lakes, lies to the east of the city and the mountainous Turkish border area lies to the west. Urmia is the 10th most populated city in Iran, at the 2012 census, its population was 667,499 with 197,749 households. The citys inhabitants are predominantly Iranian Turks who speak Azeri Turkish, as well as Irans official language, Persian. There are also minorities of Kurds, Assyrians, and Armenians, the city is the trading center for a fertile agricultural region where fruits and tobacco are grown. An important town by the 9th century, Urmia was seized by the Seljuk Turks, for centuries the city has had a diverse population which has at times included Muslims, Christians, Jews, Baháís and Sufis. The name Urmia originated in the Kingdom of Urartu, Urartian fortresses and artifacts found across Azerbaijan and into the Azerbaijan province of Iran denote a Urartian etymology. The citys Armenian population also complements the idea of a Urartian origin, richard Nelson Frye also suggested a Urartian origin for the name. Hence Urmia simply means Watertown — a befitting name for a city situated by a lake and surrounded by rivers, would be the cradle of water. This also suggests, that the Assyrians referred to the Urartian influence in Urmia as ancestors of the inhabitants of the Sumerian city state Ur, referenced Biblically as Ur of the Chaldees. Thus the root of Urmia is an Assyrian reference to the etymology of the Urartu/Ur Kingdoms and the Aramaic word Mia meaning water, burrow noted, referenced the city that is situated by a lake and surrounded by rivers. As of 1921, Urmia was also called, Urumia and Urmi, according to Vladimir Minorsky, there were villages in the Urmia plain as early as 2000 BC, with their civilization under the influence of the Kingdom of Van. The excavations of the ancient ruins near Urmia led to the discovery of utensils that date to the 20th century BC. When in 1622, during the reign of Safavid king Abbas I Qasem Sultan Afshar was appointed governor of Mosul and he moved to the western part of Azerbaijan, and became the founder of the Afshar community of Urmia. The city was the capital of the Urmia Khanate from 1747–1865, the first monarch of Irans Qajar dynasty, Agha Muhammad Khan, was crowned in Urmia in 1795. Due to the presence of substantial Christian minority at the end of the 19th century, another mission soon became operational in nearby Tabriz as well. During World War I the population was estimated at 30,000 by Dr. Caujole, during the 19th century, the region became the center of a short lived Assyrian renaissance with many books and newspapers being published in Syriac. Urmia was also the seat of a Chaldean diocese, at the beginning of the First World War tens of thousands of Assyrians and Armenians from the Ottoman Empire found refuge in Urmia
9.
Jolfa, Iran (city)
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Jolfa is a city in and capital of Jolfa County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 4,983, Jolfa is located to the north of Tabriz, separated by the Aras River from its northern neighbor and namesake, the town of Julfa in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Some 18,000 students study in the schools and 450 students attend the universities from all over the country. The employed population of the city work in service, administrative, transport, customs, banks and insurance as well as in other trade, the majority of the rural population are farmers. With the increasing level of education and the popularity of mechanical agriculture, there are increasing numbers of young, Jolfa is one of the most important border towns for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union, all imports and exports of Iran with the USSR, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia were primarily carried out through Jolfa. During the year 1990 and 1991 the volume of cargo exchanges through the Jolfa border amounted to 2.69 and 2.37 million tons respectively, forming over 10 percent of the countrys imports. After the closing of the Caucasus-Jolfa railway due to the dispute over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan, cargo exchanges through this border dropped sharply. However, in recent years, an average of 150,000 tons of cargo have been cleared from Jolfa border to Turkey, Azerbaijan Republic, Armenia. Saint Stepanos Monastery Jolfa Water Mill Chapel of Chupan Moein Ghorbani
10.
Meshginshahr
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Meshgin Shahr is a city in and the capital of Meshgin Shahr County, in Ardabil Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 63,655, the city is 839 kilometres from Tehran. Being near the high Savalan Mountains it enjoys a moderate mountainous climate, savalans summit can be seen from the south of the city with an eye catching scenery. The antiquity of the city back to the early centuries of the Islamic conquest. The city is known for its Azerbaijani rugs and its mineral springs. Also, Irans first geothermal power station, Meshkinshahr Geothermal Power Plant is situated in the outskirts of this city, Meshkin Shahr It is located in the north-west of Iran and the nearest city to the Sabalan high mountain. The weather of the city and the district of Meshkin Shahr is moderate mountainous, in the past it was referred to as “Khiav”, “Orami”, or ”Varavi”. The longest suspended footbridge of the world is located above the Khiav river, tourism Attraction, The longest Suspended footbridge of the world built in 2015 by Iranian-Canadian engineers,365 meter long 80 meters above the Khiyav River. One of the highest and longest suspension bridges in the world. Historical Monuments, - Old castle of Meshkin Shahr, - Ancient site of Shahar Yeri located near the village of Pirazmian,32 Kilometers from Meshkinshahr. - Qahqaheh castle located 80 kilometers to Meshkin Shahr, - Deev castle located in kavij. - Petrograph of Shapour sasani in Meshkin Shahr, - Tomb of Sheykh Haydar in Meshkin Shahr. - Arshaq castle located 60 kilometers to Meshkin Shahr, - Qishlaq Zaakhor castle located 50 kilometers to Meshkin Shahr. org/farsi/archives/178 MeshkinShahr Photo Gallery Shahrdari Meshkinshahr Dade Pardazi Sabze Meshkin
11.
Kaleybar
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Kaleybar, also Romanized as Kalībar, Kalipar, Keleibar, and Keleivar) is a city in and the capital of Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. According to the 2006 census, Kaleybar, with a population of 9,030 in 2,397 families, is the 25th most populated city of the province, in recent year the city has become a tourist destination thanks to its proximity to Babak Castle. In addition, as a result of geopolitical developments Kaleybar is gradually replacing Ahar as the city of Qareh Dagh region. Kaleybar, known as Badd or Baddayn in Islamic chronicles, was the stronghold of Babak Khorramdin who, in 816 AD, Babaks resistance was ended in 836 when he was defeated by the Iranian General Afshin, acting on behalf of the Caliphate. The events of the two decades long tumultuous times subjected the town to the reports of early Islamic historians, the first reference to Kaleybar has been by Al-Masudi in The Meadows of Gold, Babak revolted in Bedh region with the deciples of Djavidan. Following a series of defeats Babak was blockaded in his native town, which even now is known as Babaks country. Ibn Athir in his book, The Complete History, has devoted many pages to the description of battles took place in Kaleybar between the Armies of Caliphate and Babaks forces. Yaqut al-Hamawi, writing in early thirteenth century, describes Kaleybar as the followin and this is where Babek resisted when he rebelled against Motaçem. There was a near Bedd, says the poet Moçer, a place of an area of three acres, every time we say the name of God, a hidden voice responds. This is where the Red-Wearing Ones, also called the Khurramites raised the standard of revolt led by Babak, at the bottom, flows a large river which has the property of curing the most inveterate fevers. The Arax river flows on the border and this county produces pomegranates of incomparable beauty, excellent figs and grapes that are dried on fires. Hamdallah Mustawfi, writing in mid century, mentions Kaleybar as, A village of Azerbaijan. The country produces wheat and fruit, and its inhabitants, who are Turks or Mongols, Kaleybar, perhaps, suffered enormously during Russo-Persian War and Russo-Persian War due to its proximity to the war zone. Moreover, through the involvement of Arasbaran tribes in armed conflicts during the Persian Constitutional Revolution, the period has been described in the following books, which are dedicated to the contemporary history of Arasbaran region. H. Bayburdi The history of Arasbaran, H. Doosti, The history and geography of Arasbaran, N. Sedqi, The contemporary political and social history of Arasbaran, the Tribes of Qarāca Dāġ, A Brief History by P. Oberling. He renamed Qaradağ as Arasbaran to deny the Turkic identity of the inhabitants, in recent years, as a reaction to this oppressive acts, there has been an identity-seeking movement which emphasizes on the heroic resistance of Babak. In 1998-2006 period Babak Castle considered a shrine for the movement, the dominant religion is Shia Islam. However, followers of Yârsân or Ahl-e Haqq constitute a minority in the town
12.
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
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The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is a landlocked exclave of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The region covers 5,500 km2 with a population of 410,000, bordering Armenia to the east and north, Iran to the south and west, the area that is now Nakhchivan became part of the Safavid dynasty of Iran in the 16th century. In 1828, after the last Russo-Persian War and the Treaty of Turkmenchay, in June 1918, the region came under Ottoman occupation. Under the terms of the Armistice of Mudros, the Ottomans agreed to pull their troops out of the Transcaucasus to make way for British occupation at the close of the First World War. The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is an area of Azerbaijan, governed by its own elected legislature. The region continues to suffer from the effects of the Armenia-Azerbaijan War, the administrative capital city is Nakhchivan. Vasif Talibov has been the leader since 1995, variations of the name Nakhchivan include Nakhichevan, Naxcivan, Naxçivan, Nachidsheuan, Nakhijevan, Nakhchawan, Nakhitchevan, Nakhjavan, and Nakhdjevan. Hübschmann notes, however, that it was not known by name in antiquity. Instead, he states the name evolved to Nakhchivan from Naxčawan. The prefix Naxč derives from Naxič or Naxuč and awan is Armenian for place, Nakhchivan was also mentioned in Ptolemys Geography and by other classical writers as Naxuana. Armenian tradition says that Nakhchivan was founded by Noah, the oldest material culture artifacts found in the region date back to the Neolithic Age. The region was part of the states of Urartu and later Media and it became part of the Satrapy of Armenia under Achaemenid Persia c.521 BC. In 189 BC, Nakhchivan became part of the new Kingdom of Armenia established by Artaxias I, within the kingdom, the region of present-day Nakhchivan was part of the Ayrarat, Vaspurakan and Syunik provinces. The areas status as a trade center allowed it to prosper, as a result. According to the Armenian historian Faustus of Byzantium, when the Sassanid Persians invaded Armenia, in 428, the Armenian Arshakuni monarchy was abolished and Nakhchivan was annexed by Sassanid Persia. In 623, possession of the passed to the Byzantine Empire. It happened in the province of Gokhtan, which corresponds to Nakhchivans modern Ordubad district, in 705, after suppressing an Armenian revolt, Arab viceroy Muhammad ibn Marwan decided to eliminate the Armenian nobility. In Nakhchivan, several hundred Armenian nobles were locked up in churches and burnt, the violence caused many Armenian princes to flee to the neighboring Kingdom of Georgia or the Byzantine Empire
13.
Azerbaijan
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Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a country in the South Caucasus region, situated at the crossroads of Southwest Asia and Southeastern Europe. It is bound by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west and Iran to the south. The exclave of Nakhchivan is bound by Armenia to the north and east, Iran to the south and west, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence in 1918 and became the first democratic state in the Muslim orient world. The country was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920 as the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, the modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991, prior to the official dissolution of the USSR in December 1991. In September 1991, the Armenian majority of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region seceded to form the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, the region and seven adjacent districts outside it became de facto independent with the end of the Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1994. These regions are recognized as part of Azerbaijan pending a solution to the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic, the country is a member state of the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the NATO Partnership for Peace program. It is one of six independent Turkic states, a member of the Turkic Council. Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 countries and holds membership in 38 international organizations and it is one of the founding members of GUAM, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Its term of office began on 19 June 2006, Azerbaijan is also a member state of the Non-Aligned Movement, holds observer status in World Trade Organization and is a correspondent at the International Telecommunication Union. The Constitution of Azerbaijan does not declare an official religion and all political forces in the country are secularist. However, the majority of the population are of a Shiite Muslim background, Azerbaijan has a high level of human development which ranks on par with most Eastern European countries. It has a rate of economic development and literacy, as well as a low rate of unemployment. According to the Davos World Economic Forum, Azerbaijans economy has scored 37th place within 138 countries in 2016, Global Competitiveness Index 2015 indicates that Azerbaijan scores highest in its region. ASAN services, established with Presidential Decree, are known for eliminating bribery. ASAN Service has been awarded with United Nations Public Service Award 2015, the ruling party, the New Azerbaijan Party, has been accused of authoritarianism and human rights abuses. The original etymology of name is thought to have its roots in the once-dominant Zoroastrianism. In the Avesta, Frawardin Yasht, there is a mention of âterepâtahe ashaonô fravashîm ýazamaide, the name Atropates itself is the Greek transliteration of an Old Iranian, probably Median, compounded name with the meaning Protected by the Fire or The Land of the Fire
Mohammad Reza Bajoul (IRI)
Rob Ruijgh (NED)
