Azadistan ( fa, آزادستان, Āzādestān, lit=The Land of Freedom), was a short-lived state in

Iranian Azerbaijan Azerbaijan or Azarbaijan ( fa, آذربایجان, ''Āzarbāijān'' ; az-Arab, آذربایجان, ''Āzerbāyjān'' ), also known as Iranian Azerbaijan, is a historical region in northwestern Iran that borders Iraq, Turkey, the Nakhchivan ...

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

Mohammad Khiabani Shaikh Mohammad Khiābāni ( fa, شیخ محمد خیابانی, 1880–1920), sometimes spelled Khiyabani, also known as Shaikh Mohammad Khiābāni Tabrizi was an Iranian Shia cleric, political leader, and representative to the parliament. He wa ...

, an

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

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

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

and the

British colonialism The British Empire was composed of the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. I ...

.
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 (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...

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

which was called

Azerbaijan Democratic Republic The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic), or simply as Azerbaijan in Paris Peace Conference, 1919–1920,''Bulletin d'Information de l'Azerbaidjan'', No. I, September 1, 1919, pp. 6–7''125 H.C.Debs.'', 58., February 24, 1920, p. 1467. Caucasian Az ...

, 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 and social revolution that took place in the former Russian Empire which began during the First World War. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and adopt a socialist form of government ...

, 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 (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, in a protest to the 1919 Treaty between

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

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 Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, 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 Hassan Vossug ed Dowleh ( fa, حسن وثوق‌الدوله; 1 April 1868 – 3 February 1951) was twice Prime Minister of Iran. He was the older brother of Ahmad Qavam, who also served as Prime Minister. Life Hassan Vossug was born to one of ...

Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...

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

the new prime minister sent

Mehdi Qoli Hedayat Mehdi Qoli Khan Hedayat ( fa, مهدی قلی هدایت), also known as Mokhber-ol Saltaneh (1863 – September 21, 1955), was Prime Minister of Iran and an author of several books on Iranian music, modern education, poetry, current affairs, an ...

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 paramilita ...

'', 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