How an Ethnic Group in Azerbaijan Became the Center of Geopolitical Intrigue

As Iranian-speaking Talysh communities in Azerbaijan agitate for independence, the Armenian and Russian governments lend support to the movement, each for their own self-interested reasons.

by Bradley Jardine and Ryan McCarrel

In Azerbaijan, Iranian-speaking communities, known as “Talysh,” in the southern Lenkaran district are at the center of a brewing regional controversy over territorial narratives in the country. Talysh nationalists, who refer to the Lenkaran district as Talyshistan, are challenging Azerbaijan’s claim to the region, and…