AZERBAIJAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IN SOUTHERN AZAERBAJIAN AND TURKISH PUBLIC OPINION

The “Azerbaijan National Government” was established under the presidency of Seyyid Cafer Pi？evari in Iran, in the South Azerbaijan during the World War II. The most important development paving the way for the establishment of this government was the German-English struggle in Iran because the English forces entered Iran in August 1941 to dethrone R？za Shah Pehlevi, a German supporter, and get his son Muhammed R？za to ascend to the throne. The Russians took advantage of this move into Iran on 11 September 1941 and occupied Tabriz. During this period, the Azerbaijan Democratic Party under the leadership of Cafer Pi？evari came into play. The Azerbaijan National Government was established as a result of the election conducted under the protection of Russia on 12 December 1945. However, after about a year, military forces called patriots entered Tabriz on 12 December, before the Iranian army appeared, and massacred the people. The purpose of this study is to discuss the emergence of the Azerbaijan National Government and its activities as represented in the Turkish press, and to highlight the general Turkish public opinion towards this political formation through documents as well as other pulpable sources concerning the issue