Republic of Mahabad | ||||||||||
کۆماری مەهاباد Komara Mehabadê |
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De facto autonomous, Soviet-allied state | ||||||||||
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Anthem Ey Reqîb Oh Enemy |
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Capital | Mahabad | |||||||||
Languages | Kurdish | |||||||||
Government | Communist state | |||||||||
President | Qazi Muhammad (KDPI) | |||||||||
Prime Minister | Haji Baba Sheikh (KDPI) | |||||||||
Historical era | Cold War | |||||||||
• | Autonomy declared | January 22, 1946 | ||||||||
• | Soviet withdrawal | June 1946 | ||||||||
• | Iran establishes control | December 15, 1946 | ||||||||
• | Leaders executed | March 31, 1947 | ||||||||
Currency | Soviet ruble | |||||||||
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The Republic of Mahabad (Kurdish: کۆماری مەھاباد Komara Mehabadê; Persian: جمهوری مهاباد) was a short-lived self-governing state in present-day Iran. The Republic of Mahabad arose alongside the Azerbaijan People's Government, a similarly short-lived state.
The capital of Republic of Mahabad was the city of Mahabad, in northwestern Iran. The state encompassed a small territory, including Mahabad and the adjacent cities of Piranshahr and Oshnavieh. The republic's foundation and demise was a part of the Iran crisis during the opening stages of the Cold War.
Iran was invaded by the Allies in late August 1941, with the Soviets controlling the north. In the absence of a central government, the Soviets attempted to attach northwestern Iran to the Soviet Union, and promoted Kurdish nationalism. From these factors resulted a Kurdish manifesto that above all sought autonomy and self-government for the Kurdish people in Iran within the limits of the Iranian state.