An Examination of the Raison d`etre of the Azerbaijan Republic

Countries need to have a reason for their formation, survival, and continuity, which is referred to as the “raison d`etre of state” in political geography. The reason for the existence of a country is a direct response to the question of why there should be a state as an independent state. The reason for the formation of some countries is spontaneous and internal. The existence of some other countries is the outcome of colonial policies or the division of large empires into state-small nations. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, a country called the Republic of Azerbaijan appeared in Transcaucasia and Iran’s neighborhood. This article seeks to answer the question of what is the reason for the existence of this newly-established country and what is its relative importance for Iran's existential and national security?
The research method is qualitative. This study uses historical sources to explore the raison d`etre of the Republic of Azerbaijan and its impact on Iran’s national security. The main argument of this article is that the cultural and geopolitical contradictions between Iran and Azerbaijan spring from the raison d`etre. This study shows that contradictions between the two countries of Iran and Azerbaijan are deep and rooted in the raison d`etre. Although the two countries have had a good diplomatic relationship, these contradictions have led to a wall of distrust between the two countries and have made the relationship fragile. Consequently, the relationship could get strained with any unpleasant incidence. A large part of this mistrust lies in the raison d`etre of Azerbaijan whose structure is in conflict with the national entity of Iran.