Iranian Azerbaijanis
Mahmoud Afshar, in various articles in his journal Āyanda (1925–27, 1944–45, 1955), a political scientist, pioneered a systematic scholarly treatment of various aspects of Iranian national identity, territorial integrity, and national unity. An influential nationalist, he also displayed a strong belief in the nationalist character of Iranian people throughout the country’s long history. He was the first to propose the idea of pan-Iranism to safeguard the unity and territorial integrity of the nation against the onslaught of pan-Turkism and pan-Arabism.