Languages of Iran
In Iran, there are two distinct branches of Turkic: Oghuz Turkic languages and dialects that represent the southwestern branch of Turkic, and Khalaj, which presents a tiny branch of its own. Most widely spoken is Azerbaijani. Turkic languages and dialects of Iran included Azerbaijani, Qashqai, Khorasani Turkic, Turkmen, Central Oghuz dialect varieties, Sonqori, Afshar and Khalaj. The Azerbaijani lost the vocal harmony typical of Turkic languages. Hendrik Boeschoten gives the following estimates for speakers of Turkic languages in Iran, with a total population then of 62 million: Azerbaijani, 13 million; Qashqai, 570,000; Khorasani Turkic, 400,000; Turkmen, 500,000; Khalaj, 28,000. However, Bulut in 2005, estimates 40,000 for Khalaj.