Azerbaijan crisis (1947-1948)
In 1947, while northern Iranian areas were under Soviet occupation, Pishevari, supported by the Soviet force, declared Azerbaijan as an autonomous region and demanded its secession from Iran. The central authority, faced with the instability of cabinets which came and went in raid succession, was prevented from sending its armed forces to restore its sovereignty in Azerbaijan since Soviet troops did not allow them access to the province. Gradually, the Azerbaijan autonomous government expanded the scope of its geographical domination until the whole Azerbaijan region were put under the government of the Azerbaijan Democrat Party with Pishevari as its prime minister. The situation experienced a turn with Qavam's appointment as prime minister. He succeeded in persuading the Soviet Union to withdraw its troops in exchange for a number of concessions while also made a number of promises (some not legally enforceable) to Pishevari in order to sign an agreement with him. With Soviet troops out of the region, Iranian forces entered the province officially to supervise elections to the fifteenth term of the Majlis. Pishevari and his cabinet fled before Iranian army captured the province and found their ways to Soviet Union. Thus, the autonomy movement, deprived of foreign military support, came to and end.
