2025-01-22T21:28:24+00:00
Shafaq News/ In a vibrant celebration of the 79th anniversary of the establishment of the “Mahabad Republic,” a gathering of artists and art enthusiasts came together to commemorate the event.
A cultural evening was held in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, on the evening of January 22, marking the founding of the first Kurdish republic, the “Republic of Mahabad,” established on the same date in 1946.
The event was attended by a number of artists, cultural enthusiasts, foreign guests, and diplomats, who gathered to honor the memory of the birth of the Kurdish republic. The highlight of the evening was a musical performance by the Kurdistan Orchestra.
The “Republic of Mahabad” was declared in Iran following the end of World War II on January 22, 1946, with Qazi Mohammad elected as its first president. “Mahabad” incorporated parts of Iranian Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, and Western Iran. Modeled after the Soviet Union, it had a president, prime minister, and parliament, and even its own army—the Peshmerga—trained and equipped by the Soviet Union.
The “Republic of Mahabad” garnered significant support from Kurds in Iran, offering them a platform to assert their cultural identity. However, the fledgling republic faced immense challenges and did not endure for long.
On March 26, 1946, the Soviets promised the Iranian government they would withdraw from northwest Iran due to pressure from Western powers, including the United States, and the United Nations Security Council.
By June of that year, Iran regained control over Iranian Azerbaijan, isolating the “Republic of Mahabad.” This led to a decline in resources for the tribes that had supported Qazi Mohammad, and the cessation of economic and military aid from the Soviet Union, resulting in the republic’s collapse.
On December 5, 1946, the war council informed Qazi Mohammad that they would resist the Iranian army’s advance into the region. However, Qazi Mohammad feared that the Iranian military would slaughter Kurdish civilians, and he sought to avoid conflict at all costs.
On December 15, 1946, Iranian forces entered Mahabad. Upon arrival, they shut down the Kurdish printing press, banned Kurdish language education, and burned all Kurdish books, including school texts.
On March 31, 1947, Qazi Mohammad was executed by hanging in Mahabad, accused of treason. His execution took place in the same Garjra Square where he had once declared the founding of the republic.
Source: Shafaq News
