People group profile · PG024136
The South Azeri of Iran
The South Azeri of Iran, numbering about 17,550,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Turkic people indigenous to Iran's Azerbaijan region whose identity reflects the historical legacy of Iranian Azerbaijan and a shared Azerbaijani linguistic and cultural heritage across the Caucasus.
They are an indigenous people in the Azerbaijani people cluster of the Turkic Peoples. Their primary religion is Shia Islam, and they primarily speak South Azerbaijani.
Fast facts
- Country
- Iran
- Population
- 17,550,000
- Affinity group
- Central Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Azerbaijani
- Primary language
- South Azerbaijani (azb)
- Primary religion
- Shia Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Ardebil, East Azerbaijan, Qazvin, West Azerbaijan, and Zanjan provinces
Where they live
Gospel status
The South Azeri are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the South Azeri
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Shia Islam · Islam
95% adherents
Primary language
South Azerbaijani · Turkic family
90% speak South Azerbaijani
Gospel resources in South Azerbaijani
- Bible available, published 2013
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- 2009 Elam Ministries · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the South Azeri
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
Azerbaijani, Southern in other countries
The same people (ROP3 100677) is reported in 2 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azerbaijani | Turkiye | 557,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| South Azeri | Canada | 2,800 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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