People Group Prayer Guides
Pray for the Azeri of Iran
“The Lord God will be awesome to them when He destroys all the gods of the land. The nations on every shore will worship him, every one in its own land.” —Zeph 2:11
The Azeris of Iran are one of the largest ethnic groups in Central Asia. There are two Azeri provinces located in the far northwest corner of Iran. Azeri peoples live in major Iranian cities, such as Tabriz, and in small villages and nomadic encampments. There are well over 10 million people that speak the Azeri Turkish language at home, even though the national language is Farsi.
Like most Iranians, the Azeris are Shia Muslims. Unlike the majority of those living in rural Iran, the Azeris have a progressive view concerning the role of women. One of the biggest freedoms Azeri women enjoy is being able to work outside the home. Among the Azeris Muslim identity seems more of a root to culture, community and family, rather than dedication to the Muslim faith.
Some researchers still record no believers among the Azeris of Iran, making them one of the least reached groups on earth. However God is at work among them. Recently at least ten Azeris living in Iran have come to faith in Christ.
Pray that a church of Azeri-speaking Iranians would be formed from these new believers.
Pray that many of the tribes who speak an Azeri language currently have no opportunity to hear the Gospel. These nomadic people, such as the Afshar and Shahsavani, live in tents.
Pray that Azeri speaking believers from the country of Azerbaijan could increasingly reach out to their southern neighbors.
Learn more
http://www.everytongue.com/iran/index.htm —This site provides a listing of all the people groups in Iran and reports on the status of the work among them.
http://www.iranologie.com —A concise and informative website about ancient civilizations in Iran.