List of Azerbaijanis

This is a list of prominent people from the Republic of Azerbaijan (or, previously, the Azerbaijan SSR) and Azeri people from Iran.

Republic of Azerbaijan

Actors

* Siyavush Aslan, actor
* Fakhraddin Manafov, actor
* Huseyngulu Sarabski, theatre actor
* Melahat Abbasova, actress in Turkey (born in Baku)
* Yashar Nuri, actor
* Nasiba Zeynalova, actress
* Arif Guliyev, actor

Art

* Mikail Abdullayev, painter
* Sattar Bahlulzadeh, painter
* Alibey Huseynzadeh, painter
* Togrul Narimanbekov, painter
* Tahir Salahov, painter
* Sadig Sharifzadeh, painter

Authors

* Chingiz Abdullayev, writer
* Mirza Fatali Akhundov, writer
* Banine, French writer
* Fuzûlî, poet
* Jalil Mammadguluzadeh, writer
* Imadaddin Nasimi, poet
* Khurshidbanu Natavan, poetess
* Lev Nussimbaum, writer
* Mirza Alakbar Sabir, poet
* Abdulla Shaig, poet
* Molla Panah Vagif, poet
* Aliagha Vahid, poet
* Mirza Shafi Vazeh, poet
* Samad Vurgun, poet
* Nizami Ganjavi, poet
* Seyid Azim Shirvani, poet
* Nasimi, poet
* Anar, writer
* Suleyman Rustam, poet
* Shah Ismayil Khatai, poet

Businessmen

* Aras Agalarov, the owner and president of "Crocus International" based in Moscow, Russia
* Azay Mokhnatov, the owner and president of "AF Group"
* Vagit Alekperov, President of the leading Russian oil company LUKOIL
* Farkhad Akhmedov, Northgas, Geokchay Konserv, Senator
* Igor Ashurbeyli, general director of Russia’s largest air-defence weapon manufacturers Almaz (developers of S-300 antimissile systems)
* Telman Ismailov, the owner and president of "AST Company" based in Moscow, Russia, of Mountain Jewish origin
* Mubariz Mansimov, President of Palmali Group of Companies based in Istanbul, Turkey
* Murtuza Mukhtarov, oil industrialist and millionaire in Czarist Russia
* Musa Nagiyev, industrial oil magnate in Czarist Russia
* Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev, oil millionaire in Czarist Russia

Film Industry

* Magsud Ibrahimbeyov, film director
* Rustam Ibragimbekov, screen writer
* Mubariz Nagiyev, film director
* Vagif Mustafayev, film director

Military

* Azi Aslanov, Soviet army general, twice Hero of the Soviet Union
* Samedbey Mehmandarov, Russian army general, Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
* Hussein Khan Nakhichevanski, Russian Imperial Cavalry General and General-Adjutant of the Emperor of Russia
* Masey Sulkevich, General of Russian Empire, then became first chief of staff of army of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918, of Lipka Tatar origin
* Ali-Agha Shikhlinski, Russian Imperial army general, deputy Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic

Music

* Shovkat Alakbarova, singer
* Habil Aliyev, kamancha player
* Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, composer
* Fikret Amirov, composer
* Ali Salimi, composer.Musician in Ardabil city.
* Rashid Behbudov, singer and actor
* Bulbul, singer
* Polad Bulbuloglu, composer and singer
* Bella Davidovich, pianist
* Gara Garayev, composer
* Tofig Guliyev, composer
* Uzeyir Hajibeyov, composer
* Ella Leya, singer
* Muslim Magomayev, opera singer
* Shovkat Mammadova, the first Azeri female opera singer
* Oleg Marshev, pianist
* Fatma Mukhtarova, opera singer
* Rubaba Muradova, singer
* Vagif Mustafa Zadeh, jazz pianist and composer
* Aziza Mustafa Zadeh, jazz singer/pianist
* Niyazi, composer and conductor
* Alim Qasimov, Mugham singer
* Mstislav Rostropovich, cellist
* Parviz Rustambeyov, saxophone player and one of the founders of Azeri jazz
* Alihan Samedov, balaban (duduk)player
* Dmitry Sitkovetsky, violinist and conductor
* Rain Sultanov, jazzman
* Zeynab Khanlarova, singer
* Abdulbagi Ali oglu Zulalov, (mugam) singer
* Sevda Alakbarzadeh, singer

Politicians

* Heydar Aliyev, president of Azerbaijan Republic (1993-2003)
* Ilham Aliyev, prime minister (2003), president (2003-)
* Meshadi Azizbekov, revolutionary, of the 26 Baku Commissars
* Nikolai Baibakov, Head of Gosplan (State Committee for Planning) of the USSR
* Abulfaz Elchibey, president of Azerbaijan Republic (1992-3)
* Rasul Guliyev, ex speaker of National Assembly of Azerbaijan (1993-6)
* Hasan Hasanov, prime minister (1990-2), foreign minister (1993-8)
* Fatali Khan Khoyski, Prime Minister, one of the founding leaders of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
* Gazanfar Musabekov, Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of Azerbaijan SSR
* Ayaz Mutalibov, president of Azerbaijan Republic
* Nariman Narimanov, Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR
* Sabit Orujov, Minister of Gas Industry of the USSR
* Mammed Amin Rasulzade, one of the founders of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
* Alimardan Topchubashev, Speaker of Parliament, one of the founding leaders of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
* Mir Hasan Vazirov, revolutionary, of the 26 Baku Commissars

cientists

* Genrich Altshuller, inventor and author
* Abbasgulu Bakikhanov, historian and writer
* Lotfi Asker Zadeh, American-Iranian Azeri born in Republic of Azerbaijan, mathematician and computer scientist
* Max Black, philosopher
* Gavril Ilizarov, physician, inventor of Ilizarov apparatus
* Alexander Kazembek, orientalist
* Kerim Kerimov, head of Soviet space program
* Lev Landau, physicist and Nobel prize winner
* Farman Salmanov, geologist
* Zeynalabdin Shirvani, traveller and geographer
* Movlazadeh Mahammad Hasan Shakavi, philosopher, alim and the first Sheikh ul-Islam of the Caucasus

ports

* Movlud Miraliyev, judoka, Olympic champion
* Rovshan Bayramov, wrestler, Olympic champion
* Elnur Mammadli, judoka, Olympic champion
* Shirvani Muradov, wrestler, Olympic champion
* Vitaliy Rahimov, wrestler, Olympic champion
* Tofik Bakhramov, the 'Russian' linesman from 1966 World Cup final
* Namig Abdullayev, wrestler, Olympic champion
* Rafael Agayev, Karate World Champion
* Mariya Stadnik, wrestler, Olympic champion
* Anatoliy Banishevskiy, USSR soccer star
* Valery Belenky, gymnast, Olympic and World champion
* Servet Çetin, Turkish soccer star
* Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, chess grandmaster
* Alekper Mamedov, USSR soccer star
* Farid Mansurov, wrestler, Olympic champion
* Zemfira Meftakhetdinova, sport shooter, Olympic champion
* Nizami Pashayev, weightlifter, winner of the world and European championships
* Teimour Radjabov, chess grandmaster
* Sinan Şamil Sam, Turkish heavyweight professional boxer and WBC Champion 2006

Other

* Sureyya Agaoglu, first female lawyer in Turkey
* Avaz Alakbarov, Finance Minister (1999 to 2006)
* Misha Black, industrial designer
* Ziya Buniatov, historian
* Masud ibn Davud, the architect of Maiden Tower
* Musa Manarov, Soviet cosmonaut
* Shirali Mislimov, long-liver
* Sarhat Rashidova, was believed to be the oldest person to live on Earth as of January 2007
* Yosef Shagal, TV journalist and MP in Israel
* Richard Sorge, Soviet spy, of Caucasus German origin
* Alexander Kazembek, famous Russian orientalist, historian and philologist

Iran

Art

* Aydin Aghdashloo, painter
* Haydar Hatemi, painter
* Reza Deghati, the Paris-based, world-renown photographer, a regular contributor to National Geographic Magazine.

Authors

* Reza Baraheni, novelist, poet and politician
* Samad Behrangi, political writer
* Parvin E'tesami, poetess
* Gholam Hossein Saedi, writer
* Iraj Mirza, poet and politician
* Ebrahim Nabavi, political journalist/satirist
* Hassan Roshdieh, teacher, politician, and journalist
* Mohammad Hossein Shahriar, poet
* Shams Tabrizi, Sufi mystic
* Ismail I, poet and king
* Khaqani Shirvani, poet
* Falaki Shirvani, poet
* Mahsati Ganjavi, poetess
* Kaveh Farrokh, author and historian, is half Azeri

Military

* Mehdi Bakeri, Iran-Iraq war war hero.
* Javad Fakori, Major General of IRIAF, Commander of Iranian Air force during Iran-Iraq war and Defence minister.
* Qarabaghi, Major General, head of Supreme Council of the Iranian armed forces (Shah's era)

Music

* Faegheh Atashin, singer also known as Googoosh
* Davod Azad, composer, Sufi vocalist, multi-instrumentalist
* Hossein Alizadeh, composer and folk musician
* Yaghoub Zoroofchi, singer
* Sami Yusuf, singer well known in Islamic World

Politicians

* Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, chairman of the Iranian Parliament
* Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, president of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.
* Mina Ahadi, Iranian political activist
* Grand Ayatollah Musavi Ardabili - former Judiciary Chairman of Iran
* Mehdi Bazargan, head of The Interim Government of Iran, first prime minister after the Iranian Revolution.
* Parviz Davoodi, current First Vice President of Iran (since September 11, 2005).
* Sadegh Khalkhali, hardline Shia cleric and former Sharia ruler of Iran
* Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran
* Sattar Khan, Iranian constitutional revolutionary leader
* Bagher Khan, Iranian constitutional revolutionary leader
* Mohammad Khatami, former President of Iran, is half Azari
* Ali Meshkini, chairman of Assembly of Experts of Iran
* Mir-Hossein Mousavi, former Prime Minister of Iran(1981 to 1988)
* Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Former King of Iran born of an Azerbaijani mother
* Farah Pahlavi, Former Queen of Iran
* Abbas-Ali Amid Zanjani, Iranian hardliner theologian, politician and University lecturer.

Grand Ayatollahs

:"In addition to those mentioned above:"
*Abdolkarim Mousavi Ardabili
*Abul-Qassim Khoei
*Allameh Tabatabaei
*Fazel Lankarani
*Mousa Shubairi Zanjani
*Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari
*Javad Gharavi Aliari
*Moslem Malakouti

cientists

* Ali Javan, physician and inventor
* Kazem Sadegh-Zadeh, analytic philosopher
* Allameh Tabatabaei, prominent Shi'a theoretician
* Ali Murad Davudi, philosopher

ports

* Karim Bagheri, Iranian soccer star
* Hadi Saei, Iranian Taekwondo athlete,Olympic Gold medal
* Ali Daei, Iranian soccer star
* Yahya Golmohammadi, Iranian soccer star
* Rasoul Khatibi, Iranian soccer star
* Hossein Rezazadeh, Iranian weightlifter, winner of the 2000 & 2004 Olympic Gold medal

Other

* Ahmad Kasravi, linguist, reformer, history, and philosopher
* Sona Babai, oldest naturalized Iranian American

ee also

* Heroes of Azerbaijan
* Azerbaijani people
* Iranian origin of the Azerbaijanis