Abdulkarim Surush (Arias)
Urmia
Kurmanj is a group of Kurds who speak the Kurmanji dialect and most of the Kurds in the world are Kurmanj Kurds. In Iran, Kurmanj Kurds live mostly in Khorasan (North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan) and northern West Azerbaijan province. However, many Kurmanj Kurds have migrated throughout Iran and settled in villages, towns, and cities.
- Khorasan Region
Khorasan is located in northeast Iran. The region stretches from the Iran-Turkmenistan border to the Iran-Afghanistan border. The number of Kurds in Khorasan is unknown. The Kurds are scattered in northern Khorasan from the Iran-Afghanistan border to the Caspian Sea and Gilan. Kurmanj Kurds live in the following cities:
Kalat Nadri, Chinan, Dargaz, Quchan, Neishabur, Isfarayn, Shirvan, Oksaz, Bojnurd, Cheshtkhaneh and ....
Many Kurmanj Kurds are said to live in Mashhad, the center of Khorasan province.
West Azerbaijan Province (Urmia)
There are two Azerbaijani provinces among the Iranian provinces; One is East Azerbaijan, which Tabriz is its center, and the other is West Azerbaijan, its center is Urmia.
East Azerbaijan Province is an Azeri-majority province. However, the population of West Azerbaijan is Kurd and Azeri. The Kurds of this province are Kurmanj and Sorani. The Sorani live in the south and the Kurmanj live in the north.
There are 16 cities in West Azerbaijan. Cities in the province include:
1. Urmia
The citizens of Urmia are Azeri, Kurd, Armenian, and Assyrian.
2. Bokan 3. Piranshahr 4. Sardasht 5. Mahabad 6. Shino (Oshnavieh)
These cities are located in the south of the province; The majority of the citizens are Sorani Kurds.
7. Miandoab 8. Naghadeh 9. Shahindezh 10. Tikab
These cities are also located in the south of the province and are populated by Azeri and Sorani Kurds.
11. Maku 12. Khoy 13. Salmas 14. Poldasht 15. Shoot 16. Chaldoran
These cities are located in the north of the province and are populated by Azeri, and Kurmanj Kurds.
The Kurmanj Kurds live only in these cities and the surrounding districts. Of course, some of the Zakhoranlu (Zehferanlu) Kurds also live in Shahindezh.
Urmia City
Urmia, the center of West Azerbaijan province, is an ancient city. Researchers and authors have written several books about the city's name and history. Urmia was an important city of Media country in ancient times and is mentioned in many ancient and historical documents. In Syriac, it is called "Wirme", in Persian "Urmi and Wirme", in Arabic "Urumi", in Azeri "Wirmu" and in Kurdish "Urmi, Urme, and Wirma". Some Iranian (Persian, Kurdish, and Azeri) and foreign scholars and researchers say that Urmia comes from two Aramaic words; "Ur" means "city or town" and "Miyeh" means "water." That is, the word Urmia means "city of water". Some think that Urmia is a Celtic word; "Ur" means "near" and "Miyeh" means "sea" and in ancient times it was called the city "near the sea". Some sources interpret its name as "xuromê", "xur" meaning "sun" and "mée" meaning moon.
Some sources mention the ancient name of Urmia as Chichest, which was later changed to "Urmia" by the Assyrians. "Chichest" is an Avestan word meaning "white and shiny". Urmia has 5 districts and 460 villages. The Kurds of Urmia consist of the following tribes: Shikak, Harki, Begzadeh, Moqiri, Shamsiki, and ...
Salmas (Dilaman) City
Salmas is located in the north of West Azerbaijan Province. Salmas consists of eight districts: Kinarberoj, Chari, Shinetal, Gardian, Shipiran, Koresuni, Lakstan, and Navand. As a result of the wars between Iran, Rome, the Ottomans, and the Russians, Salmas was burned several times because it was close to those countries. During the war between the Safavid and Ottoman Empires, Salmas suffered great damage. According to many books, the city was completely destroyed and burned by the Ottomans. The inhabitants of Salmas fled to the cities of Urmia and Khoy and settled there. In 1920, a major earthquake struck the city, causing extensive damage. Azeris and Kurds live together in this region.
Poldasht (Puldasht) City
Poldasht is a city north of Urmia. Until a few years ago, it was a town and a district of Maku, but it has become a city and separated from Maku in recent years. The old name of the city was "Erebler or Ereblu". Poldasht is located on the banks of the Aras River on the border between Iran and the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. This city is warmer than other cities and its plains and villages have become pasture for the shepherds of the Kurdish tribes of this district. The Jalali and Milan tribes stay in this area during the cold season and when they go to the valley, they go to Mount Maku and Qleni (Chaldoran). There are 165 villages in the Poldasht region. The inhabitants of this region and Poldasht city are Azeris and Kurds. Its Kurds are from the Jalali and Milan tribes.
Shut City
Shut district became a city in 2008. The city has a long and ancient history and its first inhabitants were Armenians, but now there are no Armenians in the city now. The citizens of the city are Azeris and Kurds. Some historical sources say that the name of the city was Ashut and during the reign of the Pahlavi, the name of the city was Shahabad. After the establishment of the Islamic Republic, the city was renamed Shut. Shut is said to be the name of an Armenian hero thus the city’s name is derived from that hero’s name.
The Kurds of Shut and its surroundings speak the Bazidi dialect of Kurdish-Kurmanji. The Kurds of the city belong mostly to the Jalali and Milan tribes.
Maku City
Maku/Meki or Maku Castle is an ancient city located in north Urmia province. It is located between "Qaye" Castle and "Sibid" Mountain. Historians say the history of the city goes back to the Urartian period. Some researchers have found inscriptions on many stones between Maku and Bazrgan (Mako district, across from the Gurbulakh border gate) and say that the history of the city goes back to the Sumerian period. The Kurds of Maku are mostly from the Jalali and Milan tribes.
Chaypareh City
Chaypareh is located north of the city of Khoy and is a vast plain. Before the advent of Islam, the region was called "Chors". Later it was known as Qaraziaaddin, but a few years ago the name of this city was changed to Chaypareh. The population of this city is Kurd and Azeri. One of the tribes living in this area is the Milano tribe.
Chaldoran City
Chaldoran is a city in West Azerbaijan Province. The population of this city is Kurd and Azeri. The Kurds of Qalaniya speak the Kurmanji dialect and belong to the Jalali and Milan tribes. Chaldoran is most famous for the war between King Ismail the Safavid and Sultan Selim the Ottoman, which took place there in the summer of 893.
Khoy City
Khoy Castle or Khoy is a city located in the north of Urmia. It is itself the second city in the province. Some say the name of the city comes from the Kurdish word "Khwe" (salt). The population of the city is mostly Azeri, but there is also a population of Kurds living in the city. The Kurds belong to two tribes, the Mamiki and the Kurasini. They have 35 villages, all of which have entered the Kotol Valley. Kuresini also has two parts, one speaking Azeri and the other speaking Kurdish (Kurmanji dialect).
