For years, a debate has persisted among certain Iranian circles, particularly among residents of Iran’s Azeri provinces, regarding the racial classification of the people of Azerbaijan. Are they ethnically Turkish or Azeri? The significance of this issue appears to have intensified with the emergence of pan-Turkism and pan-Turanism ideologies in Iran. This question is also evident in the works of some contemporary historians and political scientists. This research, conducted through analytical and comparative methods utilizing primary sources, reveals that referring to Azeri provinces’ inhabitants as ethnically Turkish largely stems from the prevalence of the Turkish language in the region. Conversely, some authors, predominantly foreign and affiliated with pan-Turkist political movements, attempt to ascribe a Turkish identity and ethnicity to Iranian Azeri speakers through historical revisionism. However, research from reputable global academic centers, even in some neighboring Turkic-speaking countries, acknowledges fundamental racial differences between Iranian Azeris and Turkic peoples, demonstrating essential similarities between Azeris and other inhabitants of the Iranian plateau.