The article is devoted to the study of the role of the factor of Azerbaijani Turks in the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) in the process of ensuring regional stability in the Middle East. The focus is on modern concepts of mobilizing the protest activity of this second largest after the Persian ethnic group. The fact that Azerbaijani Turks take special places in the military and religious spheres of the country and have the ability to quickly mobilize during the events taking place inside Iran increases their importance not only in Iran’s domestic policy, but also in the Middle East region. However, from time to time, the infringement of their interests in one way or another causes tension. And any confrontation that may occur between ethnic groups in Iran can lead to a violation of stability both in Iran and in the Middle East. © 2019 Rossiiskaya Akademiya Nauk, Institut Istorii (Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of General Hist. All rights reserved.