Recently, a number of lawmakers in Israel expressed their support for the Azeri people in Iran and the idea of a "sovereign state of South Azerbaijan." However, after a backlash, they have decided to retract their statement. 

Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel and 25 members of Israel’s parliament discussed the possible implications of a new nation. In the end, they decided to cease their efforts. 

Notably, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled Crown Prince of Iran, who recently visited Israel for Holocaust Remembrance Day, warned against sowing division among the Iranians, as it could have a detrimental impact on the budding relationship between the two countries. 

“We all hope that Iran will work to improve the situation of its minorities when the country is released from the Ayatollah's regime," said Gila Gamliel. 

The Azeri people make up the largest ethnic group in Iran, with more than 20 million people. The lawmakers had written an open letter to the Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, stating that garnering international support for the national aspirations in southern Azerbaijan could possibly weaken the Ayatollah regime. They also suggested that if the sovereign state of South Azerbaijan was established, Israel would gain a new ally in the region alongside Azerbaijan.