The Talysh-Mughan Republic represents the most prominent attempt at political self-rule by the Talysh, an Iranian-speaking ethnic group indigenous to the southwestern shores of the Caspian Sea. The Talysh have inhabited this region for millennia, preserving distinctive cultural traditions and a language related to Persian.

Under Soviet rule, Talysh identity was often downplayed in favour of a unified Azerbaijani nationality, and by the 1980s the Talysh language had largely disappeared from schools and official life. Yet cultural memory persisted, and as Azerbaijan entered a period of state collapse in 1993 amid conflict and political upheaval, local leaders seized the moment.  In June that year, Colonel Alakram Hummatov declared the Talysh-Mughan Autonomous Republic in and around the coastal city of Lankaran. The new government issued decrees, organised police units, and announced the restoration of Talysh cultural rights. The state survived barely two months before Azerbaijani forces reasserted control, arresting its leadership and dismantling the institutions of autonomy. Although short-lived, the proclamation left a lasting mark as the first explicit demand for Talysh territorial self-governance in the modern era.  In the decades since, Talysh activism has shifted largely to the diaspora and online networks, focusing on cultural revival, legal protections, and accurate census recognition rather than renewed secession.

Talysh representatives joined the UNPO, framing their struggle as one for minority rights and linguistic preservation. Population estimates remain contested: official figures are low, while Talysh organisations argue that ~250 000 is closer to reality in Azerbaijan alone. While independence is not currently a mainstream political goal, the experience of 1993 remains a symbol of political possibility and a reminder of how fragile minority identity can be within a strongly centralised state.