Iranian specialists also work in the country's sports, and most of them are ethnic Azerbaijanis.
Against the background of a large-scale escalation of the military conflict around Iran, Idman.Biz contacted Morteza Validarvi, the head coach of the Azerbaijan national badminton team.
"What is happening in my homeland now seriously worries me. My wife and three children are in Iran. My hometown, Zanjan, has been bombed for the third day already.
The worst thing is that I don't know what condition my family is in - I can't contact them due to communication interruptions. I don't even know what to do in this situation and who to turn to," said Morteza Validarvi.