▁for ▁the ▁food ▁industry ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁is ▁Tab riz ▁which ▁includes ▁the ▁Sh ir in ▁As al , ▁A yd in , ▁Sh on iz , ▁An ata , ▁Bar aka ▁and ▁Ch ich ak ▁manufact ur ers . ▁Out side ▁of ▁Tab riz ▁M ino o ▁Indust rial ▁Group ▁in ▁K hor ram dar reh ▁is ▁another ▁nation ally ▁recognized ▁food ▁manufact urer . ▁ ▁Agricult ure ▁Gra ins , ▁f ruits , ▁cot ton , ▁rice , ▁n uts , ▁and ▁to b acco ▁are ▁the ▁st ap le ▁cro ps ▁of ▁the ▁region . ▁ ▁Dem ograph ics ▁ ▁People ▁ ▁Iran ian ▁A zer ba ij an is , ▁are ▁a ▁Turk ic - spe aking ▁people , ▁of ▁which ▁are ▁largely ▁of ▁Iran ian ▁origin ▁and ▁minor ity ▁C au cas ian . ▁They ▁number ▁between ▁ 1 6 ▁and ▁ 2 4 ▁percent ▁and ▁between ▁ 1 5 ▁and ▁ 1 6 ▁million ▁of ▁Iran ' s ▁population , ▁and ▁compr ise ▁by ▁far ▁the ▁second - larg est ▁eth nic ▁group ▁in ▁the ▁nation . ▁In ▁the ▁A zer ba ij an ▁region , ▁the ▁population ▁consists ▁mainly ▁of ▁A zer is . ▁A zer is ▁are ▁the ▁largest ▁group ▁in ▁Iran ian ▁A zer ba ij an , ▁while ▁Kur ds ▁are ▁the ▁second ▁largest ▁group ▁and ▁a ▁majority ▁in ▁many ▁cities ▁of ▁West ▁A zer ba ij an ▁Province . ▁Iran ian ▁A zer ba ij an ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁rich est