Tahira Tahirova

Tahira Tahirova Tahirə Əkbər qızı Tahirova
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan SSR
In office 1959–1983
President	Vali Akhundov, Heydar Aliyev, Kamran Baghirov (First Secretaries of Azerbaijan Communist Party)
Preceded by	Mahmud Aliyev
Succeeded by	Elmira Qafarova
Personal details
Born	(1913-11-07)November 7, 1913 Baýramaly, Transcaspian Region, Russian Empire
Died	Baku, Azerbaijan

Tahira Akbar qizi Tahirova (Azerbaijani: Tahirə Əkbər qızı Tahirova, Russian: Таи́ра Акпе́р кызы́ Таи́рова; 7 November 1913 – 26 October 1991) was a Soviet politician and diplomat. She served as Foreign Minister of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic from 1959 to 1983.

Early life

Tahirova was born on November 7, 1913 in Bayram-Ali (presently in Turkmenistan). Having graduated from the Azerbaijan State Oil Academy (then the Azerbaijan Industry Institute) in 1935, she became the first Azerbaijani female professional obtaining a degree of higher education related to oil industry. In 1940, she was appointed director of Azerbaijan Scientific Research Institute. From 1942 on, she worked at the Central Committee of Azerbaijan Communist Party and was in charge of delivering timely oil supplies to Soviet Army fighting the enemy on the frontlines during World War II. In 1949, she started teaching courses on oil well exploration and development at the Azerbaijan Oil Academy and in 1953 she obtained her PhD.

Political career

Starting from 1954, Tahirova held various high ranking positions at Azerbaijan Council of Workers Union, Council of Ministers of Azerbaijan SSR. In 1957, she was appointed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan SSR. However, her work did not start until 1959 when she graduated from Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of USSR. According to Soviet laws of the time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of a union republic was also in charge of other governmental duties. During her term in office, she succeeded in separation of duties and at her request, was relieved from her additional positions within the government in 1968 and completely committed herself to diplomatic service. Tahirova is known for her bringing more Azerbaijani diplomats to foreign service of the Soviet Union and the diplomatic academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She frequently was a member of Soviet diplomatic teams at the UN General Assembly sessions. In addition to that, as a mediator, Tahirova led the Soviet peacemaking team during the Iran–Iraq War of 1980–1988.

Awards

In 1976, Tahirova was awarded with Order of Friendship of Peoples for her special contribution to foreign office of USSR as well as with Order of the Red Banner of Labour, Order of Lenin, Order of the Badge of Honour. She was fluent in Turkish, English and Russian.

Tahirova died on October 26, 1991. She was laid to rest at Avenue of the Honored Ones Cemetery.

See also

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan