The activities of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation in Iran has its roots in the vibrant Armenian political life in northwestern Iran, in the historic Iranian region of Azerbaijan (also known as Iranian Azerbaijan). This area of native Armenian settlement, housed prior to the Armenian genocide as well as other events of the 20th century (e.g. Iran crisis of 1946, Iranian Revolution), a significant native Armenian population. Apart from the ARF, the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party was active there as well, and was often at odds with the (much larger) ARF.