Latif Karimov was born in
Shusha (then part of
Russian Empire, now in
Azerbaijan). His father Mashadi Huseyn was a
hatter and his mother Telli was a
carpet-weaver. In 1910, the family moved to
Mashhad,
Iran, and settled in the
Karabakhi quarter of the city. After graduating from the local
madrasa at age 14, Latif Karimov started working at a carpet shop and learning the art of carpet weaving, following his mother's footsteps. He traveled extensively throughout Iran, excelling in this craft. Alongside, Karimov had a variety of interests, ranging from boxing to literature and performing arts. The Soviet Consulate in
Tehran invited him to become a member of the Russian cultural club, where he later directed and acted in plays by
Uzeyir Hajibeyov and established an Azeri choir. Beginning in the late 1920s, Karimov participated in social movements demanding on behalf of weavers of Mashhad an eight-hour working day and improvement of working conditions. In 1929, he was sent on an official mission to
Afghanistan to promote theatrical arts. However, Karimov returned to Iran two months later, not being able to endure the harsh living conditions of Afghanistan. In that year, he obtained Soviet citizenship, and the government of Iran, suspicious of his social involvement, offered him an option of moving to the
Soviet Union, which Karimov accepted. == Soviet period ==