Democracies can be either republics or constitutional monarchies. The new republic became one of the six republics of the Yugoslav federation. Globally, the Revolution accelerated the rise of republics and democracies. Most African countries became independent as republics. There also began purges of the leaderships of the national republics and territories. Economic relations between the former Soviet republics were severely compromised. The territory became part of the Ukrainian and the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republics. Tensions between the republics and nations of Yugoslavia intensified from the 1970s to the 1980s. To date two separate Kurdish republics and one Kurdish Kingdom have declared sovereignty. The remaining 12 republics all subsequently seceded. Iran maintains regular diplomatic and commercial relations with Russia and the former Soviet Republics. Armoured fighting vehicles produced in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. However, the country experienced deeper economic slowdown than some of the other former Soviet Republics. It is especially used in Russia and former Soviet Republics. Flags of the Soviet Republics were flown there until 1987.