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De-persify your Iran

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Like many countries that solidified a seemingly homogenous national identity during the 20th century, Iran undertook this process by repressing its minority populations. This repression did not discriminate against any type of minority be it: gender, ethnicity, religion, class, etc. In Iran, the struggles of minorities, especially ethnic and religious groups, are intertwined with broader issues of human rights and freedom. The country is home to various ethnic minorities, including Kurds, Arabs, Azeris, and Baluchis, as well as religious minorities such as Bahá’ís, Christians, and Jews. These groups have long faced systemic discrimination and repression under the Islamic Republic.
The Bahá’í community, in particular, is among the most persecuted religious minorities in Iran. Members of the Bahá’í faith are denied access to education, employment opportunities, and basic civil rights, as the Iranian government does not recognize their religion. As Arash Azizi explains in his book What Iranians Want, “Like other devout Bahá’ís, she was barred from partisan activity by her faith but had spent most of the past twenty years incarcerated solely due to her role as an organizer of Bahá’í affairs in Iran. Fariba had been barred from university education as she belonged to a religion not officially recognized by the regime”[1] Many Bahá’ís have been imprisoned simply for practicing their faith, and their leaders have often been targeted by the authorities. Numerous figures like Fariba Kamal-Abadi have been incarcerated for organizing Bahá’í affairs, reflecting the broader crackdown on religious freedom in the country. The state utilizes its ability to restrict access to resources, such as education in this instance, to control and encroach on the rights of religious minorities.
Noting the rich and diverse history of the Iranian population, "Given the ever-increasing importance of ethnic communities in formation and enhancement of social consensus, scientific investigation of ethnic groups has received greater attention than before. Along the same lines, many experts maintain that national integrity and identity are rooted in ethnic communities and very old ethnic emotions as primitive nationalism." [2]
This primitive nationalism leads ethnic minorities to face significant challenges. For instance, the Arab and Kurdish populations in Iran have been subjected to economic marginalization and cultural repression. “The integration of Iran’s diverse peoples was carried out by coercive measures, but also the prominent use of the Persian language in state education, administration, and the media.” [3] These communities are often deprived of the ability to celebrate their language and heritage openly, and political activists from these groups frequently face imprisonment or worse. The women-led protests that have emerged in recent years, such as the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement, reflect a broader intersectional struggle. Women from minority backgrounds are at the forefront of these efforts, highlighting how their oppression is intersectional and thus compounded.
Iran’s minorities continually fight for a future where their cultural and religious identities are respected and protected. free from the discrimination and violence that has defined their experience under the current regime.

Parallel Lives: Women of the Iranian Diaspora by Rose Arts Museum.


For a song that discusses different minorities check out Jang Zadeh by Mohsen Chavoshi. This song details the emotions and residual aftereffects of the Iran-Iraq war. 



[1] Azizi, Arash. "Yes, I Am a Woman: The Fight for Women’s Rights." In “What Iranians Want”
London: Oneworld Publications, 2024.
[2]Ahmady, K. (2022). A Peace-Oriented Investigation of the Ethnic Identity Challenge in Iran (A Study of Five Iranian Ethnic Groups with the GT Method).  International Journal of Kurdish Studies 7 (1), 1-40, https://doi.org/10.21600/ijoks.1039049
[3] Farangis Ghaderi (2023). “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi and the Historical Erasure of Kurds.” International
Journal of Middle East Studies 55, 718–723. https://doi.org/10.1017/S002074382300137X

This page has paths:

  1. Minorities Centered Nahid Siamdoust - UT Austin Iran Collab Network
  2. E.E E.E.

Contents of this path:

  1. Iran Map
  2. Azeris
  3. Baluchi clothing
  4. Baluchi poster
  5. Gilaki Clothing
  6. Irani Arabs Bushehr
  7. khorasani people
  8. Kurds
  9. lors clothing
  10. Mazandarani clothes
  11. Talysh
  12. Bahai in brazil
  13. Iranian jews

This page references: