Ethno-confessional minorities in modern Iran: an overview of their history and current situation
Research Article
How to Cite
Ravandi-Fadai L.M. Ethno-confessional minorities in modern Iran: an overview of their history and current situation. Vlast’ (The Authority). 2025. Vol. 33. No. S1. P. 76-83. (in Russ.).
Abstract
There are about 60 ethno-confessional groups in modern Iran representing all the monotheistic religions a multitude of their branches. Official data shows an overwhelming predominance of Muslims, but there are also indications that a portion of the younger generation has been moving away from Islam toward increasingly popular Christianity and Zoroastrianism. During the Pahlavi dynasty, a policy of forced assimilation was enforced on these minority groups. After the Islamic Revolution, this practice was officially abandoned and control over minorities loosened, but many still feel they have yet to enjoy full freedom with respect to their tradition and culture. With the election of President Masoud Pezeshkian in 2024, the state of affairs with the rights of ethnic minorities has improved significantly.
Keywords:
Iran, Persians, Persian language, Azerbaijani language, Islam, Christianity, Masoud Pezeshkian
References
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Aliev A. A. Iran vs Irak: istoriya i sovremennost'. – M.: Izd-vo Mosk. un-ta, 2002. (RUS.)
Galkina E.S. Ot etnonatsionalizma k islamskoi demokratii: iranskii opyt. Voprosy natsionalizma. 2010. № 2. S. 181–197. (RUS.)
Zhigalina O. I. Etnosotsial'naya evolyutsiya iranskogo obshchestva. – M.: Izdatel'skaya firma «Vostochnaya literatura» RAN, 1996. (RUS.)
Ravandi-Fadai L.M. Etnos, natsiya, natsionalizm: iranskii vzglyad. Islam na Blizhnem i Srednem Vostoke / otv. red. V.Ya. Belokrenitskii, N.Yu. Ul'chenko. – M.: Institut vostokovedeniya RAN, 2015. S. 193–206. (RUS.)
Sazhin V.I. Natsional'no-psikhologicheskie osobennosti naseleniya Irana. Islam na Blizhnem i Srednem Vostoke / otv. red. V.Ya. Belokrenitskii, N.Yu. Ul'chenko. – M.: Institut vostokovedeniya RAN, 2015. S. 291–296. (RUS.)
Ghanbari H., Rahimian M. Persian Language Dominance and the Loss of Minority Languages in Iran. Open Journal of Social Sciences. 2020. Vol. 8. No. 11. Pp. 8–18. (RUS.)
Jannatoglu A. The Minority Rights of Azerbaijani Turks in Iran. Middle East Review of International Affairs. 2016. Vol. 20. No. 1. Pp. 8–13. (RUS.)
Article
Received: 17.04.2025
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Ravandi-Fadai, L. M. (2025). Ethno-confessional minorities in modern Iran: an overview of their history and current situation. Vlast’ (The Authority), 33(S1), 76-83. Retrieved from https://www.jour.fnisc.ru/index.php/vlast/article/view/10575
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