Pan-Iranism
A nationalist ideology emphasizing the solidarity and unity of Iranian peoples and pre-Islamic heritage; it gained prominence during the Pahlavi era.
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- Formative period
- 20th century
- Notable figure
- Mahmoud Afshar
- Unifying bond
- Persian language & Iranian heritage
Detail
Pan-Iranism is a nationalist idea and movement emphasizing the cultural, linguistic, and at times political solidarity of all Iranic peoples — Persians, Kurds, Baluch, Tajiks, Pashtuns, Ossetians, and others — across the expanse of 'Greater Iran.' It emerged in the twentieth century in response to colonialism, rival nationalisms, and the fragmentation of historic Iranian domains, and was articulated by figures such as Mahmoud Afshar. Pan-Iranism stresses the pre-Islamic heritage, the Persian language as a common bond, and the territorial integrity of Iran. The ideology is contested: critics see it as in tension with the rights and identities of non-Persian ethnic groups and at times entangled with racial elements, while supporters view it as the preservation of a civilizational heritage.
Related entities
Also appears in
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Iranica — 'Pan-Iranism'
- R. Cottam, 'Nationalism in Iran'
- A. Ansari, 'The Politics of Nationalism in Modern Iran'