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Revision as of 23:13, 14 June 2007 view sourceHajji Piruz (talk | contribs)7,045 edits dont make POV edits, especially without discussion. Iran was the name long before Rezashah and that was only one of your POV edits.← Previous edit Revision as of 03:26, 15 June 2007 view source Ehud Lesar (talk | contribs)313 edits The last version in comparison to preceding one was POV. Ethnicity is Azeri, not AzariNext edit →
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==Overview== ==Overview==


] is an ethnically diverse state, with ]s forming the majority of the population. Historically, however, the very notion of "]" and "]" has meant a confederation of all groups either native to the ], or which speak an ], whether located in Iran or not (e.g., ], ], ], etc.). Therefore, historically, the use of the term "]" has included all the various regional dialects and subgroups of Iran, which almost all ] identify with in some way. While almost all ]/] identify with a secondary ethnic, religious, linguistic, or regional background in some way, the primary identity unifying virtually all of these sub-groups is their distinctly ] language, and/or culture. ] is an ethnically diverse country, with ]s forming slightly over a half of the population. However, historically the term ] referred to a confederation of all ethnic groups native to the ]. On March 21, 1935, ], issued a decree asking all foreign dignitaries to use the term ] in formal correspondence referencing the country. This change was based on the fact that the Western-adopted name of "]" was based on historical ] interpretation, and misattributed the Iranian nationality solely to the ] ethnicity.


The main ethno-linguistic minority groups in Iran are the ]s, ], ], ]s, ], ], ], and ]. The tribal groups include the ]s, ], ], ], as well as others. Though many of the tribal groups have become urbanized over the decades, some continue to function as rural ]. According to the CIA World Factbook and other Western sources, ethnicity/race in Iran breaks down as follows: Persian 51%, Azari 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%. However, these statistics are largely discredited and viewed as flawed by ] themselves,{{Facts|date=February 2007}} because the Western data ignores considerable intermarriage rates over centuries between these groups, and the fact that almost all of these groups speak ] as their first language, and identify with their sub-identity only secondarily. Almost all Iranians identify with a secondary ethnic, linguistic, religious, or cultural background in some way. The main ethno-linguistic minority groups in Iran are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. The tribal groups include the ]s, ], ], ], as well as others. Though many of the tribal groups have become urbanized over the decades, some continue to function as rural ]. According to the CIA World Factbook and other Western sources, ethnicity/race in Iran breaks down as follows: ] - 51%, ] - 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%. However, these statistics are largely discredited and viewed as flawed by ] themselves,{{Facts|date=February 2007}} because the Western data ignores considerable intermarriage rates over centuries between these groups, and the fact that almost all of these groups speak ] as their first language, and identify with their sub-identity only secondarily.


Moreover, there is debate as to what the definition of a ] is. According to Western sources, such as the CIA World Factbook, anyone in ] who associates with a regional linguistic sub-identity is deemed an "ethnic minority", even though the individual speaks ] as their first language, and is ethnically indistinguishable from the rest of ], including ]. Conversely, Western sources erroneously define the "]" "ethnicity" as basically anyone living in ] who does not claim a secondary regional linguistic identity. Moreover, there is debate as to what the definition of a ] is. According to Western sources, such as the CIA World Factbook, anyone in ] who associates with a regional linguistic sub-identity is deemed an "ethnic minority", even though the individual speaks ] as their first language, and is ethnically indistinguishable from the rest of ], including ]. Conversely, Western sources erroneously define the "]" "ethnicity" as basically anyone living in ] who does not claim a secondary regional linguistic identity.


While, many of these ethnic groups have their own ]s, ]s, and often ], their languages and cultures are essentially regional variations of ] and are all native to ], similar to the relationship between ], ], and ] cultures, which are all similar and are native to ]. Despite their overwhelming similarities, in modern times, their differences occasionally emerge as political ambitions, largely as a result of provocation from outside powers. Some of these groups are also ]. For instance, the majority of ] and ]s are ] Muslims, while the state religion in Iran is ] Islam. The overwhelming majority of ] and ]s are Shi'a. While, many of these ethnic groups have their own ]s, ]s, and often ], their languages and cultures are essentially regional variations of ] and are all native to ], similar to the relationship between ], ], and ] cultures, which are all similar and are native to ]. Despite their overwhelming similarities, in modern times, their differences occasionally emerge as political ambitions, largely as a result of provocation from outside powers. Some of these groups are also ]. For instance, the majority of ] and ]s are ] Muslims, while the state religion in Iran is ] Islam. The overwhelming majority of ] and ] are Shi'a.


One of the major internal policy challenges during the centuries up until now for most or all Iranian governments has been to find the appropriate and balanced approach to the difficulties and opportunities caused by this diversity, particularly as this internal diversity has often been readily utilized by foreign powers.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} One of the major internal policy challenges during the centuries up until now for most or all Iranian governments has been to find the appropriate and balanced approach to the difficulties and opportunities caused by this diversity, particularly as this internal diversity has often been readily utilized by foreign powers.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}


==Current policy== ==Current policy==

{{pov-section}} {{pov-section}}
The ] guarantees freedom of cultural expression and linguistic diversity, while recognizing ] as the only official language of the country. Article 15 of the ] states:
The current governmental policy can be characterised by a mixture of celebrating and furthering cultural diversity under a joint Iranian national umbrella, while holding down (occasionally violently) political ]. Some ethnic minorities have reported ] {{Fact|date=April 2007}} or ].

⚫ {{cquote|The Official Language and script of Iran, the lingua franca of its people, is Persian. Official documents, correspondence, and texts, as well as text-books, must be in this language and script. However, the use of regional and tribal languages in the press and mass media, as well as for teaching of their literature in schools, is allowed in addition to Persian}}


⚫ Further, Article 19 of the ] adds:
Many Iranian provinces have ] and ] stations in local language or dialect. School education is in ], the Iranian ], but use of ]s is allowed under the ], and Azari language and culture is studied at academic university levels in institutions of higher education. Article 15 of Iran's constitution stipulates:


⚫ {{cquote|All people of Iran, whatever the ethnic group or tribe to which they belong, enjoy equal rights; color, race, language, and the like, do not bestow any privilege.}}
⚫ :''"The Official Language and script of Iran, the lingua franca of its people, is Persian. Official documents, correspondence, and texts, as well as text-books, must be in this language and script. However, the use of regional and tribal languages in the press and mass media, as well as for teaching of their literature in schools, is allowed in addition to Persian."''


⚫ Some ethnically-diverse Iranian provinces have ] and ] stations in local languages, while ] is the sole language of education. However, some human rights groups have accused the Iranian government of violating the constitutional guarantees of equality. In a report entitled "Iran: New government fails to address dire human rights situation", published in February 2006, ] says:
⚫ Article 19 of the constitution adds:


⚫ {{cquote|Despite constitutional guarantees of equality, individuals belonging to minorities in Iran, who are believed to number about half of the population of about 70 millions, are subject to an array of discriminatory laws and practices. These include land and property confiscations, denial of state and para-statal employment under the gozinesh criteria and restrictions on social, cultural, linguistic and religious freedoms which often result in other human rights violations such as the imprisonment of prisoners of conscience, grossly unfair trials of political prisoners before Revolutionary Courts, corporal punishment and use of the death penalty, as well as restrictions on movement and denial of other civil rights <ref></ref>.}}
⚫ :''"All people of Iran, whatever the ethnic group or tribe to which they belong, enjoy equal rights; color, race, language, and the like, do not bestow any privilege."''


⚫ However, human rights groups have accused the Iranian government of violating constitutional guarantees of equality. In a report entitled ''Iran: New government fails to address dire human rights situation'', published in February 2006, Amnesty International says:
⚫ :''Despite constitutional guarantees of equality, individuals belonging to minorities in Iran, who are believed to number about half of the population of about 70 millions, are subject to an array of discriminatory laws and practices. These include land and property confiscations, denial of state and para-statal employment under the gozinesh criteria and restrictions on social, cultural, linguistic and religious freedoms which often result in other human rights violations such as the imprisonment of prisoners of conscience, grossly unfair trials of political prisoners before Revolutionary Courts, corporal punishment and use of the death penalty, as well as restrictions on movement and denial of other civil rights.''


Many members of ethnic minorities have made a successful political career. Most provincial governors and many members of the local ruling classes and clergy are members of the relevant ethnic groups. Many, if not most, members of the national cultural and political elite have mixed roots.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Nevertheless, representatives of various ethnic minorities enjoy a successful political career in ]. Most provincial governors and many members of the local ruling classes and clergy are members of the relevant ethnic groups. Many, if not most, members of the national cultural and political elite have mixed ethnic roots roots.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}


Separatist tendencies, led by some groups such as the ] and ] in ], for example, had led to frequent unrest and occasional military crackdown throughout the ] and even to the present . In Iran, Kurds have twice had their own ] regions independent of central government control: The ] in Iran which was the second independent Kurdish state of the ], after the ] in modern ]; and the second time after the ] in ]. Separatist tendencies, led by some groups such as the ] and ] in ], for example, have led to frequent unrest and occasional military crackdown throughout the ] and even to the present . In Iran, Kurds have twice had their own ] regions independent of central government control: The ] in Iran which was the second independent Kurdish state of the ], after the ] in modern ]; and the second time after the ] in ].


Similar tendencies have been observed in other provinces such as ], ] (see '']'') and ]. However, many have been suspected of being instigated by foreign colonial powers. For example, in a cable sent on July 6th 1945 by the ''Central Committee of the ] of the ]'', the local Soviet commander in Russian (northern) held Azerbaijan was instructed as such: Similar tendencies have been observed in other provinces such as ], ] (see '']'') and ]. However, many have been suspected of being instigated by foreign colonial powers. For example, on July 6th, 1945, the Central Committee of the ] of the ] (CPSU) instructed local party leader in ], ] as follows:


:''"Begin preparatory work to form a national autonomous Azerbaijan district with broad powers '''within the Iranian state''' and simultaneously develop separatist movements in the provinces of ], ], ], and ]".''<ref>Decree of the CC CPSU Politburo to Mir Bagirov, CC Secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, on "measures to Organize a Separatist Movement in Southern Azerbaijan and Other Provinces of Northern Iran". Translation provided by The Cold War International History Project at The ].</ref> {{cquote|Consider it advisable to begin preparatory work to form a national autonomous Azerbaijan district with broad powers within the Iranian state. At the same time develop a separatist movement in the provinces of ], ], Gorgan, and ]. <ref name="cpsubaghirov">Decree of the Central Committee of CPSU Politbureau on "Measures to Organize a Separatist Movement in Southern Azerbaijan and Other Provinces of Northern Iran", GAPPOD Republic of Azerbaijan, f. 1, op. 89, d. 90, ll. 4-5, obtained by Jamil Hasanli, translated for
the ] by Gary Goldberg </ref>}}


==Foreign interference== ==Foreign interference==

Revision as of 03:26, 15 June 2007

File:Iran peoples.jpg
Ethnic groups in Iran

This article focuses on ethnic minorities in Iran and their related political issues and current realities.

Overview

Iran is an ethnically diverse country, with Persians forming slightly over a half of the population. However, historically the term Persian referred to a confederation of all ethnic groups native to the Iranian Plateau. On March 21, 1935, Reza Shah Pahlavi, issued a decree asking all foreign dignitaries to use the term Iran in formal correspondence referencing the country. This change was based on the fact that the Western-adopted name of "Persia" was based on historical Greek interpretation, and misattributed the Iranian nationality solely to the Persian ethnicity.

Almost all Iranians identify with a secondary ethnic, linguistic, religious, or cultural background in some way. The main ethno-linguistic minority groups in Iran are Azeris, Kurds, Arabs, Baluchis, Turkmens, Armenians, Assyrians, and Georgians. The tribal groups include the Bakhtiaris, Khamseh, Lurs, Qashqai, as well as others. Though many of the tribal groups have become urbanized over the decades, some continue to function as rural tribal societies. According to the CIA World Factbook and other Western sources, ethnicity/race in Iran breaks down as follows: Persian - 51%, Azeri - 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%. However, these statistics are largely discredited and viewed as flawed by Iranians themselves, because the Western data ignores considerable intermarriage rates over centuries between these groups, and the fact that almost all of these groups speak Persian as their first language, and identify with their sub-identity only secondarily.

Moreover, there is debate as to what the definition of a Persian is. According to Western sources, such as the CIA World Factbook, anyone in Iran who associates with a regional linguistic sub-identity is deemed an "ethnic minority", even though the individual speaks Persian as their first language, and is ethnically indistinguishable from the rest of Iranians, including Persians. Conversely, Western sources erroneously define the "Persian" "ethnicity" as basically anyone living in Iran who does not claim a secondary regional linguistic identity.

While, many of these ethnic groups have their own languages, cultures, and often literature, their languages and cultures are essentially regional variations of Persian and are all native to Iran, similar to the relationship between Welsh, Scottish, and English cultures, which are all similar and are native to Britain. Despite their overwhelming similarities, in modern times, their differences occasionally emerge as political ambitions, largely as a result of provocation from outside powers. Some of these groups are also religious minorities. For instance, the majority of Kurds and Baluchis are Sunni Muslims, while the state religion in Iran is Shi'a Islam. The overwhelming majority of Persians and Azeris are Shi'a.

One of the major internal policy challenges during the centuries up until now for most or all Iranian governments has been to find the appropriate and balanced approach to the difficulties and opportunities caused by this diversity, particularly as this internal diversity has often been readily utilized by foreign powers.

Current policy

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The Constitution of Iran guarantees freedom of cultural expression and linguistic diversity, while recognizing Persian as the only official language of the country. Article 15 of the constitution states:

The Official Language and script of Iran, the lingua franca of its people, is Persian. Official documents, correspondence, and texts, as well as text-books, must be in this language and script. However, the use of regional and tribal languages in the press and mass media, as well as for teaching of their literature in schools, is allowed in addition to Persian

Further, Article 19 of the Iranian constitution adds:

All people of Iran, whatever the ethnic group or tribe to which they belong, enjoy equal rights; color, race, language, and the like, do not bestow any privilege.

Some ethnically-diverse Iranian provinces have radio and television stations in local languages, while Persian is the sole language of education. However, some human rights groups have accused the Iranian government of violating the constitutional guarantees of equality. In a report entitled "Iran: New government fails to address dire human rights situation", published in February 2006, Amnesty International says:

Despite constitutional guarantees of equality, individuals belonging to minorities in Iran, who are believed to number about half of the population of about 70 millions, are subject to an array of discriminatory laws and practices. These include land and property confiscations, denial of state and para-statal employment under the gozinesh criteria and restrictions on social, cultural, linguistic and religious freedoms which often result in other human rights violations such as the imprisonment of prisoners of conscience, grossly unfair trials of political prisoners before Revolutionary Courts, corporal punishment and use of the death penalty, as well as restrictions on movement and denial of other civil rights .


Nevertheless, representatives of various ethnic minorities enjoy a successful political career in Iran. Most provincial governors and many members of the local ruling classes and clergy are members of the relevant ethnic groups. Many, if not most, members of the national cultural and political elite have mixed ethnic roots roots.

Separatist tendencies, led by some groups such as the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran and Komalah in Iranian Kurdistan, for example, have led to frequent unrest and occasional military crackdown throughout the 1990s and even to the present . In Iran, Kurds have twice had their own autonomous regions independent of central government control: The Republic of Mahabad in Iran which was the second independent Kurdish state of the 20th century, after the Republic of Ararat in modern Turkey; and the second time after the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

Similar tendencies have been observed in other provinces such as Balochistan, Khuzestan (see Politics of Khuzestan) and Iranian Azerbaijan. However, many have been suspected of being instigated by foreign colonial powers. For example, on July 6th, 1945, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) instructed local party leader in Azerbaijan SSR, Mir Jafar Baghirov as follows:

Consider it advisable to begin preparatory work to form a national autonomous Azerbaijan district with broad powers within the Iranian state. At the same time develop a separatist movement in the provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, Gorgan, and Khorasan.

Foreign interference

The Iranian government has accused western governments specially the USA of attempting to de-destabilize Iran through the formation of ethnic tensions. Western newspapers and Western editors as well as reports that quote former CIA operative have confirmed this accusation. Seymour Hersh brought widespread attention to claims of covert operations in Iran when he reported in an April 2006 New Yorker article that US troops in Iran were recruiting local ethnic populations, including the Azeris, to encourage local tensions that could undermine the regime. According to Seymour Hersh:

As of early winter, I was told by the government consultant with close ties to civilians in the Pentagon, the units were also working with minority groups in Iran, including the Azeris, in the north, the Baluchis, in the southeast, and the Kurds, in the northeast...

Former United Nations weapons inspector Scott Ritter has recently suggested that the US military is setting up the infrastructure for an enormous military presence in Azerbaijan that will be utilized for a land-based campaign designed to capture Tehran . He also believes CIA paramilitary operatives and US Special Forces are training Azerbaijani forces into special force units capable of operating within Iran in order to mobilize the large Azeri ethnic minority within Iran ..

In September 7, 2004, in a veiled threat to Iran , Secretary of Defense Richard Armitage said:

Iran is much more difficult. There are some things internal to Iran that one has to look at. Demographics are one. The Persians are almost a minority in their own country now -- they're like 52% or something. There are many more Azeris in Tabriz than there are in Azerbaijan , just for the record. So that has an effect over time of changing things.

Pentagon officials have also met with Azerbaijani Separatist Mahmudali Chehregani. According to James Woolsey, former director of CIA,, in Iran only a bare majority are Persian. Furthermore, James Woosely suggests that Washington should also need to pay attention to its geographic and ethnic fissures - for example, a large share of Iran's oil is located in the restive Arab-populated regions in Iran's south. Iason Athanasiadis, in his article "stirring the ethnic pot" quotes a CIA operative:

I continuously scripted possible covert action mischief in my mind. Iranian Azerbaijan was rich in possibilities. Accessible through Turkey and ex-Soviet Azerbaijan , eyed already by nationalists in Baku , more Westward-looking than most of Iran , and economically going nowhere, Iran 's richest agricultural province was an ideal covert action theater.

Iason Athanasiadis continues, saying:

In his book Know Thine Enemy, Gerecht penetrates Iran with the help of an Azeri-Iranian accomplice as he mulls over ways to destabilize its clerical regime. From cultivating high-ranking Azeris to inciting separatist Kurds to fostering divisive clerical rivalry between the holy Shi'ite cities of Najaf in Iraq and Qom in Iran , Gerecht constantly mentally prods methods of destabilizing the Islamic republic.

The Newspaper Sunday Telegraph of the UK , in an article titled "US funds terror groups to sow chaos in Iran" written on February 25, 2007, has said:

In a move that reflects Washington's growing concern with the failure of diplomatic initiatives, CIA officials are understood to be helping opposition militias among the numerous ethnic minority groups clustered in Iran's border regions. The operations are controversial because they involve dealing with movements that resort to terrorist methods in pursuit of their grievances against the Iranian regime… Funding for their separatist causes comes directly from the CIA's classified budget but is now "no great secret", according to one former high-ranking CIA official in Washington who spoke anonymously to The Sunday Telegraph. His claims were backed by Fred Burton, a former US state department counter-terrorism agent, who said: "The latest attacks inside Iran fall in line with US efforts to supply and train Iran 's ethnic minorities to destabilise the Iranian regime.

Historical notes

Iran (then called Persia) traditionally was governed over the last few centuries in a fairly decentralised way with much regional and local autonomy. In particular, weaker members of the Qajar dynasty often did not rule much beyond the capital Tehran, a fact exploited by the imperial powers Britain and Russia in the 19th century. For example, when British cartographers, diplomats, and telegraph workers, traveled along Iran's southern coast in the early 19th century laden with guns and accompanied by powerful ships, some local chieftains quickly calculated that their sworn allegiance to the Shah in Tehran with its accompanying tax burden might be optional. When queried, they proclaimed their own local authority.

Reza Shah Pahlavi, and to a lesser degree his son Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, successfully strengthened the central government by using reforms, bribes and suppressions. In particular, the Bakhtiaris, Kurds, and Lurs until the late 1940s required persistent military measures to keep them under governmental control.

In studying the history of ethnicity in Iran, it is important to remember that "ethnic nationalism is largely a nineteenth century phenomenon, even if it is fashionable to retroactively extend it."

References

  1. Amnesty International, "Iran: New government fails to address dire human rights situation", AI Index: MDE 13/010/2006, February 16, 2006
  2. Decree of the Central Committee of CPSU Politbureau on "Measures to Organize a Separatist Movement in Southern Azerbaijan and Other Provinces of Northern Iran", GAPPOD Republic of Azerbaijan, f. 1, op. 89, d. 90, ll. 4-5, obtained by Jamil Hasanli, translated for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars by Gary Goldberg
  3. Iran slams US comments on detainees , Tue, 05 Jun 2007 , Press TV detail.aspx? id=12131&sectionid=351020101
  4. (Seymour M. Hersh, the Iran Plam, the New York , April 2006) .
  5. Simon Whelan, Bush courts Azerbaijani President as Part of Build-Up against Iran , Global Research, May 9, 2006
  6. Iran: A Tougher Nut than North Korea September 7, 2004, s.com/world/ 20030603- 103140-3533r. htm
  7. Sharon Behn and Khadija Ismayilova, "Pentagon officials meet with regime foe", THE WASHINGTON TIMES, 2003
  8. David Eshel, Ethnic Opposition on the rise in Iran,
  9. Iason Athanasiadis, "Stirring the ethnic pot", Asian Times, April 29, 2005
  10. William Lowther in Washington DC and Colin Freeman, Sunday Telegraph, 25/02/2007, wiran25.xml
  11. "Memorandum by the Rev. George Percy Badger on the Pretensions of Persia in Beloochistan and Mekran, drawn up with special reference to Her Claim to Gwadur and Charbar," London, Dec. 23, 1863, FOP 60/287.
  12. Patrick Clawson. Eternal Iran. Palgrave Macmillan. 2005 ISBN 1-4039-6276-6 p.23

See also

External links

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