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Pan-Iranism is an ideology that advocates solidarity and reunification of Iranian peoples living in the Iranian continent and Iranian plateau (falaat-e-Iran), including Baluchis and Ossetians, Kurds, Pashtuns, Persians, Zazas, Qizilbash and Tajiks. Virtually all Pan-Iranists also include the Azeris, who although speak a Turkic language with considerable Persian vocabulary, form the second largest ethnic group in Iran.
These peoples lived within the same empire most of the time until the mid-1800s, when much territory - including the region comprising the present-day Republic of Azerbaijan - was lost to the Russian Empire, as well as Afghanistan to the British Empire. See also: Greater Iran and The Great Game.
Iranian philosopher Dr. Mahmoud Afshar (of Turkic Afshar origin and father of Iraj Afshar) developed the Pan-Iranist ideology in the early 1920s as a reaction against the rising tide of Pan-Turkism and Pan-Arabism, which were seen as potential threats to the territorial integrity of Iran. Unlike similar movements of the time in other countries, Pan-Iranism was ethnically and linguistically inclusive and solely concerned with territorial nationalism, rather than ethnic or racial nationalism.
History
With the collapse of the Qajar dynasty, which had descended into corruption, and the rise of Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1925, who began introducing secular reforms limiting the power of the Shia clergy, Iranian nationalist and socialist thinkers had hoped that this new era would also witness the introduction of democratic reforms. However, such reforms did not take place. This culminated in the gradual rise of a loosely organized grass roots Pan-Iranist movement made up of nationalist writers, teachers, students, and activists allied with other pro-democracy movements.
In the 1940s, the Pan-Iranist movement gained momentum after the Allied invasion. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, two political parties were formed based on the Pan-Iranist ideology, namely Mellat Iran and the Pan-Iranist Party of Iran (Hezb-e Pan-Iranist). Though sharing this same political foundation and similar viewpoints on many issues, the two groups greatly differed in their organizational structure and practice. Both these parties are currently active inside the country and abroad. Since the Iranian Revolution, there have also been other lesser known groups, both within Iran and without, which have adhered to Pan-Iranism.
See also
- Iranian peoples
- Iranian languages
- Persian Empire
- History of Azerbaijan
- History of Iran
- History of Afghanistan
- History of Tajikistan
- Greater Iran
- Pan-Turkism
- Pan Arabism
- Pan-Turanism
Further reading
- Hezbe Pan Iranist by Ali Kabar Razmjoo (ISBN 964-6196-51-9)
- Engheta, Naser (2001). 50 years history with the Pan-Iranists. Los Angeles, CA: Ketab Corp. ISBN 1-883819-56-3.