National Identity

Conference: Washington DC, February 1995

?        Book Series: Iran Threshold Year 2000
?        Book 6: National Identity

?        Association of Iranian Researchers

?        First Published Autumn 2001, Paris

?        ?/span> Copyright ACI 1992

?        All rights reserved

The following is the Foreword to the book of the above conference.

What is our National or Iranian Identity?

To understand National Identity initially we must look into the meanings of terms such as mother’s embrace, inherited home, nest, home, and all other words that enliven emotive feelings of belonging within us. Although each term may have its own literal meaning the collective of their meanings does not necessarily create one image in our minds. Depending on the individual each word has its own interpretation and is not uniform. It takes its colour and aroma form our sensibilities and maybe this understanding is our first sign of our own distinctive identity.

Recorded world history and engravings on ancient stones also tell of an identity that once linked to a society or a country becomes its proud heritage. It becomes an identity document that demonstrates the civil and social evolution and progress of the particular place and although made of stone it has life and gives pride.

What is the true reality of identity? Why do we try to identify ourselves through it? Why is it that the individual’s original; and genuine identity never changes and despite either needed or enforced attempts our real identity remains true the original.

Perhaps it is better if we start from this point; from where we can explain our identity. Every single one of us and as a collective we are recognised with something. why not keep what is valuable form that and discard the invaluable part of it for ever.

Let us ask ourselves honestly, is our identity our country? Our ancient and old Iran? The one that in its history has been recognised as the world’s first global government[1] that during Xerxes the borders of its great empire included India to Ethiopia[2]. Or is it the same Iran that according to Darius the Great was made up of 48 different race and language and its expanse covered not just the Caspian Sea but the Aral Sea, the Isk Lake as part of its eastern land, the Persian Gulf in its South without its recent border states and on its other side Babylon, Palmir and the Lake of Van.

Is our identity the Safavid period and the  victories of Shah Ismalieh Safavi? Is our identity Nader Shah, his victory over India and the acquisition of the ‘Kuhe Noor’ and ‘Darya Noor’ diamonds? Is our identity the unfit Qajar Shahs who lost seventeen cities in Caucasia? Is our identity the present Iran and our pride the fact that break away Soviet Republics speak Farsi, house statues of Iran’s greatest epic poet Ferdowsi in the heart of their capital, are proud of their Iranian culture and celebrate the Iranian new year ‘Noruz’ and celebrate other Iranian celebrations with more vigour than we do? Or let us honestly ask ourselves again:

Is our identity our Farsi language that has ancient roots and has been through many highs and lows? Like the period that scholars such as Avisina, Farabi, Aburayhan Biruni[3] and ?worked in Arabic because of fear from the Arab Khalifas. Or is it the Farsi language that to this date the Moslem tribes in west China pray in.[4] Let us leave aside the fact that it is still not clear to me how much of the prayers said in Arabic in our country are understood. Really, I do not even believe that many of the Hojatoleslams and Ayatollahs who speak Arabic genuinely grasp what it is they are saying.

Let us again ask ourselves honestly. Do we identify ourselves with the long reign of Shahs that have spanned the ages[5]

Is our national identity our religion and faith that starts from Zoroastra and other Iranian faiths such as Mani, Mazdak, ehafarid, Firooz Espahbod (Sanbad), Isaac Estaris, Moghane, Khoramdinan[6] and onto Islam and the Iranian Shiism and ultimately the union of the two that according to the Karnamak of Ardashir Babakan[7] religion and monarchy are the two columns of the country and one does not function without the other.

[۱] The History of Ancient Persia, Volume I, The history of Ancient East Page 2 – Hassan Pirnia (Moshiroldoleh) Third Edition, Tehran 1344 (1965)
[۲] The book of Esther – Bible Chapter 1 verse 1 that states ‘from India to Ethipoia’
[۳] In the Paris Arab Institute Iranian scholars such as Avisina, Farabi, Aburayhan Biruni, Razi and ? have been listed as Arabs.
[۴] Golestan, Saadi. Recent research done by the Ismaile Centre in London
[۵] Quoted from ‘The image of Ahmad Shah’ Vol I p 171, Summer 1372 (1993) published Tehran. In a section of a letter form Mirza Mohamad Ali Foroughi (Zokaolmolk) to one of his friends after the second world war  who was staying in Paris as one of the participants in the primary meetings concerning the formation of UN : ‘ ? It is not possible to link everything to the past and insist that Iran is the land of Darius and Anoushirvan. How long can I quote Ferdowsi, Nezamolmolk and other sinstead of offering positive suggestions. How long must we recite poetry and mysticism?’
[۶] Religious movements in Iran, Dr Gholam Hossein Sadighi, Tehran 1372 (1993). Published by Pajang.