Iranian nationalism

Not to be confused with Persian nationalism.

Iranian nationalism is a form of nationalism centered on the people of Iran and those who identify as Iranian, encompassing political, social, and cultural movements that emphasize pride in Iranian history, culture, languages, and national unity.

National consciousness in Iran has ancient roots, drawing from centuries of shared historical memory, including pre-Islamic empires such as the Achaemenid and Sasanian periods. However, modern Iranian nationalism, as a predominant ideological force shaping attitudes and policies, primarily emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It developed amid Qajar Iran's encounters with European colonialism, internal weaknesses, and the need for reform. Intellectuals like Fath'ali Akhundzadeh and Mirza Aqa Khan Kermani played key roles in articulating ideas that highlighted Iran's pre-Islamic heritage, Aryan origins, linguistic unity around the Persian language, and historical continuity, often critiquing the cultural influence of Islam following the 7th-century Arab conquests as an overlay on an older, indigenous civilization.

The 1905–1911 Persian Constitutional Revolution marked a significant rise in patriotic sentiments and unity across diverse groups. This momentum intensified under the Pahlavi dynasty (1925–1979), particularly during Reza Shah's reign (1925–1941), when nationalism shifted from intellectual discourse to official state policy. The government promoted centralized modernization, including infrastructure projects, military reforms, secular education, and cultural revivalism. Notable initiatives included the 1935 international request that foreign delegates begin using Iran (the native endonym) in formal correspondence, as well as archaeological efforts highlighting sites like Persepolis. These measures aimed to foster cohesion among Iran's multi-ethnic population, including Persians, Azeris, Kurds, and others, though they sometimes involved coercive policies, such as suppressing regional autonomies and prioritizing Persian-centric narratives.


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