Persian nationalism

Persian nationalism (Persian: ملی‌گرایی پارسی) is an ethnonationalist ideology that defines the Persian people, language, and culture as the central foundations of political and national identity in Iran. It emerged in the early 20th century in response to imperial decline and became institutionalized under the Pahlavi dynasty. Distinct from Iranian nationalism, which is typically articulated as a form of civic nationalism encompassing multiple ethnic groups, Persian nationalism is rooted in ethnolinguistic criteria. As a result, scholars have argued that it may at times marginalize non-Persian identities by framing them as regional or secondary to Persian-centric identity. Persian nationalism was most strongly pronounced as a state ideology during the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi.

The ideology places strong emphasis on Iran's pre-Islamic antiquity, particularly the Achaemenid and Sasanian empires, which are portrayed as a golden age of national civilization. Historical figures and symbols such as Cyrus the Great and Persepolis are commonly invoked to establish continuity between ancient Persia and the modern Iranian state.