Iran’s history is rooted in charismatic, visionary leaders who were able to command the attention and loyalty of its people.
Today is the birthday of Zarathustra, or Zoroaster or Zartosht, the founder of Zoroastrianism. A religion with one creator but many deities, it influenced monotheistic Abrahamic religions Judaism, Christianity & Islam. It was founded in Ancient Iran and predates the birth of the Persian empire, which was founded by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC. Wikipedia cites Zoroaster as having lived in 1000 BC but was vague even by its standards. I asked someone more knowledgeable who informed me: “Zoroaster was born on Farvardin 6 (March 26 or 25), 1768 BC and passed away on Dey 5 (December 26 or 25), 1691 BC at the age of 77. This is done their calculations in the Fasli calendar based on historical documents and other evidence gathered by Zoroastrians throughout time. But it gets confusing because there are 3 calendars for different Zoroastrian communities. The Fasli is the most accurate.”
In any case, when I was 13 (~1991/92) – with Bryan Adams’s “Thought I’d Died and Gone to Heaven” blaring repeatedly on my stereo – my attention turned to the book Z of my encyclopedias, namely: Zoroastrianism, the religion preceding Islam in Iran. I can’t speak for all Iranians, obviously, but my relationship with Iran, and Islam, is complicated. Probably not alone. Born six months before the 1979 revolution and immigrating to Canada in 1984 after a year in Spain, I didn’t grow up in a religious household (apart from my one and only grandparent, my grandma). She was, like most Iranian grandmas, sweet, polite and generous with attention and affection. I recognized that some of those traits were nature, others nurture, including her religion. I never had any issues with religion per se, other than criticizing how humans used it as a tool to unleash death, destruction at worse, and division at best. But, I was always atheist or at most agnostic.
As an atheist then and agnostic now, I admit that the tenets of Zoroastrianism are highly appealing. Emphasizing on doing good for good’s sake with good thoughts, good deeds and good actions, Zoroastrians in Ancient Persia worshiped Ahura Mazda (meaning “Wise Lord” in Avestan) as the the highest deity of Zoroastrianism – and as a monotheistic religion, the only God (one day someone will have to explain to me how the “destructive spirit” Angra Mainyu in Avestan – or Ahriman in Farsi – is Ahura Mazda’s evil *counterpart* but not also a God. In any case, certain tenets of afterlife, judgment day etc. carry through to other religions…
A few centuries later, Cyrus came along and built the greatest empire known to then-man, properly paying tribute and respect to Zoroastrianism and Zartosht. Cyrus was arguably (adjusted for inflation to reflect the total area known to man, world population, total global production etc) the most powerful individual – period. He controlled the majority of the then-known world, and did so through brilliant leadership, wisdom, diplomacy, tolerance and respect for all people, and so on… even Alexander the Great, the “most influential secular figure in history” – viewed Cyrus as a leading influence alongside his father Philip and Aristotle.
Persian historians and Iranians are patriotic and nationalist, even moreso than most people… and Cyrus is viewed in only a positive light. If today we see that many of the world’s injustices and inequalities stem from imperialism, ethnocentrism & unbridled capitalism, then you wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Cyrus had a rather gruesome and inglorious death in his boundaryless lust for more power, wealth, influence, land and so on. The Great ones – Cyrus and Alexander – both mastered propaganda. Alexander had a head of PR follow him during his adventure; while noble and sincere, the Cyrus cylinder is viewed by some historians as an early form of royal propaganda as the first declaration of human rights.
Reality is Iran was the first global power at a time when monarchies were the prevalent form of government. Politics involves propaganda and Iran is no exception, with a history steeped in spin with paranoia being a theme (I’ve written aplenty about the “only the paranoid survive” in entrepreneurship articles, it’s quite possible that is a manifestation of my nature as an Iranian and nurture as an entrepreneur). Because the current form of government in Iran is a republic, and one which overthrew a monarchy, then modern day Iran (the government, state media etc) does not exactly celebrate its previous leaders the way other governments and countries would normally do. It’s complicated, sadly. Iran today is the opposite of what it was, on many levels. But invariably things like communications, propaganda, messaging etc. remain omnipresent.
Growing up in Canada, I admittedly moved on from Iran, viewing myself more Canadian than Iranian. But, growing up, you root for the football (soccer) team (well…). You keep an eye on the news: frustrating and disheartening for the most. As a loyal & patriotic person, I always felt compelled – if not to defend – then at least to explain the country’s culture, people, politics – even if I disagreed. I could write a book about this, but that’s for a separate day.
While all diaspora groups have their own unique and certainly tragic aspects, the Iranian diaspora’s reality and perspective is something else. Recently, I’ve tried to go beyond the veneer to better understand all the dynamics. If you jump to today, Iran is in a very different place than ever before. While to millennials, Generation X & Y, things feel different this time around, we have seen the youth rise, only to face backlash, violence, and in some cases, death. Thus, the diaspora (at large, not any single vocal group be it in the silent majority or vocal minority etc) has to balance seeking a better quality of life for those who live in Iran, without also appearing to condone all of the regime’s decisions and actions, which with its history of 2500 years not interested to be told by any Western powers what and how to do things.
Religion and culture have always been intertwined in Iran: first under Zoroastrians, and now Muslims. But it would be the understatement of the year to say those two realities were different. In recent studies, fewer Iranians are religious; many are atheist/agnostic. But what they have never given up and will never give up is their culture and language.
Considering that for months, the Islamic Regime implored Iranians to vote in their elections, I found the most recent messaging and communications a bit peculiar, though not surprising.
Previous parliamentary elections drew decent turnout, but these elections were a form of civil disobedience by being ignored with low turnout. My very first reaction was “why wouldn’t the people vote?” But Iran is unique, and agree or disagree, I quickly understood and accepted the sentiment. Again, nothing is as it seems with Iran, apparently. Even following our national soccer team has become political. Nelson Mandela said “sport has the power to unite.” Yep. But not amongst us, sadly.
In any case, while a large portion of Iranians’ relationship with religion has always been IMHO more spiritual and symbolic, the main thing bonding Iranians is culture – language, food, natural resources (which have come to you to mean oil & gas but to Iranians is so much more) and the mosaic of ethnicities that consist of Iran, or land of the Aryans.
You’d think the Islamic Republic would recognize this, and in its (as with all democratic republics, of course) desire to truly represent its people & command its legitimacy, it would understand that its efforts to extinguish Iranian traditions isn’t productive, and in fact, only backfires.
I don’t recall Iranians by the hordes driving down to Persepolis, or bringing the heat during Shaharshanbe-Suri, the last Wednesday before the new year (or Nowruz, which coincides with the spring equinoxe) to the extent they did this year. Which takes me to what made me think of all of this: Nowruz.
Against a figurative backdrop of the juxtaposition of empty voting booths with the people showing up to celebrate their cultural identity, in his new year greetings, the spiritual leader of the Islamic Republic Imam Khamenei sat alongside a literal backdrop of a small table with an underwhelming “sabze” beneath a picture of the late Ayatollah Khomenei, who spearheaded the 1979 Islamic revolution. Put a bowl of apples on that table!
The Islamic Republic – which critics would say is an Arabic Shia Muslim doctrine that has nothing to do with Iran – has for years tried to erase Iran from the fibre of day-to-day life in the theocratic state. As he sat there speaking to the Iranian people, the message was clear.
This was akin to Americans seeing President Biden give a Christmas greeting sitting next to a pine cone when all American households are displaying Christmas lights, decorated trees, stockings on chimneys and so on. If that weren’t enough, Imam Khamenei expectedly drew a connection to the conflict in Gaza… which the average Iranian may empathize with but ultimately does not view as a matter that should command the attention and mainly, resources, of the government.
As a side note, and to be fair, it’s ironic that a group of Iranians who objected to the previous Shah’s lavish ways (while definitely also improving the lives of many Iranians) before the 1979 revolution have now been replaced by the future generation who understandably objects to the largesse the Iranian regime offers groups in Palestine, Lebanon, and elsewhere. History does rhyme after all, and given technology and the demographics of the country, you’d think the regime would understand when and how to pick its battles. An image speaks a thousand words, and against the backdrop of what’s been happening in Iran and amplifying of late, it spoke volumes.
All this does is further reinforce the notion that the regime doesn’t represent the people and is disconnected. Unless, of course, that’s the objective. On this platform, I’ve heard Iranians ask why Persian history isn’t celebrated in film. There are many Iranians in California, some of whom may work in media & entertainment. One reason is the heightened political nature of all things related to Iran. But when your own government and leadership strives to erode and erase Iranian identity and culture, then the lack of movies and television shows that celebrate our history shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Iran’s human resources are its greatest strength – and throughout history that includes charismatic and global leaders including Zoroaster, Cyrus the Great, Reza Khan and like him or dislike him, Ruhollah Khomeini, who managed to alter the course of history. With Imam Khamenei not getting any younger, and the balance of power in Iran being balanced by the clerics and the IRGC, Iran is about to garner the attention of the world like it has never before. Whether or not anything actually changes or it remains business as usual will be determined by the Iranian people. On this day, raise a toast to the memory of Zartosht, arguably our first great – but by no means our last – leader.