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Revision as of 21:34, 13 July 2004
Iran is a multiethnic state, incorporating Persians, Azeri-Turks, Kurds, Turkmen, Beluchi, Qashqai, Bakhthiari, Arab, Jewish, Armenian, Assyrian and many other minor ethnic groups and subgroups. While many of these groups are urbanised and often mixing - particularly in larger cities - some are still functioning as rural tribal societies.
Many of these ethnic groups have their own language, literature, culture and (sometimes) political ambitions. Some of these groups are also religious minorities.
One of the major internal policy challenges during the centuries up until now for most or all Iranian governments has been to find the approriate and measured approach to the difficulties and opportunities caused by this diversity.
Current Policy
The current governmnetal policy can be characterised by a mixture of celebrating and furthering cultural diversity under a joint Iranian national umbrella, while holding down (occasionally violently) political separatism.
Many Iranian provinces have radio and television stations in local language or dialect. Many members of ethnic minorities have made a successful political career. Most provincial governors, many members of the local ruling classes and clergy are members of the relevant ethnic groups. Many, if not most members of the national cultural and political elite will have mixed roots.
Separatist tendencies, led e.g. by the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran or by the Komalah have lead in Kurdistan to frequent unrest and occasional military crackdown.
Similar tendencies, but on smaller scale in e.g. Beluchistan, Khuzistan and Azerbeijan required occasionally suppression by police and other security measures.
Historical Notes
Traditionally Iran was governed over the last centuries in a fairly decentralised way with much regional and local autonomy. Particularly weaker members of the Khajar dynasty often did not rule much beyond the capital Tehran, a fact exploited by the imperial powers Britain and Russia in the 19th century.
Reza Shah Pahlavi and to a lesser degree his son Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, strengthened successfully central government by using reform, bribe and suppression in equal measure. Particularly the Bakhtiaris, Kurds and until the late 1940's also some of the Turkish speaking Azeri regions required repeatedly military measures to keep under governmental control.
Links
] website of the Komalah, a Marxist guerilla movement, mostly Kurdish, active in Western Iran.
], website about KDPI
] on Ahvaz/Khuzistan separatist tendencies