This post is for my students and friends who ask why some people say “Persian” and others say “Iranian”—and what each one really means.
1) The quick difference
Iranian refers to citizenship/nationality—a person from the country of Iran. Persian can mean (a) the ethnicity “Persian” (Fārsi-speaking Persians) or (b) the language “Persian.” Historically, “Persia” was a Western exonym for Iran as a whole, derived from the region Parsa/Fārs, and the term’s scope expanded over time to cover the entire Iranian plateau (Britannica, Britannica: Ancient Iran).
2) Who lives in Iran? (ethnic groups)
Iran is a multiethnic nation. Authoritative references list major groups including Persians, Azeris, Kurds, Lurs, Baloch, Arabs, Turkmen and others (CIA World Factbook). That means using “Persian” as if it equals “Iranian” can erase non-Persian Iranians.
A helpful way to picture it: “Iranian” ≈ national umbrella; “Persian” ≈ one big branch under that umbrella (Ajam Media Collective).
3) How “Persia” became “Iran” in international use
Inside the country, Iranians have called the land “Iran” (and “Iranshahr”) for centuries. In the Western world, “Persia” remained common until the mid-1930s. On 21 March 1935, Reza Shah’s government asked foreign governments to use “Iran” in official correspondence. This is recorded in UK Hansard (20 Feb 1935) and summarized by Britannica and Encyclopaedia Iranica (Chronology).
Small correction you might see online: this wasn’t “changed at the UN”—the United Nations didn’t exist until 1945.
Later, in 1959, Mohammad Reza Shah allowed both “Persia” and “Iran” in international usage, so you’ll still see “Persia” in cultural/historical contexts (Name of Iran (overview & references)).
4) Why some in the diaspora prefer “Persian”
After the 1979 revolution, many Iranians abroad grappled with stigma tied to news about the Islamic Republic—hostage crisis, repression, war, sanctions, “oil and bombs” headlines. Some* chose “Persian” to foreground an older civilizational identity (poetry, carpets, cats!) and to distance themselves from the regime’s image. Scholars and surveys document these dynamics and debates in the diaspora (overview of terminology & citations; Society for Cultural Anthropology; Karim & Malek, 2025; Fotouhi, 2014).
BUT: using “Persian” as a stand-in for all Iranians can be exclusionary toward non-Persian ethnic groups. Many academics and community voices recommend Iranian for nationality (inclusive) and Persian for ethnicity or language when those are specifically meant (Ajam Media Collective; CIA World Factbook).
*Not everyone who chooses Persian over Iranian have this reason. Here I am only covering one of the seemingly usual reasons.
5) Language note: Persian (Fārsi) vs. “Iranian”
The language is called Persian in English (endonym: Fārsi). “Iranian,” by contrast, is an adjective for nationality or for the broader family of Iranian languages (Kurdish, Balochi, etc.). Calling the language “Iranian” is imprecise in English.
6) Takeaways for respectful, accurate use
- Use Iranian for nationality/citizenship (inclusive of all ethnic groups in Iran).
- Use Persian for the language and—only when relevant—for the ethnicity.
- “Persia” remains fine in historical/cultural contexts; “Iran” is standard for the modern state (since the 1935 request).
- In diaspora contexts, be curious: ask what someone prefers and why. For many, it’s about dignity, safety, and nuance—not shame.
My take (as a teacher to many with Iranian ties): choosing “Iranian” publicly can feel like carrying not only Hafez and Rumi, but also today’s headlines. That’s heavy. Still, precision helps us honor everyone under Iran’s umbrella.
7) Why Is It Called “Khalij-e Fārs”? (The Persian Gulf)
Now this is interesting. While we say “Persian carpet” (farsh-e irāni فرش ایرانی) or “Persian cat” (gorbe-ye irāni گربهی ایرانی), the Persian Gulf is not called “khalij-e irāni” — it is called khalij-e fārs (خلیج فارس).
So why does this one keep the word Fars (Pars)?
A Name Rooted in Ancient History
The name Persian Gulf goes back more than 2,000 years. It appears in ancient Greek texts as Persikos Kolpos, and has been consistently used in historical maps and documents across centuries.
The word Fars (فارس) itself comes from Pars, the region in southern Iran that was the heartland of the Achaemenid Empire. From this same root, the Western world adopted the name Persia.
Because of this deep historical continuity, the body of water south of Iran has long been known internationally as the Persian Gulf.
Why Not “Irani,” Like Other Expressions?
As mentioned above earlier,in modern Persian, we often use irāni (ایرانی) to describe things related to Iran:
— farsh-e irāni (Persian carpet) فرش ایرانی
— gorbe-ye irāni (Persian cat) گربهی ایرانی
Right?
But khalij-e fārs is different. It is a fixed historical name, not just a descriptive phrase. Changing it would be like renaming a historical landmark — so the original form has remained unchanged over time.
More Than Geography
The Persian Gulf is not just a name on a map. It has always been a vital part of Iran’s history, culture, and economy.
Through the Strait of Hormuz (تنگه هرمز — tange-ye hormoz), one of the world’s most important waterways, a significant portion of global oil trade passes every day.
Beyond its strategic importance, the region carries a strong cultural identity — especially for people from southern Iran, where the rhythm of life, music, and even language reflects the warmth of the Gulf.
A Small Language Detail, A Big Cultural Story
So when you hear khalij-e fārs, you’re not just hearing a geographical term.
You’re hearing a name that has traveled through thousands of years — connecting language, history, and identity in one simple phrase.
