Voices from Zoroastrian Iran

More about the book

This oral studies research project maps the remaining Zoroastrian communities in Iran, examining their religious lives and social structures since the 1979 Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic. Volume 1 features interviews with Zoroastrians from urban centers such as Tehran, Kerman, Ahvaz, Shiraz, and Esfahan. Participants discuss community leaders, historical figures, local events, teachers, and religious texts that have influenced their understanding of the faith, while also reflecting on the recent historical impacts on their lives. The religion is presented through the lens of Iranian scholars and scholar-priests rather than predominantly Western perspectives. A dedicated chapter surveys key Iranian Zoroastrian religious observances and popular customs. The new Constitution, the return to shari'a, and the subsequent eight-year war with Iraq altered the relationship between Zoroastrians and the state, influencing the religious and social identities of the next generation through Zoroastrian institutions like the anjomans and those established by the Islamic Republic. The interviews capture a living memory that highlights both pre- and post-revolutionary experiences, addressing themes such as education, emigration, conversion, and religious reform.