By Bobby Darvish, Iranian-American Ex-Muslim, Former Vegan, Former Democrat, Former Socialist, Former CAIR-Columbus Executive Director, Former Muslim Forum of Utah President, Christian Conservative LDS Priest
As an Iranian-American and a student of history, I have long believed in the necessity of Pan-Iranianism—the revival of a united Persian cultural and political identity, free from the constraints of Islam, which has long suppressed the true essence of our civilization. The Persian Empire was once one of the most advanced, tolerant, and powerful forces in the world. To reclaim our rightful place, modern-day Iranians and our kin must rally around our shared pre-Islamic heritage and build a future that honors our Indo-European, Zoroastrian, and nationalist roots.
Why Pan-Iranianism is Needed
Islamic rule has shackled Iranian civilization, suppressing its natural growth and innovation. The Persian Empire before the Arab conquests was a beacon of justice, science, and progress—one that respected diversity while maintaining a core cultural identity. Today, Iran is ruled by a foreign ideology that has little to do with our ancestral traditions. We must reclaim our legacy, uniting the Iranic peoples under a new Persian Renaissance that discards the religious domination imposed upon us by foreign invaders.
A modern Persian Empire, free of Islam, would be a beacon of freedom, national pride, and progress for all Iranic peoples. This means reviving Zoroastrian ethics, Indo-European warrior traditions, and the rich literary and philosophical contributions that have been overshadowed by centuries of foreign rule. The ancient Persians built an empire based on law, governance, and tolerance, not the authoritarian theocracy that currently plagues Iran.
The Nations of a New Persian Empire
A revived Persian Empire should encompass all lands that were historically part of Iranic civilization—those that share common linguistic, ethnic, and cultural ties to Greater Iran. These include:
Iran (the heart of Persian civilization, but currently in need of liberation from Islamic rule)
Afghanistan (historically Khorasan, a vital part of Iranian culture and history)
Tajikistan (a Persian-speaking nation severed from its true Iranian identity by Soviet influence)
Parts of Pakistan (Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which were historically Iranic regions)
Kurdistan (spanning parts of Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, home to an Iranic people oppressed by foreign rulers)
Western regions of India (historically part of Persian influence through the Median and Parthian expansions)
Armenia and Georgia (long-time allies of Iran and integral to the ancient empire)
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan (historically Persianate regions before Turkic invasions)
These regions share a common history of Persian influence, language, and identity before the rise of Islamic dominance. To rebuild a strong and sovereign Persian Empire, these nations must reclaim their Iranic heritage, reject foreign cultural imperialism, and unite under a common vision of national revival.
The Path Forward: Rejecting Islam and Embracing Heritage
The primary obstacle to a true Persian revival is the theocratic regime in Iran and the broader Islamic influence that has kept Iranian people subjugated for centuries. Islam was forced upon our ancestors at the tip of a sword, erasing our Zoroastrian traditions, warrior ethos, and advanced governance systems. We must look to the past for inspiration—reviving the ideals of Cyrus the Great, Darius I, and the Sassanian kings, who ruled with wisdom, fairness, and a vision of Iranian supremacy.
To achieve this, we must:
Reject the Islamic Republic and its clerical dictatorship that serves Arabized interests, not the Persian people.
Revitalize Zoroastrian and Iranic spiritual traditions as the guiding moral framework for a new era.
Strengthen cultural and linguistic ties between the Persian-speaking and Iranic regions, emphasizing our common heritage over imposed religious identities.
Encourage political unity among Iranic nations to resist both Western globalism and Islamic authoritarianism.
Revive Persian military and economic strength, ensuring that a future Persian Empire can compete on the world stage.
Conclusion
A Pan-Iranian revival is not a matter of nostalgia but a necessity for survival. The Islamic yoke has stifled our people for far too long. We must embrace our true identity, honor our ancestors, and reclaim the strength that was stolen from us. Only by discarding the foreign ideology of Islam and reviving our Persian roots can we restore Iranic greatness.
The future belongs to those who are strong, proud, and free—and the time has come for the Iranic peoples to rise again.
Citations
Richard N. Frye, The Heritage of Persia (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1962).
Mary Boyce, Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (London: Routledge, 2001).
Ehsan Yarshater, The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 3: The Seleucid, Parthian, and Sasanian Periods (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983).
Kaveh Farrokh, Shadows in the Desert: Ancient Persia at War (Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2007).
R.C. Zaehner, The Dawn and Twilight of Zoroastrianism (New York: Putnam, 1961).
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