Talk:Iran

Semi-protected edit request on 31 July 2025

Change Unitary presidential theocratic Islamic republic to Unitary presidential theocratic Islamic republic under a totalitarian dictatorship78.39.19.11 (talk) 18:08, 31 July 2025 (UTC)

 Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Day Creature (talk) 19:51, 31 July 2025 (UTC)

https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/iran-resistance/charles-michel-in-rome-irans-dictatorship-is-weak-afraid-and-facing-a-credible-alternative/ 5.75.61.6 (talk) 14:01, 4 August 2025 (UTC)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_the_Islamic_Republic_of_Iran 5.75.61.40 (talk) 15:26, 4 August 2025 (UTC)

https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/middle-east/iran/report-iran/ 5.75.61.40 (talk) 15:28, 4 August 2025 (UTC)

The first cite is obviously not an acceptable source. The second is Wikipedia, which is not a reliable source for Wikipedia, and doesn't call it a totalitarian dictatorship anyhow. The third also does not name it suchly. O3000, Ret. (talk) 15:39, 4 August 2025 (UTC)

"Dictator" is a subjective label and there is well-established consensus (such as several deletions of Category:Dictators) that we should not label people as dictators in wiki-voice unless it is part of a title (e.g. Roman dictator). –LaundryPizza03 (dc̄) 04:17, 16 September 2025 (UTC)

No one has called Iran "Persia" since the Revolution.

"Persia" should redirect to the Achaemenid Empire or Persia (disambiguation) or History of Iran, etc. It's like redirecting Babylonia to Iraq. NNNNNNNN (talk) 23:54, 25 October 2025 (UTC)

@Octaazacubane Hi, you are right! I corrected that by this edit. Thanks, Hooman Mallahzadeh (talk) 05:57, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

Importance of "Persia"

@Aidepikiwnirotide Hi, no doubt about being synonym of "Iran" and "Persia". But is this name such important that can be mentioned in the first line? I think, like other countries, we can mention the synonym "Persia" in other sections of this article. Maybe in the final line of lead section. See Iraq, Syria, Spain, etc. Even though all of them have historical synonyms, none of these articles contain such historical synonyms at the first line. Thanks, Hooman Mallahzadeh (talk) 12:15, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

Hi, The very fact that there is so much sensitivity around this issue indicates how important it is. That said, yes ; the name "Persia" should be mentioned in the very first line so that the reader immediately understands which country is being referred to.

Many readers only read the first few lines. Aidepikiwnirotide (talk) 12:27, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

@Aidepikiwnirotide Can you find any other country article that uses its "historical name" in the first line? By convention, all countries use "name" and "official name" without "historical name". Breaking this convention for Iran is an issue. Hooman Mallahzadeh (talk) 12:44, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

hhh Aidepikiwnirotide (talk) 13:04, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

1. The name Persia remained the official name of the country in letters, maps, and formal documents until 1935, that is, only about 90 years ago. Therefore, referring to it merely as a “historical name” is not entirely accurate, as Persia was more than just a historical term.

2. The reason this issue doesn’t exist for many other countries is that such an unusual event simply didn’t happen elsewhere; namely, a sudden, one-day request through a letter to replace name X with name Y.

3. Nevertheless, in cases like Greece, the country’s official name (the Hellenic Republic) is not commonly used. Instead, the widely recognized historical name, Greece, is used. As a result, both names appear side by side in the first line of the Wikipedia article. Aidepikiwnirotide (talk) 13:06, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

@Hooman Mallahzadeh

1. The name Persia remained the official name of the country in letters, maps, and formal documents until 1935, that is, only about 90 years ago. Therefore, referring to it merely as a “historical name” is not entirely accurate, as Persia was more than just a historical term.

2. The reason this issue doesn’t exist for many other countries is that such an unusual event simply didn’t happen elsewhere; namely, a sudden, one-day request through a letter to replace name X with name Y.

3. Nevertheless, in cases like Greece, the country’s official name (the Hellenic Republic) is not commonly used. Instead, the widely recognized historical name, Greece, is used. As a result, both names appear side by side in the first line of the Wikipedia article. Aidepikiwnirotide (talk) 13:08, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

@Aidepikiwnirotide I propose to add the adverb "historically" to the sentence, which yields:

Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran and historically known as Persia, is a country in West Asia.

In my opinion, both adverbs "officially" and "historically" should be mentioned, because they are helpful. Thanks again. Hooman Mallahzadeh (talk) 04:51, 28 October 2025 (UTC)

@Hooman Mallahzadeh Aidepikiwnirotide (talk) 08:17, 28 October 2025 (UTC)

@Hooman Mallahzadeh

Above (in point 1), I explained why the term “historical name” is not accurate for Persia:

«1. The name Persia remained the official name of the country in letters, maps, and formal documents until 1935, that is, only about 90 years ago. Therefore, referring to it merely as a “historical name” is not entirely accurate, as Persia was more than just a historical term.» Aidepikiwnirotide (talk) 08:21, 28 October 2025 (UTC)

Sorry for pinging you. Historical means what is not contemporary and is in the past. Please see History of Iran. 90 years age is considered Modern period of Iran's history.

History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past.

Nowadays, no one calls it "Persia", so it is related to the past i.e., about 90 years ago and is "historical" according to the above definition. I see no loss of accuracy about the adjective of being "historical" of the name "Persia". Hooman Mallahzadeh (talk) 08:41, 28 October 2025 (UTC)

Please see

• https://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/persia/explore.html
• https://www.britannica.com/place/Persia

And many other places, and pay attention to the adjective "historical". Hooman Mallahzadeh (talk) 08:49, 28 October 2025 (UTC)

@Hooman Mallahzadeh

1. 1935 is considered part of the modern era.

2. In 1959, the 1935 decree was revoked, and the name “Persia” was again officially recognized. For details, see Ehsan Yarshater’s 1989 article “Communication,” published by Cambridge University Press.

Below is a passage from that article:

“Finally, in the summer of 1959, a committee of noted statesmen and scholars, which was appointed to consider a proposal made by the writer, and which comprised Sayyed Hasan Taqizadeh, the celebrated constitutionalist and Speaker of the Senate; Ali Akbar Siasi, Chancellor of the University of Tehran Teachers College; Senator Ali Dashti, a learned man of letters and novelist; and Abdollah Entezam, President of the National Oil Company; and the writer, prepared a report to the government proposing that the change of name be reversed and that a request be made to other countries that Persia be called by the name that had been customary in their language. Hossein Ala, the Minister of Court, who had chaired the committee, put the proposal before the Shah, who approved it; and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was instructed to implement it.”

IRANIAN STUDIES, VOL. XXII, No.1, 1989. Cambridge University Press. Aidepikiwnirotide (talk) 10:18, 28 October 2025 (UTC)

@Aidepikiwnirotide Dear. Aside from your justifications, please do a Google search like this one:

https://www.google.com/search?q=persia&sca_esv=fbce5c1644a5d5c8&sxsrf=AE3TifNqEt3OMtud03Q6URS_YVG2bISMwg%3A1761923095908&ei=F9AEabyUN-7HkdUPhPnSkQc&ved=0ahUKEwj8-4KC286QAxXuY6QEHYS8NHIQ4dUDCBE&uact=5&oq=persia&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiBnBlcnNpYTIKECMYgAQYJxiKBTIKEC4YgAQYJxiKBTIOEC4YgAQYkQIY1AIYigUyChAAGIAEGEMYigUyChAAGIAEGEMYigUyChAAGIAEGEMYigUyChAAGIAEGEMYigUyChAAGIAEGEMYigUyChAuGIAEGEMYigUyChAuGIAEGEMYigVI09EBUObGAViFzwFwAngBkAEAmAGWAqABnQyqAQMyLTa4AQPIAQD4AQGYAgigAt0MwgIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR8ICEBAjGPAFGIAEGCcYyQIYigXCAgUQABiABMICCxAAGIAEGJECGIoFwgIQEC4YgAQYQxjHARiKBRivAcICCxAuGIAEGNEDGMcBwgIFEC4YgATCAg0QLhiABBhDGNQCGIoFmAMAiAYBkAYIkgcFMi4wLjagB9V6sgcDMi02uAfTDMIHBTItNy4xyAcx&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

And pay attention to the adjective "historically".

The adjective "historically" does not mean "formerly" or "not used now" it has a present perfect meaning, i.e. from old till now. Hooman Mallahzadeh (talk) 15:10, 31 October 2025 (UTC)

@Hooman Mallahzadeh I fully understand the meaning of the term "historically." Also, you said: "@Aidepikiwnirotide Hi, no doubt about 'Iran' and 'Persia' being synonymous," which means that Iran = Persia. That implies "also." In the meantime, please re-read point number (2) above; this time more carefully:

"(2) In 1959, the 1935 decree was revoked, and the name “Persia” was again officially recognized. For details, see Ehsan Yarshater’s 1989 article “Communication,” published by Cambridge University Press." Aidepikiwnirotide (talk) 15:17, 31 October 2025 (UTC)

See! "Reliable sources" use "historically" and we should follow that. Hooman Mallahzadeh (talk) 15:24, 31 October 2025 (UTC)

@Hooman Mallahzadeh I don't like to repeat myself, but you're forcing me to. You said: "@Aidepikiwnirotide Hi, no doubt about 'Iran' and 'Persia' being synonymous," which means that Iran = Persia. That implies "also." Aidepikiwnirotide (talk) 16:17, 31 October 2025 (UTC)