No one I knew, who escaped the glorious Islamic revolution, called themselves “Iranian.” They all called themselves Persian. Maybe it’s just where I lived.
I have encountered Persian Jews, Persian Armenians, and self-identified Iranian-Americans. If they are younger and from Muslim families, they say Iranian.
They are mostly Persians from Iran.
The nation is Persian, long proud nation of king Cyrus the great who conquered among others Babylon and freed the Israelites.
They speak Farsi, and Indo European language related to (among others) Russian, Armenian and Hindu.
Not at all related to Arabic!!!
Arabs conquered Persia in 7th century AD and forced on them Arabic alphabet and Muslim faith!
But they generally do not understand and like Arabs!
Iran is the name of the country. It is actually a racist name meaning literarily “Aryan Nation”.
Somebody not so long ago decided that they really are not like Arabs and created this name to show it!