Is Iran an Arab Country?

Slate ^ | 5/25/03 | Chris Suellentrop

[Xphantasos]

FWIW

I once heard an Iranian make a comment about this - (paraphrasing)... that "Iran begins where the camels stop".

[freedom44]

on or off iran ping

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Linguistically it is not. Culturally it is.

[Drew68]

Persian is the official language.

Farsi is the official language.

[freedom44]

No it's not. Culturally they're extremely different. It's like saying US has a similar culture of France.

Iranians don't even understand Arabs much less share a similar culture with them.

[freedom44]

Persian is english translation of Farsi.

Fars is a region in Iran which the Greeks called Persia. Hence Farsi is the root Iranian language way of saying the western translation.

Farsi is what was used in the east and Persian was the translation of the word.

Same thing.

[freedom44]

Persian is english translation of Farsi.

Fars is a region in Iran which the Greeks called Persia. Hence Farsi is the root Iranian language way of saying the western translation.

Farsi is what was used in the east and Persian was the translation of the word.

Same thing.

[freedom44]

Persian is english translation of Farsi.

Fars is a region in Iran which the Greeks called Persia. Hence Farsi is the root Iranian language way of saying the western translation.

Farsi is what was used in the east and Persian was the translation of the word.

Same thing.

[freedom44]

woops.. it came up three times, Admin moderator can you delete please?

[bruinbirdman]

Iranians (Persians) are closer to Germans than Arabs, ie. Indo-Aryans (indo-caucasian).

yitbos

[muawiyah]

It is not unusual for an Iranian to read, write or speak Arabic. There are several reasons for this one of which is to understand the Koran in the Prophet's language as he received it from God.

You want to get right with God, you learn His language, eh?!

[freedom44]

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html Yes it's quite unusual. Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

[liberalnot]

i had close iranian friends in los angeles.

they did not like arabs.

they were light-skinned, passed for american whites, and indeed, if you look on a map, the caucasas mountains are nearby.

[Ben Ficklin]

Kill 'em all and let allah sort it out.

[freedom44]

Ok, Adolf.

[nwrep]

Most Iranians are caucasians, not Arabs. That is, they are closer ethnically to Poles and Slavs than to Ahabs.

[liberalnot]

how's that different than what i posted?

[dixiechick2000]

This thread answers many questions I have had. Thank you for posting it.

"Ok, Adolf."

ROTFLOL! That one caught me off guard. You're quick...;o)

[RedWhiteBlue]

Your experience is similar to mine. The few Iranians I have known were adamant that they were NOT arabs. They were insulted if anyone called them Arabs, and were quick to correct if such was stated.

This also fits with what I was taught in Jr. High school -- that all peoples were divided into the three "classic" races -- Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid. Iranians and Indians are both considered part of the Caucasoid race in the classic sense. I don't recall where the Arabs fit, but it wasn't Caucasoid.