Day 4 - The Armenians in Iran and the Middle East

Armenians have their homeland in the northern parts of the Middle East and have lived there for millennia alongside with the Assyrians, Iranians, Greeks, Arabs, etc. Centuries of turmoil and persecutions have contributed to their spreading all over the Middle East and beyond. We have, or rather had numerous and significant communities of Armenians in practically every Middle Eastern country. The most significant ones were/are living in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Iran, etc. However, the political events of the last decades (Lebanon’s Civil War, Iran-Iraq war and the invasion of Iraq, Syrian Civil War, the Islamic Revolution, etc.) have contributed to the weakening of the Armenian communities of these countries and a mass exodus out of the region. Despite this, the Iranian-Armenian community today is still very much alive and active in Iran, and today’s class is dedicated to this community.

  1. Curriculum
  2. Intermediate Persian Syllabus
  3. Week 9 - Identity Persian
  4. Day 4 - The Armenians in Iran and the Middle East  

Reading: This article explores the history of Armenians in Iran, their cultural identity, the challenges they have faced, and how their community and way of life have evolved over time.

Listening: Today's video for listening discusses the contributions of the Armenian community in Iran to the country's culture and arts.

Subject of Conversation: Armenians around the world; Famous Armenians (ارامنه در سراسر جهان؛ ارامنه مشهور)

In this discussion, students will talk about the global Armenian diaspora and notable Armenian figures across various fields, including those within Iran. The conversation encourages students to share their thoughts and prior knowledge while incorporating new vocabulary and expressions from the reading and listening materials. Through this dialogue, students will practice describing cultural contributions, expressing historical changes, and using biographical details in Persian.

Homework: 
- Complete reading today’s article and learn the vocabulary.
- Watch the video from Listening section and write the summary of it in about 300 words.
- Prepare for tomorrow’s discussion.