Day 3 - Zoroastrianism in Modern Iran

Before Islam, Zoroastrianism was the official and most widely practiced religion in the Sassanian Empire. However, after the advent of Islam, the greater part of the Zoroastrians converted to the new religion, while those who wanted to remain faithful to their religion, either migrated to India or chose the life of the minority in the sea of Islam. Today, there are only a handful of Zoroastrians in Iran, most of them living either in Yazd or Tehran.

  1. Curriculum
  2. Intermediate Persian Syllabus
  3. Week 10 - Religious Persian
  4. Day 3 - Zoroastrianism in Modern Iran  

Reading: An article about the Zoroastrian community in Iran and their struggle to remain in the country or to leave.

Listening: A blog video based on a visit to Yazd from the YouTube channel The Gate of History, providing an overview of major Zoroastrian festivals, rituals, and cultural practices in Iran.

Subject of Conversation: What does a minority need to survive? (اقلیتی برای بقای خود به چه نیاز دارد؟)

In this discussion, students will explore the challenges faced by minority communities, using the case of the Zoroastrians in Iran as a starting point. They will reflect on the factors that contribute to the survival of a minority group and express their ideas using new vocabulary from the day's reading and listening materials. The goal is to help students practice formulating arguments, expressing abstract ideas clearly, and engaging in thoughtful dialogue in Persian.

Homework: 
- Please read today’s article and study the vocabulary.
- Answer the question “What does a minority need to survive?” (in around 300 words).
- Conduct some background research to be well-prepared for tomorrow’s discussion.