How Recent War Rekindled Iranian Identity

Date: 16 July 2025 - 22:11

News ID: ۱۴۱۴۹۹

TEHRAN -- In the latest session of the “Iran-e Adabiat” series, scholars Ismail Amini and Ebrahim Esmaeili-Arazi on Wednesday delved into the multifaceted concept of vatan—homeland—in Persian poetry, unveiling its rich and evolving meanings across time.
Amini began by challenging common analytical missteps in literary criticism. He cautioned against projecting contemporary assumptions onto classical texts, noting how readers often seek verses that confirm preconceived notions—such as idealizing ancient kings—rather than confronting the text on its own terms.
“Poetry is not a straightforward mirror of an author’s thought but a complex narrative shaped by its era,” he asserted.
Tracing the semantic shifts of vatan, Amini highlighted how the term once evoked spiritual realms in mystical poetry and denoted birthplace in pre-constitutional times, long before the modern notions of borders and passports existed.
He recalled historical Iranian worldviews, where the “seven climes” concept situated Iran as the superior realm under the shahanshah. Today, echoes of this mindset persist in cultural pride centered on language, heritage, and identity.
Amini emphasized the poetic reflection of emerging national identities, where “Iranian” gradually transcended regional affiliations. From ancient to modern verse, language, culture, religion, and shared history weave the fabric of vatan.
He argued that contemporary poetry now embraces a more concrete, territorial vision of homeland, departing from earlier abstractions.
Esmaeili-Arazi complemented this perspective by stressing cultural cohesion amid diversity. Drawing an analogy to the intricate unity in Persian carpets, he illustrated how Iran’s social and literary fabric remains intact despite historical divisions.
“Iran is first a cultural and behavioral reality,” he said, one enduring beyond shifting political boundaries.
Both scholars agreed that the enduring core of Iranian identity lies in culture rather than borders. Esmaeili-Arazi reflected on the resilience forged through shared rituals and art, which transcend power struggles and unify disparate voices.
The experience of recent conflicts, including the twelve-day war, has awakened a renewed consciousness of Iranian-ness—one that will inevitably resonate in future literature.