The Israeli and Western reference to Iran focuses on three main issues: Iran’s military nuclear project and rockets; expansion of Iranian presence (direct and indirect) in Arab states, mainly Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen; and the Ayatollahs’ regime. Occasionally, there is an allusion to the Iranian economic situation and its COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Rarely, do political, military or editorial elements address the Iranian population which in general is referred to as “The Iranian People.”
That is precisely the point. There is no such People. What exists in Iran is a population half of which is Persian, and the other half a large number of “non-Persian peoples”: Azeris (in the northern part, south of Azerbaijan), Arabs (in Al-Ahwaz overlooking the Persian Gulf east and north), Kurds (north-west), Turkmans (north-east) and many other smaller groups: Lurs, Kashkais, Caspians, Mazendaranis, Gilyaks and others.
