History is a book which one has to start from the middle, particularly that of the ancient civilizations such as China, India, and Iran. Thought the history of Iran is long and complex, its shapes is determined by the rise and fall of successive dynasties unit its latest stage, victory of the Islamic revolution and rising of an Islamic Republic in the modern world.
The terms “Iran” as the designation for the civilization, and “Iranian” as the name for the inhabitants occupying the large plateau located between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf have been in continual use for more than twenty-five hundred years. They are related to the term “Aryan” and it is supposed that the plateau was occupied in prehistoric times by Indo-European peoples from Central Asia. Through many invasions and changes of empire, this essential designation has remained a strong identifying marker for all populations living in this region and the many neighboring territories that fell under its influence due to conquest and expansion.
Ancient Greek geographers designated the territory as “Persia” after the territory of Fars where the ancient Achamenian Empire had its seat. Today as a result of migration and conquest, people of Indo-European, Turkic, Arab, and Caucasian origin have some claim to Iranian cultural identity. Many of these peoples reside within the territory of modern Iran.
Iranian culture is one of the oldest in the region, and it has influenced cultures like Italy, Macedonia, Greece, Russia, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of Asia. It is nice to learn some Persian idioms when you travel to Iran. The most common greeting is “salaam alaykum” or more simply “salaam” which means “peace”. You can show respect for elders by greeting them first.
The most important thing in communicating Iranian people is to be familiar with Taarof. Taarof is a way of acting in which people say nice things and compliments excessively and don’t accept whatever you offer them at first. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a cup of tea or a precious gift. If you want them to accept it, you have to insist. In fact, Taarof is a way of greeting and salutation for the respected guests. Learning Taarof is a little hard but being familiar with the concept helps you in understanding other people’s behavior in Iran.
Actually you don’t need to know every single one of Iranian culture and customs about communication but the more you know, the more you understand. Of course, you learn many parts of Iranian culture during your journey to Iran.
