The decision to replace the name “Persia” with “Iran” in 1935 marked a turning point in the country’s modern history, reflecting a deeper effort to redefine national identity and reposition the state on the global stage.
The change was ordered by Reza Shah Pahlavi, who asked foreign governments to adopt “Iran” in all official correspondence. While widely seen as a symbolic move, the decision was rooted in a broader political and cultural strategy aimed at modernising the country and strengthening a unified national identity.
For centuries, the term “Persia” had been used by Western nations to describe the country. The name originated from “Parsa”, a region in the southwest that was home to the founders of the ancient Persian Empire, including Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC. Greek historians expanded the term to refer to the entire empire, and it remained dominant in European languages.
However, “Persia” was largely an external label. Internally, the land had long been referred to as “Iran” or related forms such as “Iranzamin”, meaning “Land of Iran”. The word itself traces back to ancient Indo-Iranian roots, often interpreted as “Land of the Aryans”, linking the country to its deep historical and cultural origins.
Reza Shah’s decision to formalise “Iran” internationally was part of a wider modernization project. After seizing power in 1921 and later establishing the Pahlavi dynasty, he launched sweeping reforms to centralise authority, reduce foreign influence and reshape how the country was perceived.
At the time, “Persia” was increasingly associated in Western narratives with decline, debt and political instability under the Qajar dynasty. By contrast, “Iran” was intended to project a renewed national image, grounded in ancient heritage but oriented toward a modern future.
The name change was officially announced during the Nowruz celebrations on March 21, 1935, when foreign diplomats were instructed to adopt the new designation. From that point on, “Iran” became the country’s official name in international use.
Despite the shift, the transition was not entirely smooth. During World War II, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill reportedly requested that the term “Persia” be used again temporarily, to avoid confusion with Iraq during Allied military operations in the region. The Iranian government agreed, highlighting the lingering ambiguity between the two names.
In 1959, Mohammad Reza Shah, son of Reza Shah, clarified that both “Persia” and “Iran” could be used interchangeably, particularly in cultural and historical contexts. This decision acknowledged the enduring global recognition of “Persia” while maintaining “Iran” as the official state name.
Today, the distinction remains relevant. “Iran” is used in political, diplomatic and contemporary contexts, while “Persia” continues to evoke the country’s ancient civilisation, art, literature and cultural legacy. Many Iranians, especially in the diaspora, still prefer “Persia” when referring to their heritage, seeing it as a symbol of historical continuity and prestige.
Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979, the official name has been “Islamic Republic of Iran”. Yet the dual identity persists, reflecting a nation that balances its modern political reality with a past that continues to shape how it is understood around the world.
The shift from Persia to Iran was therefore more than a simple change of name. It was a strategic move that redefined how a country saw itself and how it wanted to be seen, linking its ancient roots to a modern national narrative that still evolves today.