The Terminology of Cultural Diversity in Iran: Between UN Documents and the Iranian Legal System

Abstract

The terminology surrounding minority issues in national and international law significantly influences the management of cultural diversity in nation-states. Ambiguities in terms such as ethnicity, people, nation, and indigenous, as well as conflicting legal interpretations, create challenges for defining and promoting minority rights. This paper examines how these terminological ambiguities affect minority issues in Iran, a context further complicated by securitized minority—state relations. Through careful examination of international law documents, national documents, and experts’ views on the issue, we argue that there is no consensus on the nature of cultural diversity in Iran, much less on the categorization of Iran’s minorities. In this light, Drawing on Kymlicka and Fearon, we argue that the insight offered by academic classifications of minorities can significantly improve the recognition of minorities and their rights in Iran and in the region.