Iranians in Spain have a history going back for over a millennium and form a minor population in modern day.
They are a part of the
Iranian diaspora
Iranian diaspora refers to Iranian people or those who are of Iranian ancestry living outside Iran.[Razi Razi ( fa, رازی) or al-Razi ( ar, الرازی) is a name that was historically used to indicate a person coming from Ray, Iran.
People
It most commonly refers to:
* Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi (865–925), influential physician, alchemist ...](_blank)
wrote in the 10th century that some Iranians had already settled in
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus DIN 31635, translit. ; an, al-Andalus; ast, al-Ándalus; eu, al-Andalus; ber, ⴰⵏⴷⴰⵍⵓⵙ, label=Berber languages, Berber, translit=Andalus; ca, al-Àndalus; gl, al-Andalus; oc, Al Andalús; pt, al-Ândalus; es, ...
, and
Ibn Battuta
Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Battutah (, ; 24 February 13041368/1369),; fully: ; Arabic: commonly known as Ibn Battuta, was a Berbers, Berber Maghrebi people, Maghrebi scholar and explorer who travelled extensively in the lands of Afro-Eurasia, ...
later claimed the Iranians of Al-Andalus preferred to live in
Granada
Granada (,, DIN 31635, DIN: ; grc, Ἐλιβύργη, Elibýrgē; la, Illiberis or . ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the fo ...
because of its similarity to their homeland.
However, the impetus for modern Iranian immigration to Spain came largely from the 1979
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...
, as a result of which some Iranians went to Spain as political refugees.
Demography
A 1992 survey found that 31.7% worked in administrative jobs, 18.2% were professionals or technicians, 25.7% worked in trade, and another 11% worked in agriculture. The vast majority were 25-54 years of age, and only one-fifth were women.
This is actually a relatively large proportion of women compared to other
Muslim migrant communities in Spain, which may be attributed to the fact that most Iranians in Spain are political, rather than economic migrants.
Notable people
*
Don Juan of Persia
Uruch Beg Bayad (also spelled Oruch or Oruj), later known by his baptized name of Don Juan (1560–1604) was a late 16th and early 17th century Iranian figure in Iran and Spain. He is also known as ''Faisal Nazary''. A native of Iran, and from ...
, 17th century notable
*
Abdol-Aziz Mirza Farmanfarmaian Abdolaziz Farmanfarmaian (Persian: عبدالعزیز فرمانفرمائیان; Shiraz, 1920 – June 21, 2013 Spain) was an Iranian architect, offspring of Iranian nobleman Abdol Hossein Mirza Farmanfarma and a member of the Qajar dynasty of Ir ...
*
Cihangir Ghaffari
Cihangir Ghaffari (born 9 September 1940) is an Iranian actor and film producer, known for ''Les démons'' (1973), ''Dick Turpin'' (1974) and '' Bloodsport'' (1988).
Career
Ghaffari starred in a large number of Turkish film productions mainly in ...
, actor and producer
See also
*
Iran–Spain relations
*
Iranian diaspora
Iranian diaspora refers to Iranian people or those who are of Iranian ancestry living outside Iran.[Immigration to Spain
Immigration to Spain increased significantly in the beginning of the 21st century. In 1998, immigrants accounted for 1.6% of the population, and by 2009, that number had jumped to above 12% — one of the highest in Europe at the time. Until 20 ...](_blank)
References
Sources
*
Shojaeddin Shafa, ''De Persia a la España musulmana : la historia recuperada'', Université de Huelva (Espagne), 2000, traduction en espagnol du manuscrit en français, inédit, par Maria Angeles Gallego Garcia.
*
*
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Iranians In Spain
Islam in Spain
Muslim communities in Europe
Asian diaspora in Spain
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...