Genocide against Zoroastrians
The genocide of Zoroastrians, also known as the persecution of Zoroastrians, refers to the systematic persecution and forced conversion of Zoroastrians by various empires and dynasties throughout history. Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions, and it has its roots in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran).
- The Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BCE) under the rule of Darius I and Xerxes I imposed heavy taxes and discriminatory policies on the Zoroastrian communities.
- The Arab invasion of Persia in the 7th century CE led to widespread destruction of Zoroastrian temples and forced conversion to Islam. Many Zoroastrians were massacred, and others were forced to flee to India, where they became known as Parsis.
- The Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan and his descendants destroyed Zoroastrian temples and killed thousands of Zoroastrians.
- The Safavid dynasty (1501–1722) in Persia also imposed discriminatory policies on the Zoroastrian minority and forced many to convert to Islam.
- The Qajar dynasty (1794–1925) also imposed discriminatory policies and forced conversion on the Zoroastrian minority.
These events, along with other persecutions and forced conversions, have greatly reduced the number of Zoroastrians in the region, and the religion is now a minority faith in Iran. Today, the largest population of Zoroastrians is found in India, where they form a small but influential community known as the Parsis.
It is important to note that the genocidal acts against Zoroastrians were not always systematic and well-organized, but rather sporadic and locally driven.