Iranians Have Never Been the Initiators of War Throughout History

Mashhad – A prominent Iranian literary scholar and Shahnameh researcher said that Iranians have never been the initiators of war throughout history and have avoided battle and confrontation whenever possible.

According to the report of Ambassador Arjan Mirjalaluddin Kezazi, in the literary meeting held at the Ferdowsi Jihad Hall of Mashhad University, he stated that the Shahnameh, despite having the status of the world's best battlebook, is not a praise of belligerence. Rather, Iranians go to the battlefield when the enemy invades their land.

He posed the question, "What is the nature of the war and what is its function in this epic work?" He said: "Shahnameh" can be considered the world's best war book, but this work is not a war book. A word that seems inconsistent at first glance.

Explaining this apparent contradiction, he added: In the Shahnameh, we do not find any battle that started and ended for the battle itself. Whenever there is a battle in Iran, the enemies invade this land and Iranians fight out of necessity.

Emphasizing the place of Iran in Iranian thought, this Shahnameh scholar stated: Whenever the enemy invades, invades or will invade this land in the future, it is incumbent upon every true Iranian to stand against him and drive the enemy from this pure land and noble ambassador. If he does not, he is not Iranian.

This enduring figure of Persian language and literature described Iran as a land of Sepand and Ahura and referring to the words of Zoroaster about this land, he said: Zoroaster, the ancient wise man of Iran, said that Iran is the best native who created Mazda. If this land of Ahura is exposed to the attack of evil-minded people, its inhabitants will have to stand against the attackers.

Stating that Iranians have not initiated wars throughout history, he clarified: We have always tried to avoid fighting as much as possible, but the enemies who were greedy for Iran forced us to war. Iran has been a prosperous, free land with various Yazidi traditions, and these characteristics have aroused the admiration of others throughout the ages.

This writer and researcher of epic literature further considered Cyrus the Great and how the Achaemenid Empire was formed as an example of this approach and said: Cyrus the Great is one of the most famous men in the world who is respected not only by Iranians, but also by the world with his well-deserved recognition. He founded the vast Achaemenid empire, but the expansion of this empire did not always take place through battle and military confrontation.

Referring to the joining of Babylon to the Achaemenid Empire, Kazazi said: Babylonians opened the way for the Iranian army from within and their land joined the Achaemenid Empire. Because they believed that by being in this complex, they will have a better life and their land will be more prosperous.

Emphasizing that the bravery of Iranians in the Shahnameh is of the defense of the land, he added: We are a fighting and courageous people and we do not tolerate the enemy's dominance. But the reason for this stand is that we are Iranian, not that we want to start a war with others. The Shahnameh is a proof of this.

This Shahnameh scholar also pointed out the difference between the behavior of Iranians and other historical expansionist powers: when Iranians were forced to add a land to their territory, they did not want to separate the people of that land from their identity or force them to accept the Iranian religion; People were free to choose their beliefs and were only part of the Iranian Empire.

Wishing lasting success for the organizers of this meeting, Kezazi emphasized the importance of re-reading the Shahnameh and paying attention to its fundamental concepts.