The approach of Iran's traditional and reformist intellectuals to Orientalism in the horizons of modernity

In Iran, from the second half of the nineteenth century onwards, while the modernist intellectuals who are familiar with the western culture, mainly look at modernization with the view of interaction and tolerance, and even tolerate its scientific and technological achievements, looked at the phenomenon and function of modernity and the vanguard of renewal with a view of error and opposition and considered it as an example of westernization. This essay tries to answer the question, "What was the quality of the intellectual confrontation of Iranian dissidents with regard to Orientalism and the arrival of modernism in the course of the 20th century?"

The methodological approach of this research is comparative and analytical and based on library sources.

Modernity in its nature promoted the propositions of individuality, civil freedom and the importance of law. It seems that the approach of Iranian intellectuals to Orientalism was twofold; parallel to the fascination of some progressives towards the West and the manifestations of modernity, who considered westernization from head to toe as a necessity for the development and progress of society; At the same time, Iran's traditionalist intellectuals considered the first group's point of view to be xenophobia, westernization, and a colonial conspiracy and denied any interaction and tolerance with the West. It seems that during the years leading to the Islamic Revolution, the discourse of the later group became more influential and remained the dominant discourse of Iranian society for many years.