An Analysis of the activities and approaches of Zardusht Society in interaction with Iran

The establishment of Iraq in the third decade of the 20th century and the annexation of the Kurdish areas to this country made Kurds disappointed in the promises made by Britain and the League of Nations for the creation of an independent state in the Kurdish parts of the Ottoman Empire. Therefore, the basis was laid for the formation of Kurdish nationalist movements and associations for autonomy and independence. One of these associations, “The Zardusht Society”, was founded by some Kurdish intellectuals in the Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah. The present study aims to examine the Society’s relationship with Iran. Furthermore, the article tries to explain the roots and the manner of its formation and to answer the question of how the Society tried to obtain Iranian support, and lastly Iran’s response. The findings of the study indicate that the Zardusht Society tried to gain Iranian support during the reign of Reza Shah by emphasizing the common historical past and cultural affinity between Kurds and Iranians. The Iranian government, for its part, after initial support for the Zoroastrian Committee, withdrew its support for political reasons.