Religion and Nationalism in Iran; From Confrontation to Interaction

"Religion", "nationality" and nationalism are permanent issues of human societies with positive and negative consequences. The old history of religion and nationality in Iran, as one of the oldest countries, paved the way for the entry of nationalist ideas in the 19th century. Today, the intertwining of religion, nationality and nationalism in Iran has turned it into a multifaceted and complicated phenomenon. The main issue of this article is to understand the nature of Iranian nationalism and its relationship with religion in contemporary Iran, and it will review its historical course. The main purpose of the article is to explain the components and the relationship between Islam and nationalism in contemporary Iran.First, a theoretical discussion about "religion" and "nationalism" is discussed and the network of concepts, elements and components of each is explained. Then, the ratio of religion and nationalism in Iran today is examined on a spectrum in the form of three main currents and nine sub-currents, from the most interaction to the most confrontation. The three main currents are: the confrontation of Islam with nationalism, the interaction of Islam and nationalism, and the confrontation of nationalism with Islam. In the following, we have explained the sequence and different periods of the relationship between religion and nationalism in the field of Iranian politics and society over the last century, which has been explained in the form of five periods and six pseudo-models since the beginning of the arrival of nationalism in Iran until today. One of the results of the article discussed at the end is that although Iranian nationalism emerged under the influence of global nationalism, it was different from Western and Arab examples. Iranian nationalism is a unique phenomenon to itself in the causes of its emergence, in its nature, and in its effects and consequences.First, a theoretical discussion about "religion" and "nationalism" is discussed and the network of concepts, elements and components of each were explained. Then, the ratio of religion and nationalism in Iran today is examined on a spectrum in the form of three main currents and nine sub-currents from the most interaction to the most confrontation. The three main currents are: the confrontation of Islam with nationalism, the interaction of Islam and nationalism, and the confrontation of nationalism with Islam. In the following, we have explained the sequence and different periods of the relationship between religion and nationalism in the field of Iranian politics and society over the last century, which has been explained in the form of five periods and six pseudo-models since the beginning of the arrival of nationalism in Iran until today.