Persian Iraq

Persian Iraq, also uncommonly spelled Persian Irak (Persian: عراقِ عجم‬‎ Arâq-e Ajam; Arabic: عراق العجم‎ 'Irāq al-'Ajam or عراق عجمي 'Irāq 'Ajami), is a historical region of the western parts of Iran. From the 11th to 19th centuries, the name Iraq referred to two neighbouring regions: Arabic Iraq (ʿIrāq-i ʿArab) and Persian Iraq (ʿIrāq-i ʿAjam). Arabic Iraq corresponded with ancient Babylonia (now Iraq) and Persian Iraq corresponded with ancient Media (now western Iran). The two regions were separated by the Zagros Mountains.^[1][2]

Later, until the beginning of the 20th century, the term Iraq in Iran was used to refer to a much smaller region south of Saveh and west of Qom. This region was centered on Sultanabad, which was renamed later as Arāk.^[3]

Notable people

The nisba of a person from Persian Iraq is "Iraqi", "al-Iraqi", or "Araghi".

Prominent historical figures from Persian Iraq include:

• Fakhr-al-Din Iraqi (1213–1289), Persian Sufi master, poet and writer
• Baba Shah Esfahani, also known as Baba Shah Araghi, 16th century Iranian calligrapher
• Agha Zia Addin Araghi, a 19th-century Shia jurist

See also

• Jibal

References