The emergence of Zoroastrianism as a new religion in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

What is it about?

This article examines the rise of Zoroastrianism as a new religion in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) since 2015. This Kurdish Zoroastrianism draws from humanistic, liberal ideas as well as Kurdish nationalist thinking, claiming that Zoroastrianism is the original religion of the Kurds, and that Zoroaster himself was Kurdish. It emerged as a new organised religion following legislative changes in 2015 and has attracted new converts, even though it is difficult to estimate the size of the Zoroastrian community. Kurdish Zoroastrianism has distinct theological ideas that set it apart from Zoroastrianism in other areas, and Kurdish Zoroastrians themselves are split in at least two different communities with competing leadership.

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Photo by Shino Nakamura on Unsplash

Photo by Shino Nakamura on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The article offers insights about an emerging religious community in a context better known for religious intolerance rather than pluralism. It also provides a case study testing academic theories about new religions in the specific context of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Additionally this research draws from a wide variety of sources, offering unique internal and external perspectives about the development of Kurdish Zoroastrianism. This includes interviews with Kurdish Zoroastrian leaders, observations of Kurdish Zoroastrian events, and interviews with representatives of the World Zoroastrian Organization’s (WZO), the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs and a Yezidi member of the Alliance of Iraqi Minorities.