[lizma]

A persian I know once told me, "Persia was the hub of trade and technology(for that time) then the vild (wild) people (arabs) came and destroyed everything."

I've heard that several times myself. They also make it a point to let you know their ancestors were Christians. Makes me think the Iranians have a good shot at this democracy stuff someday.

[classicalguy]

At what point were Persians Christian? Before the Muslim conquest they were quite devout Zoroastrians, rather dedicated to killing the Christian Romans. In the early 7th Century the Romans exhausted themselves driving the Persians out of Jerusalem and other Palestinian cities...and they have all but no history of democracy.

[ThanhPhero]

Some of their ancestors were Christians. Christians were never dominant and always lived under some restrictions, never so onerous under the Pre Mohammedan Zoroastrian rulers as later under the various caliphs, sultans, and shahs. Christians were often physicians and advisers to the king.