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I wonder what Achmadinejad and the Ayatollahs in Iran think about Zoroastrianism. On the one hand it’s an infidel religion, but on the other it’s part of what separated Persia from the rest of the Arab world and made it distinctive. I could imagine them taking some kind of pride in that. Or maybe not: I know they’ve driven Farsi underground, and if they are that contemptuous of the classical language of Persia, they probably feel the same about its religion.

Nowruz -- New year.

Zoroastrianism dates back to 1700 BC (or 700 BC, it's kind of vague) and is named after the prophet Zoroaster

It is one of the oldest monotheistic religions (though the worship is focussed on one god, it is a dualistic religion in the sense of equal forces).

Zoroaster was born in what is now Azerbaijan and his religious beliefs arise from indo-irani beliefs

Proto-Indo-Europeans had 2 "families" of gods -- in the most primitive form, among the Nordics, these remained, as the Aesir and Vanir.

Among Indo-Iranis these two families were the Daevas/Devas and Ahuras/Asuras

Among the Indics, the devas were slowly elevated post the Vedic times to the higher supernatural beings, to the only gods and the Asuras were first bad supernatural beings and then post Christian influences (Christianity came to India in the 1st century with St. Thomas) the Asuras were relegated to demonic status as in present day Hinduism

Among the Iranics, the opposite happened -- the Ahuras ("s" in Indic languages becomes "h" in Iranic, hence the people who lived on the Indus river are Sindhis in India and were the ones from whom the term Hindu derives) were elevated and daevas just remained as gods of the hearth (like that other Indo-European race, the Latins who called their daevas as "genus")

Zoroaster came along and said one should only worship Ahura Mazda (the God of Light) who is the only good God. Aingra Mainyu is his opposing number and mankind fights alongside Ahura Mazda against Aingra Mainyu

Zoroastrianism introduced the idea of angels too as distinct entities -- and this lead to the devolution in the form of Yazidism where they believe that God left the earth to the care of 12 angels, led by the Peacock Angel (Melek Taus)

Yazidiism along with Mandaens and Manichaenism, Druze and Allawis are fascinating studies in how communities co-mingled beliefs to their central tribal identities

The Yazidis are Kurds (or Medes as they were), an Irani people. They retained their version of Zoroastrianism through the persecutions by Islam (Moslems consider them devil worshippers)

The Mandaens revere Adam, Abel, Seth, Enosh, Noah, Shem, Aram and especially John the Baptist as the founders of their religion and consider Moses, Jesus and Mohammed as false prophets -- these guys seem to be descendents of Abraham and may very well be some of the "lost tribes". They believe in strong dualism too, like the Zoroastrian belief (unlike the Yazidis who believe there is no "satan" and good and evil reside in each person). Of course the fact that they consider the founders of Judaism, Christianity and Islam as false hasn't really helped them be liked :)

Druze seem to be a syncretism of Abrahamic beliefs mixed with Platonic and the Allawis are Gnostics imho.

>>>”An interesting book just out. I’m surprised that it is being published in Iran.. “<<<

I wonder if it is going to be limited edition in Iran. Tho, books about Zoroastrianism, or pre-Islamic history of Iran are usually not banned in Iran. You can also easily buy a fravahar necklace or pendant, etc.. in Iran.

It is the conversion to Zoroastrianism for moslem born Iranians and public broadcast (and interaction) of it which is ‘verboten’; they view the latter as proselytizing.