Editing Zoroastrianism (section)

=== Iran and Central Asia ===
{{Main|Zoroastrians in Iran}}
[[File:Parsi-navjote-sitting.jpg|thumb|[[Parsi people|Parsi]] ''[[Navjote]]'' ceremony (rites of admission into the Zoroastrian faith).|226x226px]]
Iran's figures of Zoroastrians have ranged widely; the last census (1974) before the [[revolution of 1979]] revealed 21,400 Zoroastrians.<ref>{{cite web|author=K. E. Eduljee|url=http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/demographics/|title=Zoroastrian Demographics & Group Names|website=Heritageinstitute.com|date=28 June 2008|access-date=14 June 2017|archive-date=1 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801085511/http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/demographics/|url-status=live}}</ref> Some 10,000 adherents remain in the Central Asian regions that were once considered the traditional stronghold of Zoroastrianism, i.e., [[Bactria]] (see also [[Balkh]]), which is in Northern Afghanistan; [[Sogdiana]]; [[Margiana]]; and other areas close to [[Zoroaster#Place|Zoroaster's homeland]]. In Iran, emigration, out-marriage and low birth rates are likewise leading to a decline in the Zoroastrian population. Zoroastrian groups in Iran say their number is approximately 60,000.<ref>{{cite web|author=U.S. State Department|title=Iran – International Religious Freedom Report 2009|publisher=The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affair|date=26 October 2009|url=https://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127347.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029231558/http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127347.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 October 2009|access-date=1 December 2009}}</ref> According to the Iranian census data from 2011 the number of Zoroastrians in Iran was 25,271.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/census-iran-young-urbanised-and-educated|title=Census: Iran young, urbanised and educated|work=Egypt Independent|date=29 July 2012|access-date=14 June 2017|archive-date=2 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141202010150/http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/census-iran-young-urbanised-and-educated|url-status=live}}</ref>

Communities exist in [[Tehran]], as well as in [[Yazd]], [[Kerman]] and [[Kermanshah]], where many still speak an Iranian language distinct from the usual [[Persian language|Persian]]. They call their language [[Dari (Zoroastrian)|Dari]], not to be confused with the [[Dari (Persian)|Dari spoken in Afghanistan]]. Their language is also called ''Gavri'' or ''Behdini'', literally "of the Good Religion". Sometimes their language is named for the cities in which it is spoken, such as ''Yazdi'' or ''Kermani''. Iranian Zoroastrians were historically called ''[[Gabr]]''s.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

The number of Kurdish Zoroastrians, along with those of non-ethnic converts, has been estimated differently.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Fatah|first1=Lara|title=The curious rebirth of Zoroastrianism in Iraqi Kurdistan|url=https://projects21.org/2015/11/26/the-curious-rebirth-of-zoroastrianism-in-iraqi-kurdistan/|website=Projects21.org|access-date=27 February 2018|date=26 November 2015|archive-date=17 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417160225/https://projects21.org/2015/11/26/the-curious-rebirth-of-zoroastrianism-in-iraqi-kurdistan/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Zoroastrian Representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq has reported that as many as 100,000 people in [[Iraqi Kurdistan]] have converted to Zoroastrianism recently, with some community leaders speculating that even more Zoroastrians in the region are practicing their faith secretly.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.w-z-o.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Hamazor-Issue-2-2017-2.pdf|title=Hamazor Issue #2 2017: "Kurdistan reclaims its ancient Zoroastrian Faith|work=Hamazor|access-date=3 August 2019|archive-date=30 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930035935/https://www.w-z-o.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Hamazor-Issue-2-2017-2.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/020620153|title=Zoroastrian faith returns to Kurdistan in response to ISIS violence|publisher=Rudaw|date=2 June 2015|access-date=17 May 2016|archive-date=25 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825182620/http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/020620153|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/culture/321804d4-5b58-4008-848d-e1cc263230b4/kurdistan--the-only-government-in-middle-east-that-recognizes-religious-diversity|title=Kurdistan, the only government in Middle East that recognizes religious diversity|publisher=Kurdistan24|language=en|access-date=13 July 2019|archive-date=13 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713150647/https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/culture/321804d4-5b58-4008-848d-e1cc263230b4/kurdistan--the-only-government-in-middle-east-that-recognizes-religious-diversity|url-status=live}}</ref> However, this has not been confirmed by independent sources.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/020620153|title=Zoroastrian faith returns to Kurdistan in response to ISIL viole|publisher=Rudaw|access-date=18 September 2015|archive-date=25 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825182620/http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/020620153|url-status=live}}</ref>

The surge in Kurdish Muslims converting to Zoroastrianism is largely attributed to disillusionment with Islam after experiencing violence and oppression perpetrated by [[ISIS]] in the area.<ref>{{cite news|date=23 October 2019|title=Iraqi Kurds turn to Zoroastrianism as faith, identity entwine|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200413224346/https://www.france24.com/en/20191023-iraqi-kurds-turn-to-zoroastrianism-as-faith-identity-entwine|archive-date=13 April 2020|url-status=live|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20191023-iraqi-kurds-turn-to-zoroastrianism-as-faith-identity-entwine|newspaper=France24|access-date=22 October 2023}}</ref>