ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates that there is some rejection of an Iranian national identity based on ethnic conceptions of the nation. It gives an insight to the discussion on the subject of the aspirations for the nature of Iranian national identity, as well as an insight into the idea of an 'Iranian cosmopolitanism' and 'contemporary Iranian national identity'. The chapter focuses on the idea of a discourse of Iranian civic national identity and concentrates on the Green Movement and individuals who have come to be part of the movement. It draws attention to a discourse of national identity that is rooted in Iran's contemporary experience both in terms of domestic social and political dynamics as well as international dynamics. Rahyab's discussion on Iranian national identity focuses on how Iran's cultural identity can be renewed. Since he contends that the nation is based on unity through land, his discussion on cultural identity can be regarded as a discussion of the nation's identity.
