Iranian Americans gather at a Taste of Iran event in Detroit.

DEARBORN — As local Arab Americans go about their lives, they may or may not be aware of a smaller and equally rooted neighboring community that shares their struggles, but strives to retain its unique identity – Persian Americans.

The Arab and Iranian cultures are closely comparable, tied together by proximity of nations, ideology and the arts. Many who are not familiar with the two often lump them into one group.

However, some local Iranians, numbering about 4,000 in Metro Detroit, say although many embrace their kinship with Arabs, they face issues particular to their community.

Iranian struggles

Dr. Reza Azadegan, an electric engineering researcher and long-time academic, said many Iranians suffer from recent restrictive immigration laws that promote discrimination at borders.

“I think Iranians suffer more than Arabs,” Azadegan said of airport security checks and clearances.

He said the reason is partly because of the assumption of terrorism among individuals tied to the region. Unlike Arab countries with stronger diplomatic ties with the United States, the discrimination of Iranians is elevated by the lack of data and information shared between Iran and the United States.

Controversial recently implemented restrictions on the Visa Waiver Program, enforced by the Department of Homeland Security, inhibits foreigners who have traveled to seven Middle Eastern countries from entering the United States without applying for a Visa.

These countries are Iran, Sudan, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Libya and Somalia.

Because of that, Azadegan said, many Iranians are subjected to added layers of clearance and intensified discrimination at the borders and wait longer for their visa applications to be considered.

Jamal Abdi, executive director of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), said the top issue Iranian Americans currently face is the restriction on Europeans of Iranian descent from visiting the U.S. without a Visa.

“This law was a direct result of the climate of Islamophobia and xenophobia that has increased in the past several months,” Abdi said. “It is a discriminatory measure that punishes Iranians and Arabs abroad and opens the door to similar restrictions against Iranian Americans and Arab Americans.”

Nour Ali, a local high school junior, said her mother is an Iraqi and her father is an Iranian who immigrated to the U.S. in 1996 after being released as a political prisoner in Syria.

Ali said one the struggles Iranians face is the “ridiculous” stereotype that all Iranians follow either Shi’a Islam or Islam in general.

She added that a considerable number of Iranians do not support their government.

“The people of Iran and the Iranian government are such polar opposites,” Ali said.

The issue of ethnic identity

While culturally similar, many Iranians hesitate to associate with the Arab identity and some completely distance themselves from it.

Azadegan said he is often mistaken for an Arab by non-Arabs and non-Iranians, because of his completion and dark hair and beard.

He said that does not matter to him, but it does bother others because there is a rivalry among Iranians and Arabs, especially in the homeland.

“There is a negative impression of Arabs in Iranian culture in general,” Azadegan said.

The disassociation stems from the Islamic Revolution in 1979, replacing a primarily secular Iranian government with a strictly Islamic one. Many secular Persians who take pride in their nationalism carry a generalized resentment toward Arabs, because of the struggles of Islamophobia and xenophobia associated with Arabs and Muslims, Azadegan said.

Some religious Iranians “equate Arabs with the countries and people of Saudi Arabia and the Wahhabism and extremist representation of Islam,” he added.

Azadegan said the Iran-Iraq War of 1980, which disturbed the region for eight years, contributes to the schism. During the conflict, most of the neighboring Arab countries supported Iraq.

“Some Iranians associate that with unconditional support of Saddam Hussein by all Arab countries around us,” he said.

“There’s a huge stigma against Arabs in Iran,” Ali said, echoing Azadegan’s statement. “They blame Arabs for the government and the revolution that took place in the 70’s. The Iranian community here tries so hard to move itself away from Arabs and even Muslims. When some Iranians see me with my hijab, they view me as a traitor.”

Strength in numbers

The undersized population of Persians may be a contributing factor to the discrimination they face, according to Azadegan.

He advocated for unity in the efforts of Arab and Iranian individuals and organizations to overcome the issues both face, by showcasing the ability to create organized communities, demonstrating valuable duties and giving back to our societies.

“I think as Arabs or Iranians, we all are not really stepping up to the plate when it comes to running for office and showing a cohesive approach in a communal presence,” Azadegan said.

He condemned Arab and Iranian political groups and officials who compete against each other and promote tribal discord, rather than work in unity toward a common goal.

“Our communities will need to work together going forward to ensure that our communities are not targeted further,” he said.

Some organizations, however, are actively engaged in addressing these issues.

“Our communities are united in repealing it,” Abdi said. He added that the NIAC is working closely with groups like the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Council and the Arab American Institute to reverse discriminatory measures by border patrol and immigration officials.

Abdi added that Iranian and Arab Americans “share a hope for peace and human rights in the Middle East and are critical of what often appears to be unconditional U.S. support for some of our allies in the region— namely Saudi Arabia and Israel.”

He said the NIAC has collaborated with Arab American organizations to support the Iran nuclear deal and work to “promote diplomacy and prevent war.”

Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi, an Iranian and the spiritual leader of the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, said the divide between the ethnic groups has no basis in Islamic doctrine and that the Quran does not make distinctions between racial and cultural groups.

He added that Western colonialism and imperialism has promoted the divide between Iranians and Arabs, feeding upon ignorance and fear to amplify the divide between the Sunni and Shi’a sects.

Elahi pointed to an “interesting” historical factor that Sunni doctrine began in Persia, while Shi’a doctrine was born in the Arab world. Today, Iran’s government observes Shiism, while most of the Arab world practices Sunnism.

Cuisine and art

Although the Arabs and Persians have historically clashed, bringing about political and social strife, they often find unity at the dinner table.

The Iranian cuisine closely resembles the foods and spices enjoyed by Arabs, with some variations.

Reza, a co-owner of Pars Restaurant, a Persian eatery in Farmington Hills, said Iranian food is similar to Mediterranean dishes, but usually does not contain as many spices.

A popular dish at the restaurant are kebabs, which they call koubideh, and four main stews, which are staples on any Iranian cuisine.

He added there are very few Persian restaurants in Metro Detroit, but many Arabs dine there because of the similarities in the dishes.

Azadegan said Iranian food tends to be less spice-oriented, but focus on mixtures of salt and sour and sweet flavors.

When eating out, the most important factor for Iranians, however, is the option of halal meat.

Recently, an event called Taste of Iran was held in Detroit.

Ali attended the event and said, “the food was awesome. My mom is living in Iran right now, so I haven’t had good Iranian food in a while.”