Iranian Armenians, also known as Persian Armenians, are Iranians of Armenian ethnicity who may speak Armenian as their first language. Estimates of their number in Iran range from 70,000 to 500,000. Areas with a high concentration of them include Tabriz, Tehran, Salmas and Isfahan's Jolfa quarter.
The Armenian St. Thaddeus Monastery, or "Kara Kelissa", West Azerbaijan province, believed by some to have been first built in 66 AD by Saint Jude.
Armenian Gospel Book made in Isfahan in 1655. Chester Beatty Library
Iranian Armenian women in the Qajar era
Shoghakat Armenian Church in Tabriz
Armenian is an Indo-European language and the sole member of an independent branch of that language family. It is the native language of the Armenian people and the official language of Armenia. Historically spoken in the Armenian highlands, today Armenian is widely spoken throughout the Armenian diaspora. Armenian is written in its own writing system, the Armenian alphabet, introduced in 405 AD by the canonized saint Mesrop Mashtots. The estimated number of Armenian speakers worldwide is between five and seven million.
Armenian manuscript, 5th–6th centuries.
The Four Gospels, 1495, Portrait of St Mark Wellcome with Armenian inscriptions
First printed Armenian language Bible, 1666
Armenian language road sign.
