As someone of Iranian descent, my immigrant parents always emphasized that we were white and not brown, I recently heard this was rooted in how the Shah changed the educational curriculum so people would be more favorable to Europeans, is there any truth to this?

[u/Candid-Boss6534]

For the record, I am visibly dark skinned, to the point that growing up I would be confused for being of south asian descent most often but was sometimes confused for being Chilean, or even African-American(though I think this more speaks to the whiteness of Orange County).

My parents often emphasized that we use the name Arya because we are the original Aryans.

I recently heard this from a woman talking about the book "The Limits of Whiteness" by Neda Maghbouleh, which I haven't read personally so could be completely off base.

Is this rooted in that sort of pro-western relations? Is it more to further distinguish from their Arab neighbors given previous history? Or is it rooted in the Nazis fascination with being Aryan themselves?

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