Discrimination by Iran

     You should have smacked that lady across the face.

Originally posted by Cent My father had to change his name from Alan to Muhammed. :(

     Thats wierd, how come Armenians in Iran don't have to change their names? (every Armenian I've met from Iran has an Armenian name).

Ummm... Maybe there is something wrong with that woman.  Why did e change it to Muhamad? Why not a non-ISlamic name? I know for a fact you can use non Islamic names and there are millions that are both Kurdish and persian like Bahman, Bahram, Fereydoon etc, my name is Kurdish and Persian (slightly different meanings) and was banned about 10 years ago for being too violent, but I was not requried to change it to get my passport. 

Originally posted by ArmenianSurvival   Thats wierd, how come Armenians in Iran don't have to change their names? (every Armenian I've met from Iran has an Armenian name).

During the Revival Process in Bulgaria, when all Bulgarian citizens were obliged to have Bulgarian names, and the names of more than a million Turks were changed, Armenians were somehow exempt as well.

My father vividly recalls how an Armenian member of parliament was expressing his support for the renaming campaign against the Turks, even though he had an Armenian name. When he was confronted by one of the more progressive parliamentarians and asked whether he would also agree to have a Bulgarian name as well, he replied by saying that his name had an old history and aristocratic origins, so it should not be changed.

Originally posted by bg_turk During the Revival Process in Bulgaria, when all Bulgarian citizens were obliged to have Bulgarian names, and the names of more than a million Turks were changed, Armenians were somehow exempt as well. My father vividly recalls how an Armenian member of parliament was expressing his support for the renaming campaign against the Turks, even though he had an Armenian name. When he was confronted by one of the more progressive parliamentarians and asked whether he would also agree to have a Bulgarian name as well, he replied by saying that his name had an old history and aristocratic origins, so it should not be changed.

     Thats just one guy's opinion, and a stupid one at that. But you have to remember, Turkey did the same thing to Armenians in their country way before this, so his opinion of Turks must have been really low. Thats not an excuse for his actions, but thats probably why he did it. I just don't think he would risk to go against the popular tide at the time just to stand up for the Turks.

Yea Muhamad was a bad choice.  What about Ardalan?  That is a popular name.

Stupid question perhaps, but if a Swede would come to that lady, would se make him change his name to muhammed as well?

Iraqs kurdistan is much freeier or however you say it. Why go to the iranian side?

Yeah, Yekta, I think I'll have the Iranian goverment after me now...

Nationalism? Uprisings? Demonstrations?

very very sad and dispecable, however, i have cousins with non-islamic names.... they have no problems...

maybe its because your family is under suspicion by the government like you said earlier?