AhwazHuman RightsReports

The Politics of Renaming Cities in Al-Ahwaz by Different Regimes in Iran

Modern history is replete with examples of creation of a new set of state symbols by postrevolutionary regimes. The purpose of the new symbols is at once to remove evidence of the deposed regime and to establish an identity for the usurper. The deposing of the Shah and Khamenei regime in Iran and especially in Ahwaz city offers a unique opportunity to study the use and the creation of state symbols, with a particular focus on placenames. The now deposed Khamenei dynasty was once the usurper.

With that action, the role of placenames in the iconography of the country changed dramatically. The changes of placenames that are under way or have occurred since 1979 reflect an entirely different process from the one used by the regime. Many of the newly emerging placenames are being installed by the citizenry rather than being decreed by the central government. This process at once emphasizes the extent of countrywide hostility to the regime dynasty and demonstrates the vitality of a traditional way to create place-names, the indigenous origin among residents of a place, because of the vast number of place-names imposed by the regimes since Reza Shah and of the current mood to rid the country of the hallmarks of the regime dynasty, this response was perhaps inevitable. Many of the data was obtained from interviews with local residents and from local newspapers. These new placenames are the upshot of popular initiative that mirrors or contemporary associations or regional traditions. Because of limited communications among village, town, and city, many changes are still known only to persons intimate with the local scene.

However, Last year, there is evidence that the new central government is now taking measures to introduce where the state exercised its power of flat to override initial popular choices when the government found the new appellation unacceptable. One such instance occurred when Soleimani die, Iranian regime changed Ahwaz International Airport and also Al-Ghaizanieh district renamed to Soleimani which he was one of the biggest killers of innocent people including children and women in Ahwaz, Iraq and Syria.

Diverse interest groups minorities and political persuasions are also active in the renaming of places and things. Each group contends to achieve the dominance of its preferences and often refuse to use the selections of its competitors. Added to the already confused tangle is the high level of countrywide ferment that hampers the introduction and the establishment of the new placenames on a countrywide basis.

List of renaming Cities in Al-Ahwaz by different regimes in Iran:

  1. Ahwaz changed to Khuzestan
  2. Al-Nasryh changed to Ahwaz
  3. Al-Muhamaruh changed to Khorramshahr
  4. Ras Al-Mineh changed to Sarbandar
  5. Sus changed to Shush
  6. Tester changed to Shushter
  7. Khalfiyeh changed to Khalaf Abad and then Ramshir
  8. Ramiz changed to Ramhormuz
  9. Mosque Salman changed to Mosque Suleiman
  10.  Maisan changed to Dashteh Azadegan
  11. Khafajieh changed to Sosangerd
  12. Al-Falahieh changed to Shadegah
  13. Salehiyeh changed to Andimeshk
  14. Al-Hawizeh changed to Havazih
  15. Al-Erahi changed to Jarahi
  16. Ebsaitin changed to Bestan
  17. Amidieh changed to Omidieh
  18. Bestan Melek changed to Bagh-Melek
  19. Izej changed to Izeh
  20. Ma-ashur changed to Mah-Shahr
  21. Ebadan changed to Abadan
  22. Khur-Abadalluh changed to Bandar Emam
  23. Ghanidarah changed to Dezful

List of renaming districts in Al-Ahwaz by different regimes in Iran

  1. Haye Al-Dayereh changed to Shelengabad and Koyeh Alavi
  2. Haye Al-Azizieh changed to Beni-Hashem and Khashayar
  3. Haye Metheleth changed to S-rah Khoramshahr
  4. Haye Al-Ghadesiyeh changed to Melashieh
  5. Haye Althurrah changed to Koyeh Alghelab
  6. Haye Al-thqafh changed to Farhang-Shahr
  7. Ghala Ahmod changed to Zeyton Karmandi
  8. Zewiyeh Achresh changed to Meli-rah
  9. Haye Al-Shaab changed to Korosh and Koyeh Melat
  10. Alberwal changed to Ali-Abad
  11. Agraneh changed to Pastorizeh and Fak Zergan
  12. Al-Harsheh changed to Gawmish-abad
  13. Zeidan changed to Zerdasht
  14. Al-berchieh changed to Golbahar
  15. Ghalah Sahahr changed to Bamdez
  16. Haye Al-Zeherieh changed to Goldasht
  17. Al-Dewereh changed to Hasir-abad
  18. Arfeysh changed to Lashkar-abad and Nehzet-abad
  19. Haye Al-hender changed to Kian-abad
  20. Abareh changed to Akhar Asfalt
  21. Haye Alsod changed to Chahar-shir
  22. Haye Amin changed to Newsaid
  23. Haye Lezeh Beit Ahimid changed to Koyeh Emam
  24. Amnieh changed to Amanieh
  25. Khaz-Alieh changed to Darwazyeh Asia-abad
  26. Am-Salbikhat changed to Kopal
  27. Haye Tahr changed to Sar-tapeh
  28. Al-fakheri changed to Zeyton Kargari
  29. Haye Am-Al-Ahyareh changed to Yousefi
  30. Sogh Haji-Zeki changed to 24-Metri
  31. Am-Al-Ghazalan changed to Farhangian
  32. Seyed Karim changed to Ayn Do
  33. Malaged changed to Manbah Ab
  34. Seyed Lafteh changed to Chahara Abadan
  35. Haye Zehor changed to Golestan
  36. Haye Kahraba changed to Shahrak Bargh
  37. Minaw changed to Mianeh Ab
  38. Shalahiye changed to Zin Avand
  39. Mosque Alhnwdahl Seneh in Ameriyeh changed to Mosque Shahid Jafari
  40. Al-hayaleh changed to Padad-shahr
  41. Al-Hwayreh changed to Sepidar
  42. Al-Sakhariyat changed to Soltanmash
  43. Am-Al-Kharos changed to Khrosi
  44. Kuwakhah changed to Al-Safi
  45. Haye Folad changed to 300 Dastgah
  46. Nahar-Salij changed to Bahman-shahir
  47. Tamimiyeh changed to Handijan
  48. Al-Mnwahi in Abadan changed to Minobar
  49. Aljrieh changed to Dehkadeh in Hamidiyeh
  50. Al-Hsinieh changed to Alway Gramsiri
  51. Arjan changed Bab-hani
  52. Shams Arab changed to Zeidon Behbahan
  53. Dorantash changed to Chaghaz Nabil
  54. Nahar Shatit changed to Chahar dangeh
  55. Dar-Khawin changed to Arvandan
  56. Alsafa changed to Ahan Afshar
  57. Abu-Ankhilat changed to Zerdasht
  58. Decheh-Abbas changed to Dashteh Abbas
  59. Cham Khalaf Issa changed to Zehreh
  60. Alghomat changed to Haft-tapeh
  61. Jazireh Salbokh in Al-Muhamaruh changed to Jazireh Mino
  62. Haye Salah-Aldin changed to Sasan
  63. Meshdakh changed to Mishtagh
  64. Dob-Al-Ahsan changed to Khasrawi
  65. Malab Shohada changed to Pashgah Ghadir
  66. Ahwaz International Airport (AWZ) changed to Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani International Airport (OIAW)
  67. Al-Ghaizanieh changed Shahid Soleimani

By: Ali Bouazar

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