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