Greece–Iran relations

Greek-Iranian relations

Greece

Iran

Greek-Iranian relations are foreign relations between Greece and Iran. The two countries have had relations for millennia, and share great historical and cultural ties. Greece has an Embassy in Tehran, and Iran is represented by its Embassy in Athens.

History

Ancient

Achaemenid Empire - Classical Period - Hellenistic Period

Relations between the two people date back from the antiquity and well before the Persian invasion of Greece. There is also the report of Strabo of an Athenian delegation to Persia in 432 BC.[1] The relations have evolved from sworn rivalry during the Greco-Persian wars to strong cordiality, since Alexander the Great defeated the Persian Empire. Alexander admired Persian culture, and wanted to create a mixture of Greek and Persian culture which would forever bind and commemorate the two peoples. This legacy of strong cordiality would thus be found back for many more centuries in various parts of the world named as the Greco-Persian culture. A harmonious blend of both Greek and Persian cultural aspects.

Medieval

Sasanian Empire - Byzantine Empire

Sasanian Empire and Byzantine Empire (Greece was part of Byzantine Empire), were the main powers in Western and Central Asia. There were many conflicts between them (Byzantine–Sasanian wars).

Modern

There is a small Greek community in Iran (about 80 people).[2] At Tehran there is a Greek Orthodox church which opens mostly during the Greek Holy Week.[2]

See also

References

  1. D. J. Mosley,Archipresbeutai, Hermes, Vol. 94, No. 3 (1966), pp. 377-381.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs http://www.mfa.gr/blog/dimereis-sheseis-tis-ellados/iran/

External links