The estimated population of the Mazanderani is about 2.8 million and is an ethnic mix of Turkic tribes, Armenians, and Russian immigrants. Other smaller groups include the Qadikolahi and the Palavi. The language of the majority, also called Mazanderani (or Palari), remains unwritten. This language is closely tied to Farsi, the official language of Iran.

What are their lives like?
Agriculture dominates the economy of the entire Mazandaran region. Most of the Mazanderani are settled farmers who grow crops such as rice, wheat, barley, tea, fruits, and cotton. They also raise some cattle. In addition to farming, the Mazanderani are famous for breeding Arabian horses.

The mid-1970's saw a number of agricultural reforms in the Mazandaran province. Farming became a large-scale business operation that included the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products, as well as the manufacturing of farm machinery, equipment, and supplies. At the same time, major agricultural movements were encouraged by the influx of large investments that were made as a result of the oil boom. Many new businesses were introduced, including cement, textile, and cotton industries. Fisheries also sprang up all along the coastal areas. Today, the coastal fisheries of this region harvest some of the finest caviar in the world.

Although many of the Mazanderani farmers are settled, some maintain the nomadic lifestyle of their ancestors. These nomads use the higher, cultivated regions for grazing their animals. Their herds include a certain breed of humped cattle, as well as buffalo, which are used as beasts of burden.

Since most of the people in the Mazandaran province are Muslim, their society is organized according to the guidelines of traditional Islamic communities. The family is the major social unit and is led by the father. Although the Koran gives women equal status in Islamic society, in reality, they are usually second class citizens with little or no political freedom.

What are their beliefs?
Although Mazandaran was the last province in Iran to be converted to Islam, the Mazanderani are now 100% Muslim. They belong to the Ithna-Ashari sect of Islam and their independent character makes them unique in Iran.

As Muslims, the Mazanderani believe in only one omnipotent god, Allah. They are taught that the ultimate purpose of humanity is to worship him and to build a social order that is not corrupt. Their religious practices include praying, fasting, giving to the poor, and making a pilgrimage to Mecca. They hold the imams (religious rulers claiming descent from Mohammed) in very high esteem, since they believe that only the imams can interpret the true meaning of the Koran.

What are their needs?
Many of the Mazanderani are uneducated. The fact that their language is not yet in written form presents a roadblock to their cultural and spiritual progress. Perhaps Christian teachers will have the greatest opportunity to work among this people group. There is a university in the town of Babol that may provide open doors for linguists who are willing to create a written script for the Mazanderani language.

Currently, only one missions agency is targeting the 2.8 million Mazanderani of Iran. Due to the fact that there is no Mazanderani script, the Scriptures are not yet available. Prayer is the key to seeing these precious people reached with the Good News.

Prayer Points

• Ask the Lord to call people who are willing to go to Iran and share Christ with the Mazanderani.
• Pray for the salvation of key Mazanderani leaders who will boldly proclaim the Gospel.
• Pray that God will raise up linguists to devise a Mazanderani script so that the Bible may be made available to this group in their own language.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Mazanderani towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.
• Pray that God will open the hearts of Iran's governmental leaders to the Gospel.
• Ask the Lord to raise up intercessors who will faithfully stand in the gap for the Mazanderani.
• Take authority over the spiritual principalities and powers that are keeping the Mazanderani bound.
• Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the Mazanderani by the year 2000.

THE PEOPLE

• People name: Mazanderani (Tabri)
• Country: Iran
• Their language: Mazanderani (Palari)
• Population: (1990) 2,525,800
  (1995) 2,883,100
  (2000) 3,198,500
• Largest religion: Muslim (Ithna-Asharis) 100%
• Christians: 0%
• Church members: 0
• Scriptures in their own language: None
• Jesus Film in their own language: None
• Christian broadcasts in their own language: Available
• Mission agencies working among this people: 1
• Persons who have heard the Gospel: 490,100 (17%) Those evangelized by local Christians: 0 (0%)
  Those evangelized from the outside: 490,100 (17%)
• Persons who have never heard the Gospel: 2,393,000 (83%)

• Country: Iran
• Population: (1990) 58,946,300
  (1995) 67,283,200
  (2000) 74,643,600
• Major peoples in size order: Persian 35.7%
  Azerbaijani 15.6%
  Luri 7.1%
  Iranian Kurd 6%
  Southern Kurd 4.5%
• Major religions: Muslims 98.7%
  Bahai's 0.6%
  Christians 0.5%
• Number of denominations: 26