Parsi Zoroastrian

The Parsis or Parsees are a Zoroastrian ethnic group in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, when Zoroastrians were persecuted by the early Muslims. Parsis are the elder of the Indian subcontinent's two Zoroastrian communities, being culturally, linguistically, and socially distinct from Iranis, Zoroastrians who migrated from Qajar-era Iran. The word Parsi is derived from the Persian language, and literally translates to Persian. Parsis are found in Iran, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.