The term Iranian may refer to:

• the inhabitants of the modern nation of Iran, which includes Persian, Azerbaijani, Baluch, Gilaki, Kurd, Lur, Mazandarani, Qashqai, Arab and Turkmen ethnic groups.

• the Iranian peoples are a group of peoples speaking Iranian languages, decending from ancient Aryan tribes, and inhabiting a part of Central Asia on and near the Iranian plateau. The Iranian peoples of prehistory are generally believed to be ancestors of the contemporary Iranians, northern Indians (partly), northern and western Afghans, the Tajikis, the Uzbeks (partly), Azerbaijanis, Ossetians, Kurds and Baluchis.

• Persians, although the "Persians" originally referred to one of many Aryan tribes that rose to dominate others in Central Asia such as the Medes, under the leadership of Cyrus II of Persia, establishing the Persian Empire. According to Herodotus, the adopting of the name "Persian" was due to a claim of lineal descent from the mythological hero, Perseus.

• The term Iranian (Persian: ایرانیان) is cognate to the term Aryan (Persian: آریایی).

See also: Persian Empire, Aryan, Iran, List of topics related to Iran.