View source for Ey Iran

{{Short description|Iranian patriotic song}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox anthem
| title         = {{lang|fa|ای ایران}}
| transcription = {{translit|fa|Ey Irān|italic=no}}
| english_title = 'O Iran'
| image         = Ey Iran (Persian lyrics).gif
| image_size    = 
| caption       = Sheet music
| prefix        = Unofficial anthem of Iran<br />Former national
| country       = the [[Interim Government of Iran (1979)|Interim Government of Iran]]
| author        = [[Hossein Gol-e-Golab]]
| composer      = [[Ruhollah Khaleghi]]
| lyrics_date   = 1944
| music_date    = 
| predecessor   = 
| adopted       = 1979
| until         = 1979
| sound         = Ey Iran (Instrumental).ogg
| sound_title   = Instrumental rendition in [[E minor]]}}
{{Listen
| filename    = Ey Iran (vocal).ogg
| title       = Ey Irân
| description = Vocal version {{circa|1990}}
| pos         =
}}
{{Listen
| filename    = Ey Iran (Santoor).ogg
| title       = Ey Irân
| description = With [[santoor]]
| pos         = }}

"'''{{translit|fa|Ey Iran|italic=no}}'''"{{efn|{{langx|fa|ای ایران|Ey Irān}}, {{IPA|fa|ˌʔej ʔiːˈɹɒːn|pron}}; {{lit|O Iran}}}} is an Iranian patriotic song. It is often regarded as the ''[[de facto]]'' national anthem of Iran.{{cn|date=November 2025}} The music was composed by [[Ruhollah Khaleghi]], and the lyrics were written by [[Hossein Gol-e-Golab]].<ref name="encycl">[http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/ey-iran EY IRĀN] ''Encyclopædia Iranica''</ref> This anthem was first performed by [[Gholam-Hossein Banan]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uuQNbHXcHmo | title=Ey Iran | website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref>

==History==
[[File:People Singing EY IRAN anthem @ Persian New Year (Nowruz) Concert - Oberhausen Arena - March 2014.png|thumb|250px|People singing Ey Iran at [[Rudolf Weber-Arena|Oberhausen Arena]] in March 2014]]
"{{translit|fa|Ey Iran|italic=no}}" dates back to [[World War II]].<ref name="iranica">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/persian/arts/2015/11/151112_l41_music_khaleghi_album|title=داستان آفرینش "ای ایران" و ماجراهای دیگر در گفت‌وگو با گلنوش خالقی، دختر روح الله خالقی|language=Persian|date=2015-11-12|accessdate=2020-07-06|last=Akbarzadeh|first=Pejman|website=BBC News}}</ref> In September 1941, [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] forces occupied Iran following an [[Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran|Anglo-Soviet invasion]] that overthrew [[Reza Shah]]. Hossein Gol-e-Golab was inspired to write a poem on [[Iranian nationalism]] when he saw Allied flags waving from an Iranian military barracks in [[Tehran]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/ey-iran|website=Encyclopædia Iranica|title=EY IRĀN|last1=Hoseyni Dehkordi|first1=Morteza|last2=Loloi|first2=Parvin|accessdate=2020-07-06}}</ref> One day in Tehran, Gol-e-Golab witnessed a fight between a British soldier and an Iranian officer. When Gol-e-Golab recounted the incident, he wanted to write a poem to keep Iran and the Iranian spirit alive in it. Khaleghi decided to compose the song, and Banan would sing the poem.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.magiran.com/article/2196846|title="روزنامه شرق (1389/09/07): چگونه سرود ای ایران خلق شد"|website=Magiran|language=Persian}}</ref>

Gol-e-Golab was inspired to write this song by his patriotism. He was quoted as saying:

{{blockquote|In 1944, the footsteps of the invading armies in the streets were enough to rattle any patriot and inspired me to write this anthem. Professor Ruhollah Khaleghi wrote the music and despite all the political opposition, it found its way into the heart and soul of the people.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/888017/چگونه-ای-ایران-خلق-شد-مثلت-طلایی-بنان-خالقی-و-گل%E2%80%8Cگلاب-چه-کردند|title="چگونه "ای ایران" خلق شد؟ / مثلت طلایی بنان، خالقی و گل‌گلاب چه کردند؟"|language=Persian|website=Tabnak|accessdate=2020-07-06}}</ref>}}

"{{translit|fa|Ey Iran|italic=no}}" served as the country's ''de facto'' national anthem for a brief period with the establishment of [[Interim Government of Iran (1979)|Iran's interim government]] following the [[Iranian Revolution]] in 1979.

==Performances==
Its first performance was held for two consecutive nights on 27 October 1944 in the military primary school, performed by Banan on Istanbul Street. "{{translit|fa|Ey Iran|italic=no}}" garnered a lot of popularity that listeners demanded its repetition; thus, it was renewed three times. The reception and impact of this anthem caused the then minister of culture to invite the musicians to the Sound Broadcasting Center to record a page of it and broadcast it daily on [[Radio Tehran]].

After the Revolution of 1979, several people were imprisoned for collaborating in the preparation of this anthem, and singing it was considered a crime; however, it was used to inspire soldiers in the [[Iran–Iraq War]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aftabir.com/lifestyle/view/92811/استاد-گل-گلاب|website=Aftabir|title="استاد گل گلاب"|date=December 2007 |accessdate=2020-07-06}}</ref>

[[Golnoush Khaleghi]], the daughter of Ruhollah Khaleghi, re-arranged the anthem in 1990 whilst in Tehran for the 25th anniversary of her father's death. This version was released on the album ''May Nab'' by Sorush Publications; the monologue in this version is performed by [[Rashid Vatandoust|Rashid Vatandust]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zamaaneh.com/pejman/2007/01/post_114.html|title=یکصدمین سال تولد روح الله خالقی در رادیو زمانه|first=Peyman|last=Akbarzadeh|website=Zamaaneh|accessdate=2020-07-06}}</ref>

{{clear}}

== Lyrics ==
<div style="overflow-x:auto;">
{|
![[Persian language|Persian]] lyrics<ref>[http://www.persiandna.com/tra_eyiran.htm اى ايران] ''Persian DNA''.<br><br>"Ey IRAN, Ey Marze Por Gohar, ...<br>The Greatest Iranian National Anthem"</ref><ref>[http://www.artpars.org/Honar/archives/5346 سرود ای ایران]. ''Persian Arts & Cultural Communities''. 15 February 2018.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://music.iranseda.ir/detailsAlbum/?VALID=TRUE&g=154385|title=ای ایران|website=book.iranseda.ir}}</ref><ref>https://www.daryadadvar.com/tag/ای-ایران/ ای ایران<br><br>"Ey Iran, Norooz 1387<br>Iran Heritage Foundation (IHF)<br>Piano: Tara Kamangar<br>Flute: Susan McCarthy"<br><br>London (2007).</ref>
![[English language|English]] translation
|- style="text-align:center;white-space:nowrap;"
|
{|class="wikitable"
! Arabic script
! Latin script
! IPA transcription
|- style="vertical-align:top;text-align:center;white-space:nowrap;"
|<poem lang="fa">،ای ایران، ای مرز پر گهر
.ای خاکت سرچشمه هنر
،دور از تو اندیشه بدان
.پاینده مانی تو جاودان
،ای، دشمن ار تو سنگ خاره‌ای من آهنم
.جان من فدای خاک پاک میهنم

{{small|''':برگردان'''}}
،مهر تو چون شد پیشه‌ام
.دور از تو نیست اندیشه‌ام
در راه تو کی ارزشی دارد این جان ما؟ 𝄇
𝄆 .پاینده باد خاک ایران ما

،سنگ کوهت در و گوهر است
.خاک دشتت بهتر از زر است
مهرت از دل کی برون کنم؟
برگو، بی‌مهر تو چون کنم؟
،تا گردش جهان و دور آسمان به پاست
.نور ایزدی همیشه رهنمای ماست

{{small|'''''برگردان'''''}}

،ایران ای خرم بهشت من
.روشن از تو سرنوشت من
،گر آتش بارد به پیکرم
.جز مهرت در دل نپرورم
،از آب و خاک و مهر تو سرشته شد گلم
.مهر اگر برون رود تهی شود دلم

{{small|'''''برگردان'''''}}</poem>
|<poem>Ey Irān, ey marz-e por gohar,
Ey khākat sarcheshme-ye honar.
Dur az to andishe-ye badān,
Pāyande māni to jāvedān.
Ey, doshman ar to sang-e khāre'i man āhanam,
Jān-e man fadā-ye khāk-e pāk-e mihanam.

{{small|'''Bargardān:'''}}
Mehr-e to chon shod pisheam,
Dur az to nist andisheam.
𝄆 Dar rāh-e to key arzeshi dārad in jān-e mā?
Pāyande bād khāk-e Irān-e mā. 𝄇

Sang-e kuhat dorr o govhar ast,
Khāk-e dashtat behtar az zar ast.
Mehrat az del key borun konam?
Bargu, bi-mehr-e to chun konam?
Tā gardesh-e jahān o dovr-e āsemān be pāst,
Nur-e izadi hamishe rahnamā-ye māst.

{{small|'''''Bargardān'''''}}

Irān ey khorram behesht-e man,
Rovshan az to sarnevesht-e man.
Gar ātash bārad be peykaram,
Joz mehrat dar del naparvaram.
Az āb o khāk o mehr-e to sereshte shod gelam,
Mehr agar borun ravad tohi shavad delam.

{{small|'''''Bargardān'''''}}</poem>
|<poem>[ʔej ʔiːˈɹɒːn ʔej ˈmæɹ.ze pʰoɹ‿goˈhæɹ ǀ]
[ʔej ˈxɒː.kʰæt ˌsæɹ.t͡ʃʰeʃˈme.je hoˈnæɹ ǀ]
[duːɹ ʔæz tʰo ˌʔæn.diːˈʃe.je bæˈdɒːn ǀ]
[ˌpʰɒː.jænˈde mɒːˈniː tʰo ˌd͡ʒɒː.veˈdɒːn ǁ]
[ʔej ǀ doʃˈmæn ʔæɹ‿tʰo ˈsæŋ.ge xɒːˈɹe.ʔiː ǀ mæn ʔɒːˈhæ.næm ǀ]
[ˈd͡ʒɒː.ne mæn fæˈdɒː.je ˈxɒː.kʰe ˈpʰɒː.kʰe miːˈhæ.næm ǁ]

{{small|'''[ˌbæɹ.gæɹˈdɒːn]:'''}}
[ˈmeɦ.ɹe tʰo t͡ʃʰon ǀ ʃod pʰiːˈʃe.ʔæm ǀ]
[duːɹ ʔæz tʰo niːst ǀ ˌʔæn.diːˈʃe.ʔæm ǁ]
𝄆 [dæɹ ˈɹɒː.he tʰo ǀ kʰej ˌʔæɹ.zeˈʃiː dɒːˈɹæd ʔiːn ˈd͡ʒɒː.ne mɒː ǀ]
[ˌpʰɒː.jæn.ˈde bɒːd ˈxɒː.kʰe ʔiːˈɹɒː.ne mɒː ǁ] 𝄇

[ˈsæŋ.ge ˈkʰuː.hæt ˈdor‿o gowˈhæɹ ʔæst ǀ]
[ˈxɒː.kʰe ˈdæʃ.tʰæt beɦˈtʰæɹ ʔæz zæɹ ʔæst ǀ]
[ˈmeɦ.ɹæt ʔæz del kʰej boˈɹuːn ˈkʰo.næm ǀ]
[bæɹˈguː biːˈmeɦ.ɹe tʰo t͡ʃʰuːn ˈkʰo.næm ǁ]
[tʰɒː ǀ gæɹˈde.ʃe d͡ʒæˈhɒːn‿o ˈdow.ɹe ˌʔɒː.seˈmɒːn be‿pʰɒːst ǀ]
[ˈnuː.ɹe ˌʔiː.zæˈdiː ˌhæ.miːˈʃe ˌɹæɦ.næˈmɒː.je mɒːst ǁ]

{{small|'''[ˌbæɹ.gæɹˈdɒːn]'''}}

[ʔiːˈɹɒːn ʔej ˈxo.ræm beˈheʃ.tʰe mæn ǀ]
[ɹowˈʃæn ʔæz tʰo ˌsæɹ.neˈveʃ.tʰe mæn ǀ]
[gæɹ ʔɒːˈtʰæʃ bɒːˈɹæd be‿pʰejˈkʰæ.ɹæm ǀ]
[d͡ʒoz ˈmeɦ.ɹæt dæɹ del ˌnæ.pʰæɹˈvæ.ɹæm ǁ]
[ʔæz ǀ ˈʔɒːb‿o ˈxɒːkʰ‿o ˈmeɦ.ɹe tʰo ˌse.ɹeʃˈtʰe ʃod ˈge.læm ǀ]
[meɦɹ ˈʔæ.gæɹ boˈɹuːn ɹæˈvæd tʰoˈhiː ʃæˈvæd ˈde.læm ǁ]

{{small|'''[ˌbæɹ.gæɹˈdɒːn]'''}}</poem>
|}
|<poem>O Iran, the land of gems abound,
O the wellspring of arts is your ground.
Far from you may the thoughts of evil be,
Long may you last and eternal be.
O enemy, if you are of rock, I am of iron,
May my life be sacrificed for my homeland's pure soil.

{{small|'''Refrain:'''}}
Since your love became my calling,
Never far are my thoughts from you.
𝄆 In your cause, when do our lives have value?
Eternal may the land of Iran be. 𝄇

The stones of your peaks are jewels and pearls,
Greater than gold are your valleys' soils.
When would I ever doff your ardor?
Tell me what I'd do without your fervor?
As long as the earth revolves and the sky cycles,
The light of the Divine will always guide us.

{{small|'''''Refrain'''''}}

Iran, O my gorgeous paradise, 
Bright is my destiny because to you.
Even if fire on my body rains,
I'll cherish naught but my love for you.
I am made of your love, your waters and your earth,
If your love leaves my heart, empty it will become.

{{small|'''''Refrain'''''}}</poem>
|}
|}</div>

== See also ==
* [[Imperial Anthem of Iran]]
* [[National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.iranian.com/Music/Patriotic/Audio/EyIran.mp3 ''Ey Irân''],  Ruhollâh Xâleqi (music), Hossein Golgolâb (lyrics), Golnuš Xâleqi (arrangement, 1991)
*[http://iroon.com/irtn/vlog/8052/ Thousands of Persians sing EY IRÂN in the Nôruz Concert, Oberhausen Arena, March 2014] (VIDEO)
*[http://www.persiandna.com/tra_eyiran.htm Original version of EY IRÂN anthem with the complete lyrics in Persian]
*[https://iranicaonline.org/articles/ey-iran English translation]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080913045555/http://www.ey-iran.com/ ''Ey Irân''], Ey Irân Video by Daryâ Dâdvar 2007. 
*[http://www.iranian.com/Music/Patriotic/Audio/EyIranZoroa.mpga Ey Irân performed by Zoroastrian Gatha Group], MPEG audio.

{{National symbols of Iran}}
{{National Anthem of Iran}}
{{National Anthems of Asia}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Historical national anthems]]
[[Category:Iranian patriotic songs]]
[[Category:Asian anthems]]
[[Category:1944 songs]]
[[Category:Songs about Iran]]
[[Category:Songs of World War II]]
[[Category:Compositions in D minor]]
[[Category:Compositions in E minor]]