Finnish Iranians
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Iranians in Finland
| native_name = Iranians in Finland / Finnish Iranians
Iranilaiset Suomessa / Suomen iranilaiset
| image =
| population = 12,287 born in Iran;
22,154 Persian speakers (2024){{cite web |url= https://stat.fi/en/publication/cm1jg8tr20lco07vwvoif9s6i |title= Number of foreign-language speakers exceeded 600,000 during 2024 |date= 2025-04-04 |series= Population structure |publisher= Statistics Finland |issn= 1797-5395 |access-date=2025-04-14 }}
| popplace = Helsinki, Tampere and Turku regions &
Jyväskylä and Oulu
|langs = Finnish, Persian, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Luri (See languages of Iran)
|rels = 97% Islam
2% Christianity (59% Orthodoxy){{cite web|url=https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/14371/FI|title=Persian in Finland|website=Joshua Project|accessdate=2019-11-23}}
1% others
|related = Norwegian Iranians, Swedish Iranians, Overseas Iranians
}}
Iranians in Finland or Finnish Iranians ({{Langx|fa|ایرانیان فنلاند}}) are people who originate from Iran and who live in Finland. People can be born in Iran, have Iranian ancestry and/or be citizens of Iran. {{As of|2024}}, there were 12,287 people born in Iran living in Finland. Similarly, the number of people with Iranian citizenship was 6,251. The number of people who spoke Persian as their mother tongue was 22,154.
Migration
A crime organization tried to sneak illegal Iranian immigrants through the Russian border. According to the Southeast Finland Border Guard District, if they succeeded, they would be smuggling 3-6 Iranians nearly every day.{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11073713|title=Rajavartiosto epäilee: Rikollisjärjestö luuli keksineensä, kuinka Suomeen pääsee laittomasti mobiilisovelluksen avulla – 3 kärähti heti | Yle Uutiset|website=yle.fi|accessdate=2019-11-23}} 1979 Iranian Revolution also led to several Iranians moving to Finland.
Demographics
{{Historical populations
| percentages = pagr
|1990|291
|1995|803
|2000|1205
|2005|3165
|2010|5020
|2015|8745
|2020|15105
|2024|22154
|footnote=Persian speakers. Source: Statistics Finland
}}
People born in Iran and living in Finland, according to Statistics Finland.
| role="presentation" class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|+ class="nowrap" style="padding:1em; background:#ccc;" | Country of birth Iran by municipality (2024) ! Municipality !! Population | |
| Whole country | 12,287 |
| Helsinki | 2,401 |
| Espoo | 2,395 |
| Turku | 1,343 |
| Tampere | 1,071 |
| Vantaa | 1,070 |
| Jyväskylä | 470 |
| Oulu | 463 |
| Vaasa | 352 |
| Lappeenranta | 292 |
| Lahti | 228 |
| Kuopio | 142 |
| Hämeenlinna | 135 |
| Raisio | 100 |
| Kerava | 76 |
| Joensuu | 69 |
| Järvenpää | 68 |
| Lieto | 68 |
| Mariehamn | 68 |
| Jakobstad | 68 |
| Mikkeli | 66 |
| Salo | 65 |
| Kaarina | 63 |
| Forssa | 54 |
| Kauniainen | 53 |
| Kirkkonummi | 46 |
| Hyvinkää | 42 |
| Kajaani | 41 |
| Kouvola | 40 |
| Rovaniemi | 38 |
| Sipoo | 38 |
| Pori | 36 |
| Valkeakoski | 36 |
| Pirkkala | 35 |
| Kotka | 32 |
| Porvoo | 30 |
| Nurmijärvi | 28 |
| Seinäjoki | 26 |
| Kokkola | 25 |
| Ylöjärvi | 24 |
| Kangasala | 23 |
| Tuusula | 23 |
| Korsholm | 21 |
| Mäntsälä | 20 |
| Lohja | 19 |
| Savonlinna | 18 |
| Kemi | 17 |
| Tornio | 16 |
| Hollola | 15 |
| Jomala | 15 |
| Karkkila | 15 |
| Heinola | 14 |
| Naantali | 14 |
| Iisalmi | 13 |
| Kurikka | 13 |
| Riihimäki | 13 |
| Uusikaupunki | 13 |
| Loimaa | 11 |
| Vihti | 11 |
People with Iranian citizenship living in Finland according to Statistics Finland.
| role="presentation" class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|+ class="nowrap" style="padding:1em; background:#ccc;" | Citizens of Iran by municipality (2024) ! Municipality !! Population | |
| Whole country | 6,251 |
| Espoo | 1,311 |
| Helsinki | 1,158 |
| Turku | 715 |
| Tampere | 578 |
| Vantaa | 380 |
| Oulu | 374 |
| Lappeenranta | 273 |
| Vaasa | 197 |
| Jyväskylä | 188 |
| Lahti | 127 |
| Kuopio | 126 |
| Hämeenlinna | 81 |
| Forssa | 55 |
| Joensuu | 51 |
| Salo | 36 |
| Valkeakoski | 35 |
| Lieto | 31 |
| Raisio | 28 |
| Mariehamn | 25 |
| Kouvola | 23 |
| Kauniainen | 22 |
| Kirkkonummi | 21 |
| Rovaniemi | 21 |
| Kajaani | 20 |
| Pori | 18 |
| Seinäjoki | 17 |
| Hyvinkää | 16 |
| Kerava | 16 |
| Sipoo | 16 |
| Järvenpää | 15 |
| Kurikka | 13 |
| Kangasala | 12 |
| Mikkeli | 12 |
| Porvoo | 12 |
| Kotka | 11 |
| Lohja | 11 |
| Nurmijärvi | 10 |
People with Persian as mother tongue living in Finland according to Statistics Finland.
| role="presentation" class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|+ class="nowrap" style="padding:1em; background:#ccc;" | Persian speakers by municipality (2024) ! Municipality !! Population | |
| Whole country | 22,154 |
| Helsinki | 4,615 |
| Espoo | 3,897 |
| Vantaa | 2,545 |
| Tampere | 2,467 |
| Turku | 1,356 |
| Jyväskylä | 794 |
| Oulu | 651 |
| Vaasa | 461 |
| Hämeenlinna | 377 |
| Lahti | 369 |
| Lappeenranta | 300 |
| Kerava | 240 |
| Kuopio | 228 |
| Järvenpää | 211 |
| Mikkeli | 170 |
| Hyvinkää | 162 |
| Jakobstad | 156 |
| Pori | 148 |
| Rovaniemi | 148 |
| Kirkkonummi | 114 |
| Raisio | 112 |
| Joensuu | 104 |
| Kotka | 98 |
| Ylöjärvi | 95 |
| Kaarina | 94 |
| Tuusula | 89 |
| Pirkkala | 86 |
| Kauniainen | 83 |
| Nokia | 82 |
| Salo | 72 |
| Kouvola | 70 |
| Lohja | 68 |
| Iisalmi | 67 |
| Kajaani | 66 |
| Seinäjoki | 65 |
| Forssa | 63 |
| Nurmijärvi | 63 |
| Sipoo | 61 |
| Uusikaupunki | 59 |
| Kangasala | 53 |
| Mariehamn | 52 |
| Savonlinna | 51 |
| Valkeakoski | 50 |
| Kokkola | 47 |
| Mäntsälä | 46 |
| Porvoo | 46 |
| Kemi | 42 |
| Pieksämäki | 36 |
| Karkkila | 32 |
| Lieto | 30 |
| Tornio | 30 |
| Jämsä | 28 |
| Lempäälä | 27 |
| Raahe | 27 |
| Rauma | 26 |
| Riihimäki | 26 |
| Loimaa | 25 |
| Heinola | 23 |
| Äänekoski | 20 |
| Korsholm | 19 |
| Naantali | 19 |
| Kurikka | 18 |
| Hollola | 16 |
| Imatra | 16 |
| Pudasjärvi | 16 |
| Raseborg | 14 |
| Hirvensalmi | 13 |
| Huittinen | 13 |
| Kiuruvesi | 13 |
| Kristinestad | 13 |
| Siilinjärvi | 13 |
| Vihti | 13 |
| Kuusamo | 12 |
| Orimattila | 12 |
| Kalajoki | 11 |
| Lapinlahti | 10 |
| Siuntio | 10 |
Society
In January 2018, there was a protest held in Central Helsinki, in which 50 Iranians participated in. They wanted Iran to kick out the president Hassan Rouhani and the supreme leader Ali Khamenei.{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10006677|title=Suomessa asuvat iranilaiset vaativat maan johtajien lähtöä ja uskonnon erottamista politiikasta | Yle Uutiset|website=yle.fi|accessdate=2019-11-23}}
28% of Iranians are employed, 18% are unemployed and 53% are outside the labour force. Of those inside the labour force, 61% are employed and 39% are unemployed. There are nearly 100 Iranian entrepreneurs.{{cite web|url=http://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/fi/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__tyokay/statfin_tyokay_pxt_115e.px/|website=pxnet2.stat.fi|title=Väestö pääasiallisen toiminnan, kansalaisuuden, ammattiaseman, sukupuolen, iän ja vuoden mukaan muuttujina Pääasiallinen toiminta, Kansalaisuus, Ammattiasema, Sukupuoli, Ikä, Vuosi ja Tiedot. PxWeb|accessdate=2019-11-23}} 342 Iranian men are in a registered relationship with a Finnish woman, and 126 Iranian women are in a registered relationship with a Finnish man.{{cite web|url=http://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/fi/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__perh/statfin_perh_pxt_011.px/|website=pxnet2.stat.fi|title=Perheet muuttujina Miehen syntymävaltio, Vuosi, Perhetyyppi, Naisen ikä ja Tiedot. PxWeb|accessdate=2019-11-23}}{{cite web|url=http://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/fi/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__perh/statfin_perh_pxt_010.px/|website=pxnet2.stat.fi|title=Perheet muuttujina Naisen syntymävaltio, Vuosi, Perhetyyppi, Miehen ikä ja Tiedot. PxWeb|accessdate=2019-11-23}}
Notable Finnish Iranians
{{Category see also|Finnish people of Iranian descent}}
- Honar Abdi, footballer
- Arman Alizad, tailor, fashion columnist and a TV-personality
- Rezgar Amani, footballer
- Makwan Amirkhani, mixed martial artist
- Ana Diamond, politician and human rights activist
- Aram Hasanzada, footballer
- Reza Heidari, footballer
- Ali Jahangiri, stand-up comedian and media-presenter
- Alexis Kouros, writer, documentary-maker, director, and producer
- Mina Mojtahedi, wheelchair curler
- Evelyn Mora, entrepreneur
- Tabe Slioor, socialite, reporter, and photojournalist
- Axl Smith, former presenter and entertainer
- Teuvo Tulio, film director
==See also==
{{Portal|Finland|Iran}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Immigration to Finland}}
{{Iranian diaspora}}
Category:Finland–Iran relations
Category:Ethnic groups in Finland
Category:Middle Eastern diaspora in Finland