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The Iranian peoples
The Iranian peoples, also known as Iranic peoples, are a diverse group of ethnolinguistic communities who primarily speak Iranian languages, a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages within the Indo-European family. The origins of the Iranian peoples date back to the early 2nd millennium BC in Central Asia, with the Proto-Iranians believed to have emerged around this period. Over the centuries, they spread across a vast region that included the Eurasian Steppe, parts of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Iranian Plateau. In ancient history, Iranian peoples were known for their significant influence on the development of various civilizations. Among the most notable ancient Iranian groups were the Medes, Persians, Parthians,…