The Western Iranian languages 

The Western Iranian languages are a branch of the Iranian language family, which itself is part of the larger Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family. These languages are spoken in a vast region that spans Southwest Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and parts of western South Asia. They have historical roots dating back to the Old Persian and Median languages, with evidence of their existence from the 6th century BC.

The Western Iranian languages are traditionally divided into two main subgroups: Northwestern Iranian and Southwestern Iranian. The Northwestern Iranian languages include languages such as Gilaki, Mazandarani, Talysh, and various Kurdish dialects. These languages are spoken in regions like the Caspian Sea coast, parts of Azerbaijan, and the Kurdistan region, covering countries like Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria. Within the Kurdish group, dialects such as Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish), Sorani (Central Kurdish), and Southern Kurdish are prominent, along with the Zaza-Gorani languages spoken in parts of Turkey and Iraq.

Southwestern Iranian languages, on the other hand, include the dominant Persian language (Farsi), which is spoken in Iran, Afghanistan (as Dari), and Tajikistan (as Tajik). Persian has many regional dialects, such as Hazaragi, Aimaq, and Sistani. Other languages in this group include Luri, which is spoken by the Lur people in western Iran, and Balochi, which has a variety of dialects spoken in Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

The Western Iranian languages have a rich historical and cultural legacy, with influences from ancient civilizations such as the Medes, Persians, and Parthians. Despite their historical significance, many of these languages are under threat due to the dominance of Persian in many regions and the spread of other languages like Arabic and Turkish. However, they continue to hold cultural and linguistic importance in their native regions.