Let’s face it, suddenly, in all sorts of ways, Iranians are everywhere. In the political and current affairs sphere, of course, Iran continues to be in the news and that won’t change any time soon. But beyond that, whether in pop culture, trendy new cafés, artistic happenings or technological breakthroughs – to name just a few examples – Iranians are making their mark in myriad ways and leaving an impression. 

People of Iranian descent are a dynamic and sophisticated group who, in various individual forms, now have an immense social and economic impact on the world. 

There is a vibrant Iranian diaspora that has been growing over the past 40 years, impressively and rapidly. But the story of Iranian identity outside of Iran, the fascinating personalities of Iranian background, and the significance of Iranian culture as it reaches into new parts of the world, remains generally untouched and unexplored. 

Not only is broader western society largely uninformed about the nature of Iranian identity and most interesting personalities, the Iranian community itself has few platforms for unity, discovery, celebration, discussion and exploration of its most interesting figures. If anything, misconceptions dominate around the world. 
People of Iranian descent in the diaspora are often fragmented by politics, but simultaneously united by culture and common roots. Roqe addresses the gap – in the contemporary English-speaking western media – for a platform to bring Iranian lives, culture, and identity to the forefront.