Astiani

Ashtianis are the people of Ashtian, a small town and county between Arak, Tafresh and Qom in Markazi province, whose traditional speech is a Northwestern Iranian dialect of the Southern Tatic (Vafsic) type, very close to Vafsi and to the dialects of Tafresh, Amereh and Kahak. Yarshater grouped it with the Central dialects of the Kashan-Isfahan area. Ashtianis regard themselves as Persians. The town was the cradle of the Mostowfian Ashtiani family, hereditary accountants of the Qajar state who produced prime ministers such as Mostowfi ol-Mamalek, and the paternal family of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh also came from Ashtian. The historian Abbas Eqbal Ashtiani was born here.

Ashtian is a qanat-watered upland town with a strong carpet-weaving tradition, fortress remains and a Safavid caravanserai. The Ashtian and Tafresh area long supplied court secretaries, accountants and calligraphers to Tehran. Village blogs from Amereh and neighbouring settlements collect local stories, sayings, beliefs and dialect words. Many families now live in Tehran, Qom and Arak and return in summer.

Ashtianis are Twelver Shia, observing Muharram, Ramadan and pilgrimage to nearby Qom. No studies describe distinctive folk practice.

No Scripture, film or audio exists in Ashtiani. All speakers use Persian, in which the Bible, the Jesus Film and audio resources are available. No believers are known.