Iranian New Zealanders (Persian: ایرانی نیوزیلندی), informally known as Persian Kiwis, are New Zealanders of Iranian national background or descent who are expatriates or permanent immigrants, and their descendants. The 2006 census found that 2,895 New Zealanders were born in Iran, although the figure of Iranian New Zealanders will be higher than this as many of them are born in another country, while many New Zealand-born children of Iranians may consider themselves to be Iranian New Zealanders.
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Migration history
Most Iranian New Zealanders came to New Zealand after the Iranian Revolution in 1979. The community expanded in the early 1980s and 1990s during the Iran–Iraq War and its aftermath. However most Iranian emigrates since 2010 are professional migrants whom revived their resident permit through emigration programs.
Demography
The majority of Iranian New Zealanders are of Persian background, but there are also Azeris and Kurds. Around half of Iranians in New Zealand are Muslim, but those of Christian background are also present. Among Iranian migrants there are also Bahá'ís who had been persecuted for their religion in Iran. From 1987 to 1989, 142 Bahá'ís arrived in New Zealand as refugees.