PERSIA: Always Iran

Asked "Why is March 22 New Year's Day in Persia?", a bland Palace official characteristically replied last week "Because it always has been."

"And why has His Imperial Majesty Reza Shah Pahlavi decreed that from your next New Year's Day onward the name of Persia shall be Iran?"

"It always has been," again wearily replied the Palace spokesman. "In reality 'Persia' is only a southern province. Foreigners have called our land Persia. We have always called it Iran. The Shah, in communicating his august decision with respect to New Year's Day to the diplomatic corps, acted from the national and patriotic motives which ever inspire the policy of His Imperial Majesty."

Japanese call their country Nippon, but the Son of Heaven is content in his wisdom to let foreigners go on calling it "Japan."

To natives, Germany is Deutschland, Egypt is Misr, Greece is Hellas, Finland is Suomi, China is Chung-Hua Min-Kuo ("The Middle Flowery Republic") and officially trilingual Switzerland is Schweiz, Suisse or Svizzera.