Assyrian may refer to:

Martin Palmer is the translator of several popular books on Sinology, including Zhuangzi and I Ching. His 2001 book The Jesus Sutras gives a popular and controversial interpretation of early Chinese Christianity as ‘syncretistic’. He is the Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture (ICOREC) and secretary general of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC).

An Anglican Christian, Palmer studied theology and religious studies at Cambridge University. He is a regular contributor to the BBC on religious, ethical and historical issues. He appears regularly on BBC Radio 3 and 4, BBC World Service and BBC TV as a presenter, and is also a contributor to programmes such as In Our Time, Thought for the Day, Nightwaves, and Songs of Praise. He appeared on BBC World Service for a week-long China series in October 2007.

Palmer is Co-Chair of a joint ARC-UNDP programme on the faiths, climate change and the environment, which launched a series of major faith commitments on the environment at Windsor Castle in November 2009 and is now working with a further 30 plus new long term faith commitments which will be launched year in association with UNDP.

Linda George is an ethnic Assyrian singer who resides in the United States Of America. The vast majority of her songs are sung in her native Assyrian language. George is widely known by the Assyrian community in countries in the USA, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Armenia, Russia, Georgia and her homeland Iraq.

George's career started in the Assyrian community in Chicago discovered of Assyrian singer Sargon Gabriel. Sargon featured Linda on his track "Dalaleh". The track became a popular record in the Assyrian community and helped land George her own album. George's first album, Hal Eiman, was released in 1983 and was instantly a success. Linda soon became popular and recognizable with the help of songs such as the title track "Hal Eman", "La Khaswit M'Barokh", "Nishra D'Atour and "Marqidly".

It was not until her third album Neqmeh Min Garbiat Atree that George had major success. The album, released in 1986, featured some of George's most popular songs. Songs such as "Asheeta", "Taleeboota", "Mokhibbie Kheesheleh" and "Ktowa Khashana".

Assyrians in Iran (Persian: آشوریان در ایران) was a thriving community, but was diminished from around 200,000 prior to the Islamic Revolution in Iran to a mere 50,000.

In addition to Assyrian communities found in major urban centers such as Tehran, there are also Assyrian villages in the area of Urmia in northern Iran. [2]

Assyrians are a Semitic people who speak Syriac an Aramaic dialect and are Eastern Rite Christians. They are the descendants of the ancient Mesopotamians.

Assyrians are entitled to one reserved seat in the Iranian Parliament, that was procured by George Malek-Yonan. The seat is currently occupied by Yonathan Betkolia (elected in 2000, reelected in 2004).

There were about 200,000 Assyrians in Iran at the time of the 1976 census. Many emigrated after the revolution in 1979, but at least 50,000 were estimated still to be living in Iran in 1987.

Assyrians have a long history in Iran. During the Neo Assyrian Empire (911-608 BC), much of western Iran (including Media, Persia, Elam and Gutium) was subject to Assyria. After the fall of the Assyrian Empire, Assyria was ruled by Persia from 539 BC. Assyrians have possibly existed in north western Iran for many thousands of years.