<P> In the 1980s, Professor Ehsan Yarshater (editor of the Encyclopædia Iranica) started to publish articles on this matter (in both English and Persian) in Rahavard Quarterly, Pars Monthly, Iranian Studies Journal, etc . After him, a few Iranian scholars and researchers such as Prof. Kazem Abhary, and Prof. Jalal Matini followed the issue . Several times since then, Iranian magazines and Web sites have published articles from those who agree or disagree with usage of Persia and Persian in English . </P> <P> It is the case in many countries that the country's native name is different from its international name (see Exonym), but for Persians and Iranians this issue has been very controversial . Main points on this matter: </P> <Ul> <Li> Persia is the Western name of the country, and Iranians were calling their country Iran for over a millennium . </Li> <Li> Persia evokes the old culture and civilization of the country . </Li> <Li> Persia and the name of a province of Iran (viz., Pars) are from the same root, and may cause confusion . </Li> <Li> The exonym Persia comes from Pars but the meaning shifted to refer to the whole country . </Li> <Li> In Western languages, all famous cultural aspects of Iran have been recorded as Persian (e.g., Persian carpet, Persian Gulf, Persian cat, Persian New Year, Persian language, Persian cuisine, Persian literature, Persian melon, Persian Empire, etc .) </Li> </Ul> <Li> Persia is the Western name of the country, and Iranians were calling their country Iran for over a millennium . </Li>

Which of these countries does not have a king iran vs thailand