The Kurdish language in Eastern Kurdistan and Iran remains structurally restricted, caught between organic local preservation and state marginalization. Despite Kurds comprising over 10% of Iran's total population and ranking as the country's third-largest ethnic group—following Persians and Azeris—the mother tongue remains effectively barred from formal educational institutions and public administration. 

Like other non-Persian ethnic communities across the Islamic Republic, Kurds continue to be deprived of basic linguistic rights, most notably native-language education.

Discrepancy Between Law and Practice

Nominally, Article 15 of the Iranian Constitution legalizes the use of local and national languages in media, publishing, and public school instruction alongside Persian. 

However, more than 47 years after the establishment of the Islamic Republic, these constitutional provisions exist only on paper and have never been implemented in practice.

Eastern Kurdistan's Dialects

Sociolinguistically, Eastern Kurdistan features a rich tapestry of dialects. Sorani is predominantly spoken across Sina (Sanandaj), southern Urmia, and parts of Kermanshah, while Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji) serves as the primary dialect in northern Urmia. 

Concurrently, Kalhori, Luri, and Laki are spoken in Lorestan and sections of Kermanshah, with Hewrami anchored in border border-adjacent cities like Paveh, Jwanro, and Mariwan.

Linguistic Diversity at Risk

This linguistic diversity faces a precarious future. UNESCO indicators warn that several regional languages in Iran, including Kurdish, Azeri, and Turkmen, are increasingly vulnerable to erosion. 

In response to these growing threats, 167 professors from the University of Kurdistan in Sina previously issued a formal appeal to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, demanding an immediate legislative framework to enforce Article 15. 

Despite an estimated Kurdish population of 10 to 12 million, there remains no political prospect for integrating Kurdish-medium instruction into the Iranian state school curriculum.