Eastern Kurdistan, known as Rojhelat, refers to the Kurdish inhabited regions of western Iran and represents one of the four major parts of the wider Kurdish homeland. Kurdish presence in the Zagros Mountains predates recorded history, and Kurdish communities long exercised local autonomy through tribal leadership and semi independent principalities.

Under Persian and later Iranian states, Kurdish regions maintained varying levels of autonomy and periodic conflict with central authority.  The most significant modern independence attempt occurred in 1946 with the formation of the Republic of Mahabad. Although short lived, this state became a powerful symbol of Kurdish nationalism, establishing Kurdish education, administration, and cultural institutions. Its leaders envisioned a sovereign Kurdish homeland spanning the broader region, and its legacy continues to shape Kurdish political identity.  After the fall of the republic, Iranian authorities reasserted control, and Kurdish activism shifted toward cultural rights, political participation, and periods of armed resistance. Throughout the twentieth century Kurdish parties and movements in Iran sought greater autonomy, recognition of linguistic rights, and mechanisms for self rule. Despite these efforts, centralised governance and security measures often limited Kurdish political expression.

Eastern Kurdistan remains a central concept in Kurdish nationalism because it symbolizes both historical continuity and unrealised aspirations. While movements vary between autonomy and full independence, the name Kurdistan evokes a shared identity that connects Kurdish communities across modern borders.