The Zargari people are a Muslim Romani ethnic group that live in Zargar, in northwestern Iran. They speak Zargari Romani, a distinct dialect of Balkan Romani most closely related to dialects historically spoken in Rumelia.

Origin and history

Historical documentation of Zargari origins is lacking, but one seemingly accurate tradition traces their origins to three goldsmith brothers, (, zargar), who migrated from the Ottoman region of Rumelia to Maritsa Valley, in present-day south Bulgaria, and subsequently to Ottoman Damascus, from where they were brought to Shiraz as hostages during the reign of Nader Shah (1736–1747) and given pasture lands as a reward for their skills.