The primary language spoken in Iran is Persian, also known as Farsi. Persian belongs to the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family and serves as the official language of the country. It is used in government, education, and the media, unifying the diverse ethnic groups within Iran. The language has a rich literary tradition, dating back over a thousand years, and has been influential in the development of culture, poetry, and philosophy in the region. Farsi is written in a modified version of the Arabic script, and dialects vary across different areas of Iran and among its speakers.