sayyids (in "seyyed") are found in vast numbers in iran. the chief of “national organization for civil registration” of iran declared that more than 6 million of iranians are sayyid. the majority of sayyids migrated to iran from arab lands predominantly in the 15th to 17th century during the safavid era. the safavids began transforming the religious landscape of iran by imposing twelver shiism on the populace. since most of the population embraced sunni islam, and since an educated version of shiism was scarce in iran at the time, ismail imported a new shia "ulama" corps who predominantly were sayyids from traditional shiite centers of the arabic-speaking lands, such as jabal amel (of southern lebanon), syria, bahrain, and southern iraq in order to create a state clergy. the safavids offered them land and money in return for loyalty. these scholars taught the doctrine of twelver shiism, made it accessible to the population, and energetically encouraged conversion to shiism.