they are the indigenous peoples of mesopotamia, whose ancestors established the assyrian empire in what is modern day iraq, iran, syria, and turkey. the empire lasted from perhaps as early as the 25th century bc until its collapse around 7th century ad. assyrian nationalism is also common in the diaspora communities that left these areas for armenia, georgia, russia, lebanon, jordan and azerbaijan and migrant assyrians from all these lands now residing in the european union, united states, canada and australia.