the armenian diaspora in iran is one of the biggest and oldest armenian communities in the world, as well as the largest in the middle east. although armenians have a long history of interaction and intertwined socio-cultural record with persia/iran, iran's armenian community emerged when shah abbas relocated hundreds of thousands of armenians from nakhichevan, at that time on the frontier with the rivalling neighboring ottoman empire, to an area of isfahan called new julfa in the early 17th century, which was created to become an armenian quarter. iran quickly recognized the armenians' dexterity in commerce. the community became active in the cultural and economic development of iran.