tajiks ( "tājīk") are a persian-speaking iranian ethnic group who are mostly found in what is now tajikistan, including in parts of afghanistan, uzbekistan and china. alternative names for the tajiks are (eastern) persian, dehqan, and farsiwan. after the soviet invasion of afghanistan in 1979, some tajik refugees escaped to live in neighboring iran and pakistan. most tajiks are sunni muslims, but a few in remote mountain areas follow shia islam alongside pockets in cities such as herat and kabul.