Zoroastrianism is the oldest of the revealed world-religions, and it has probably had more influence on mankind, directly and indirectly, than any other single faith." Mary Boyce. Zoroastrianism is one of the worlds oldest monotheistic religions. It was founded by the prophet Zoroaster in ancient Iran approx. 3500 years ago. They are not fire worshippers as some people believe. They believe that elements are pure, and that fire represents God's light or wisdom. They pray several times a day. Purification is strongly emphasized in Zoroastrian rituals. Zoroastrianism became the state religion of various Persian empires, until 7th Century C.E.

Zoroastrianism was once the dominant religion of much of Greater Iran, and was a formative influence on that region's history and traditions. The religion was marginalized following the Islamic conquests of the mid-7th century, after which the number of adherents dwindled significantly, and there are less than 20,000 Zoroastrians left in that region today. Today, the largest indigenous population of Zoroastrians is in India, where they number about 70,000. Eight of the nine principal religious centers are located on the west coast of that country (the ninth is in central Iran).