Despite the longstanding popularity of surrealism, magical realism, and the more recent embrace of horror films in Iranian culture, it is paradoxical that science fiction (SF) has failed to establish a significant presence. This is doubly perplexing, as SF’s capacity to imagine utopian alternatives could serve as a powerful mechanism for challenging totalitarian regimes. Dismissed by critics and the public alike as an immature genre lacking depth, Iranian SF has not garnered the critical or popular recognition seen in the celebrated humanist cinema of auteurs such as Abbas Kiarostami and Bahram Beyzaie. Why, then, has SF struggled to gain a foothold in Iranian culture? Why are so few Iranian writers and filmmakers drawn to the genre? And why is the SF output of neighboring countries like Russia and Turkey more advanced?

This article mounts a robust defense of SF as a genre uniquely equipped to tackle complex social issues such as class, gender, and race. It delves into the historical and socio-political factors behind the underdevelopment of Iranian SF, linking its stagnation to the particularities of Iran’s capitalist development, where pre-modern, modern, and post-modern elements vie for dominance. Additionally, the article showcases a small but talented group of Iranian writers, filmmakers, and animators who are integrating SF with indigenous themes and legends. Through interviews with key practitioners and reviews of seminal SF works, this study evaluates the strengths and limitations of the genre. Finally, it imagines a post-Islamic Iran where SF might serve not only as a mirror reflecting social ills but also as a tool for envisioning new ways of being and communicating.