The formation of Iranian nationalism was enhanced by three factors;Islam, as a religion, resistance against the western imperialism, and awakening of the intellectuals. Islam functioned as an agglutinating factor which integrated the Iranian authority with the people. Iranian Shiism, in specific, was the key factor to the consolidate the society with the state which promoted the national identity in the first hand. Through their historical struggle against the incumbent power and Sunnism, Shiism perfectly fits with the nature of the Iranian people whose destiny lies on the martyrdom and resistance. If religion was the base for the formation of Iranian nationalism, the factor which enhanced it was through external context. Western imperialism, both in economic and political spheres, provided a stimulus to the burst of Iranian national identity. Historical degradation and circumscribed state structure resulted in the mobilization of the people, and the power was concentrated to the clergy group, who were represented by Ayatola Khomeini. Restoration of the society was clamored through the tradition of Islam, and was followed by the awakening of the people. Apart from the external factors, various social groups concerted their efforts in integrating the society. This process was led by the intellectuals who were in first hand anti-tradition and anti-religion and sought to create a Western modeled nation. But by the 1960s, this groups of intellectuals have been awakened by the ideas of Islam community which was advocated by Jalal Ale Ahmad and Ali Shariati. Through these two eminent spiritual leaders, Islam has been successfully politicized and their eager for the Islam community enlightened the youth as well as all the social standings who were in search for the revival of the Iranian nation and people. The power of Iranian nationalism has survived through the external invasions and the vortex of the asymmetric and rather pervasive international system in the 20th century. It also helped to consolidate the legitimation of the religious group as a political power, and still acts as a factor that firmly holds the Iranian society.