Farsi, also known as Persian, is primarily spoken in three countries where it holds official status or is widely used:

• Iran : Farsi is the sole official language and is spoken by about 70 million native speakers. It is used for formal communication and literature

• Afghanistan : Known as Dari Persian in Afghanistan, it is one of the two official languages alongside Pashto. Dari is commonly spoken in Kabul and northern and western parts of the country, with about 16.6 million native speakers and many more second-language speakers

• Tajikistan : The language is called Tajiki Persian or Tajik here and is the official language. It is a dialect of Persian with some differences due to historical and regional influences. Tajik is also spoken by some populations in Uzbekistan

Beyond these core countries, Farsi or its dialects are spoken by minority communities and immigrant populations in several other places:

• Uzbekistan : Tajik and a Jewish dialect called Bukhari are spoken by some groups

• Russia : Iranian immigrant communities, including Tats and Mountain Jews, speak Persian dialects such as Tat Persian and Judeo-Tat

• Azerbaijan : Many Azerbaijanis understand or speak Farsi, especially Iranian Azerbaijanis

• United Arab Emirates and Bahrain : Significant Iranian expatriate communities speak Farsi, influencing local languages and culture

• Other Persian Gulf countries like Iraq, Oman, and Yemen have notable Persian-speaking populations

In summary, Farsi is predominantly spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, with significant minority and diaspora communities in Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Persian Gulf, and parts of Russia