This article, through studying the evolution of minstrelsy from Iran and ancient Mesopotamia, and its relation to Mitraism and Zoroastrianism, focuses on the role of minstrels in post-Islamic Persian literature, and proves that in ancient Iran, the word “Mehrbān” was used to address religious singers. It will be also demonstrated that Mehrbānān were related to Mitraism and appeared before Gosāns, and accompanied them to join Iranian stories, epics, traditions and culture to Islamic tradition and culture. In addition, the word “Navā’een” which has wrongly been confused with “Noā’een”, is connected to “navā” and means a person who has the capacity to sing, i.e. a singer or a minstrel.
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