National Iranian American Museum

Hajj Sayyah (Mirzā Mohammad ʿAli Maḥallāti, 1836–1925) was one of the earliest individuals from Iran to become an American citizen. After traveling across Europe and eventually arriving in the United States, he spent nearly a decade journeying across the country and observing American society during the 19th century. In San Francisco, he was naturalized as a U.S. citizen on May 26, 1875, according to records referenced in later diplomatic correspondence. Sayyah’s citizenship placed him among the first people from Iran to formally become American, making him an early figure in the history of Iranian Americans.

Source: Ferdowsi, Ali. “Ḥājj Sayyāḥ.” Encyclopaedia Iranica, 2002. https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/hajj-sayyah/