Iran used to be a part of the Persian Empire. Also, Iraq borders Iran to the west -- are you saying that the Middle East formally ends along Iraq's eastern border?

I agree that Afghanistan, due to its proximity to India, could be categorized as more South Asian than Middle Eastern. But I'd be curious to hear where you believe the exact boundaries of the Middle East lie?

I once had a Black history professor tell me that people from India are "white" (and she kept it lowercase).