# Southwestern Iran

Southwestern Iran is a region of Western Iran.

## Regions

Southwestern Iran includes 3 of 30 provinces in Iran:
* Khuzestan Province — regarded as the birthplace of their civilisation by many Persians, and today also the heart of Iran's Arab minority.
* Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province — its people mainly speak the Luri language
* Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari Province — the source of many springs, rivers and waterfalls that supply the water of the two great and vital rivers of Zayanderud and Karoon and cause the development of many cities in the country

## Cities

* 30.33916748.3041671 Abadan — a port city and oil refining center
* 31.31888948.6841672 Ahvaz — a city with a history dating back to the Achaemenid period, on the banks of the Karoun River
(Mahshahr, Sarbandar, Bandar Imam Khomeini)
* 32.38111148.4058333 Dezful-Andimeshk — twin cities at the foot of the Zagros Mountains with a history that dates back to the Sassanian era
* 31.83138949.8694444 Izeh — famous for its dam and ancient monuments
* 30.44083348.1841675 Khorramshahr — the site of the 1980 Battle of Khorramshahr has a museum dedicated to events during the Iran-Iraq War
* 31.95798949.2901986 Masjed Solayman — believed to have been the capital of Achaemenian Reign
* 32.32555650.8644447 Shahrekord — home of the Chaleshtor Castle
* 32.04972248.8483338 Shushtar — one of the oldest cities in Iran, it has many historical and architectural wonders
* 30.66666751.5833339 Yasouj — an industrial city in the Zagros Mountains

## Other destinations

* 32.00833348.5208331 Tchogha Zanbil — Its ziggurat (Choghazanbil), is a UNESCO World Heritage site which is the best preserved ziggurat temple in the world. Built about 1250 BC by the king of the Elamites to honour their god.
* 32.248.252 Shush (sometimes known as Susa) — a settlement from the 4th millenium BC, listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was an ancient Persian capital, called Shushan in the Bible.

### National Parks and nature reserves

* 30.94551.40143 Dena National Park — a sub-range of the Zagros Mountains with more than 40 peaks higher than 4,000 metres.
* 32.06865348.2212664 Karkheh National Park — wildlife refugee, home to the engagerad Persian fallow deer.
* 30.534748.59365 Shadegan Ponds — a series of protected Ramsar wetlands, with excellent bird watching opportunities.
* 32.146651.10226 Tang-e Sayad National Park — a hilly region home to wild rams and leopards, popular with hikers and rock climbers.

## Get in

* Abadan Airport (ABD)
* Shahrekord Airport (CQD)

### By train

There is only one mainline in this part of Iran, running in a north-south direction. The line connects Khorramshahr in the south with Qom via Ahwaz and Dezful and onto Tehran. There are several trains per day, including overnight options. An international railway link with Basra, in neighboring Iraq, has been under construction for a long time. It might open for traffic around 2025.

## See

* Susa — Achamenian Palace, Susa museum and castle, Daniel temple, Haft-Teppeh (1500 BC)
* Shushtar — amazing 2000-year-old water structures like the Sika watermills, dams, bridges and tunnels, also olden town (bazaar, houses, castle)
* Ayapir — discover Bakhtiari's land on the beautiful slopes of the Zagros mountains, visiting ancient Elamite sites of Tarisha temple and Kool Farah alog with nomads and villages in Izeh, Baghmalek and Haftguel