Most of Iran experiences long, hot, dry summers. Along the gulf and Caspian coasts, oppressively high humidity accompanies the heat. Winter temperatures are low in the north, while along the Caspian lowlands and the plain of Khuzistan, more equable conditions prevail. The major groups in this category include Persians, Kurds, Lurs, and Baluchi. The remainder are primarily Turks but also include Arabs, Armenians, Jews, and Assyrians.
Clerics officially dominate nearly all aspects of Iranian life, both urban and rural.
Bazaar merchants, who financed the revolution, have regained some of the political and economic power they lost under the previous regime. The urban working class has improved somewhat its status and economic mobility, spurred in part by opportunities for advancement provided by revolutionary organizations and the government bureaucracy. At the same time, there has been significant unemployment due to destruction of industrial sites, shortage of raw materials, and the reallocation of resources attributable to the war. Most Iranians are Muslims. Ninety-three percent of the population belong to the Shi'a branch of Islam, the official state religion.