Islamic Republic since 1979. Ayatollah Ali Khameni since 1989. President Sayed Muhammad Khatami since 1997. Arabic is spoken in Khuzestan in the southwest, and Turkish in the northwest around Tabriz. 220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Plugs are of the round two-pin type.
Telephone booths are yellow. There are three charge bands. There are also fax facilities at the major hotels. Airmail to Western Europe can take at least two weeks. There are ten main Post offices in Tehran.