Iran

Iran,officially theIslamic Republic of Iran(IRI)and also known asPersia,is a country inWest Asia. It bordersTurkeyto the northwest andIraqto the west,Azerbaijan,Armenia, theCaspian Sea, andTurkmenistanto the north,Afghanistanto the east,Pakistanto the southeast, theGulf of Omanand thePersian Gulfto the south. With amulti-ethnicpopulation of about 86 million in an area of 1,648,195 km(636,372 sq mi), Iran ranks 17th globally in bothgeographic sizeandpopulation.It is thesixth-largest countryentirely inAsiaand one of the world'smost mountainouscountries. Officially anIslamic republic, Iran hasa Muslim-majority population. The country is divided intofive regionswith31 provinces.Tehranis the nation'scapital,largest cityandfinancial centre.
Acradle of civilisation, Iran has been inhabited since theLower Palaeolithic. The large part of Iran was first unified as apolitical entityby theMedesunderCyaxaresin the seventh century BC, and reached its territorial height in the sixth century BC, whenCyrus the Greatfounded theAchaemenid Empire, one of the largest inancient history.Alexander the Greatconquered the empire in the fourth century BC. An Iranian rebellion established theParthian Empirein the third century BC and liberated the country, which was succeeded by theSasanian Empirein the third century AD.Ancient Iransaw some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanisation, religion and central government. The Sasanian era is considered a golden age in the history of Iranian civilisation.Muslims conqueredthe region in the seventh century AD, leading toIran's Islamisation. Theliterature,philosophy,mathematics,medicine,astronomyandartwhich had blossomed during the Sasanian era were renewed during theIslamic Golden AgeandPersian Renaissance, when a series ofIranian Muslim dynastiesended Arab rule, revived thePersian languageand ruled the country until theSeljukandMongolconquests of the 11th to 14th centuries.
In the 16th century, the nativeSafavidsre-established a unified Iranian state withTwelver Shi'ismas theofficial religion. During theAfsharid Empirein the 18th century, Iran was a leading world power, but this was no longer the case after theQajarstook power in the 1790s. The early 20th century saw thePersian Constitutional Revolutionand the establishment of thePahlavi dynastybyReza Shah the Great, who ousted the last Qajar shah in 1925. Attempts byMohammad Mosaddeghtonationalise the oil industryled to anAnglo-American coup in 1953. After theIranian Revolution, the monarchy was overthrown in 1979 and the Islamic Republic of Iran was established byRuhollah Khomeini, who became the country's firstSupreme Leader. In 1980,Iraq invaded Iran, sparking the eight-year-longIran–Iraq War, which ended in stalemate.
Iran isofficially governedas aunitaryIslamic republicwith apresidential system, with ultimate authority vested in a Supreme Leader. The government isauthoritarianand has attracted widespread criticism for its significant violations ofhuman rightsand civil liberties. Iran is a majorregional power, due to its large reserves offossil fuels, including the world's second largestnatural gas supply,third largest proven oil reserves, its geopolitically significant location,military capabilities,cultural hegemony, regional influence, and role as the world's focal point ofShia Islam. TheIranian economyis the world's23rd-largest by PPP. Iran is a founding member of theUnited Nations,OIC,OPEC, andECOas well as a current member of theNAM,SCO, andBRICS. Iran is home to 28UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the 10th highest in the world, and ranks 5th inIntangible Cultural Heritage, or human treasures.
The termIran'the land of the Aryans'derives fromMiddle PersianĒrān, first attested in a 3rd-century inscription atNaqsh-e Rostam, with the accompanyingParthianinscription usingAryān, in reference to theIranians.ĒrānandAryānare oblique plural forms ofgentilicnounsēr-(Middle Persian) andary-(Parthian), deriving fromProto-Iranian language*arya-(meaning 'Aryan', i.e. of the Iranians),recognised as a derivative ofProto-Indo-European language*ar-yo-, meaning'one who assembles (skilfully)'.According toIranian mythology, the name comes fromIraj, a legendary king.
Iran was referred to asPersiabythe West, due toGreekhistorians who referred to all of Iran asPersís, meaning 'the land of thePersians'.Persiais theFars provincein southwest Iran, the 4th largest province, also known asPârs.ThePersianFârs(فارس), derived from the earlier formPârs(پارس), which is in turn derived fromPârsâ(Old Persian: 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿). Due to Fars' historical importance,Persiaoriginated fromthis territorythrough Greek in around 550 BC,and Westerners referred to the entire country asPersia,until 1935, whenReza Shahrequested the international community to use its native and original name,Iran;Iranians called their nationIransince at least 1000 BC.Today, bothIranandPersiaare used culturally, whileIranremains mandatory in official use.
The Persian pronunciation ofIranis[ʔiːˈɾɒːn].Commonwealth Englishpronunciations ofIranare listed in theOxford English Dictionaryas/ɪˈrɑːn/and/ɪˈræn/,whileAmerican Englishdictionaries provide pronunciations which map to/ɪˈrɑːn,-ˈræn,aɪˈræn/,or/ɪˈræn,ɪˈrɑːn,aɪˈræn/. TheCambridge Dictionarylists/ɪˈrɑːn/as the British pronunciation and/ɪˈræn/as the American pronunciation.Voice of America's pronunciation guide provides/ɪˈrɑːn/.
Iran is home to one of the world's oldest continuous major civilisations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 4000 BC.The western part of the Iranian plateau participated in the traditionalancient Near EastwithElam(3200–539 BC), and later with other peoples such as theKassites,Mannaeans, andGutians.Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegelcalled the Persians the "first Historical People".The Iranian Empire began in theIron Agewith the rise of theMedes, who unified Iran as a nation and empire in 625 BC.TheAchaemenid Empire(550–330 BC), founded byCyrus the Great, was the largest empire the world had seen, spanning from theBalkanstoNorth AfricaandCentral Asia. They were succeeded by theSeleucid,Parthian, andSasanian Empires, who governed Iran for almost 1,000 years, making Iran a leading power once again. Persia's arch-rival during this time was theRoman Empireand its successor, theByzantine Empire.
Iran endured invasions by theMacedonians,Arabs,Turks, andMongols. Despite these invasions, Iran continually reasserted itsnational identityand developed as a distinct political and cultural entity. TheMuslim conquest of Persia(632–654) ended the Sasanian Empire and marked a turning point in Iranian history, leading to theIslamisation of Iranfrom the eighth to tenth centuries and the decline ofZoroastrianism. However, the achievements of prior Persian civilisations were absorbed into the newIslamicpolity. Iran suffered invasions by nomadic tribes during theLate Middle Agesandearly modern period, negatively impacting the region.Iran was reunified as an independent state in 1501 by theSafavid dynasty, which establishedShia Islamas the empire's official religion,marking another turning point in thehistory of Islam.Iran functioned again as a leading world power, especially in rivalry with theOttoman Empire. In the 19th century, Iran lost significant territories in theCaucasusto theRussian Empirefollowing theRusso-Persian Wars.
Iran remained a monarchy until the 1979Iranian Revolution, when it officially became anIslamic republicon 1 April 1979.Since then, Iran has experienced significant political, social, and economic changes. The establishment of theIslamic Republic of Iranled to the restructuring of its political system, withAyatollah Khomeinias the Supreme Leader. Iran's foreign relations have been shaped by theIran–Iraq War(1980–1988), ongoing tensions with the United States, and its nuclear programme, which has been a point of contention in international diplomacy.
In 1989,Akbar Rafsanjaniconcentrated on a pro-business policy of rebuilding the economy without breaking with the ideology of the revolution. He supported afree marketdomestically, favouringprivatisationof state industries and a moderate position internationally. In 1997, Rafsanjani was succeeded by moderatereformistMohammad Khatami, whose government advocatedfreedom of expression, constructive diplomatic relations with Asia and theEuropean Union, and an economic policy that supported a free market and foreign investment.
The2005 presidential electionbrought conservativepopulistand nationalist candidateMahmoud Ahmadinejadto power. He was known for his hardline views, nuclearisation, and hostility towardsIsrael,Saudi Arabia, theUK, the US and other states. He was the first president to be summoned by theparliamentto answer questions regarding his presidency.In 2013, centrist and reformistHassan Rouhaniwas elected president. In domestic policy, he encouraged personal freedom, free access to information, and improved women's rights. He improved Iran's diplomatic relations through exchanging conciliatory letters.TheJoint Comprehensive Plan of Action(JCPOA) was reached inViennain 2015, between Iran, theP5+1(UN Security Council+ Germany) and the EU. The negotiations centred around ending theeconomic sanctionsin exchange for Iran's restriction in producingenriched uranium.In 2018, however, the US underTrump Administrationwithdrew from the deal and new sanctions were imposed. This nulled the economic provisions, left the agreement in jeopardy, and brought Iran tonuclear threshold status.In 2020,IRGCgeneral,Qasem Soleimani, the 2nd-most powerful person in Iran,wasassassinated by the US, heighteningtensions between them.Iran retaliated against US airbases in Iraq, the largest ballistic missile attack ever on Americans;110 sustainedbrain injuries.
HardlinerEbrahim Raisiran for president again in2021, succeedingHassan Rouhani.During Raisi's term, Iranintensified uranium enrichment, hindered international inspections, joined SCO and BRICS,supported Russiain itsinvasion of Ukraineand restored diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia. In April 2024,Israel's airstrikeon an Iranianconsulate, killed an IRGC commander.IranretaliatedwithUAVs,cruiseandballistic missiles; 9 hit Israel.Western and Jordanian military helped Israel down some Iranian drones.It was the largest drone strike in history,biggest missile attack in Iranian history,its first ever direct attack on Israeland the first timesince 1991, Israel was directly attacked by a state force.This occurred during heightened tensions amid theIsraeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. In May 2024, President Raisi was killed in ahelicopter crash,and Iran held apresidential electionin June, when reformist and formerMinister of Health,Masoud Pezeshkian, was elected to office.On 1 October 2024, Iran launched about 180 ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for assassinations ofIsmail Haniyeh,Hassan NasrallahandAbbas Nilforoushan. On 27 October, Israel responded to that attack by strikes on a missile defence system in the Iranian region of Isfahan.
Iran has an area of 1,648,195 km(636,372 sq mi). It is thesixth-largest country entirely in Asiaand the second-largest in West Asia.It lies between latitudes24°and40° N, and longitudes44°and64° E. It is bordered to the northwest byArmenia(35 km or 22 mi), the Azeri exclave ofNakhchivan(179 km or 111 mi),and theRepublic of Azerbaijan(611 km or 380 mi); to the north by theCaspian Sea; to the northeast byTurkmenistan(992 km or 616 mi); to the east byAfghanistan(936 km or 582 mi) and Pakistan (909 km or 565 mi); to the south by thePersian Gulfand theGulf of Oman; and to the west byIraq(1,458 km or 906 mi) and Turkey (499 km or 310 mi).
Iran is in a seismically active area.On average, an earthquake of magnitude seven on theRichter scaleoccurs once every ten years.Most earthquakes are shallow-focus and can be very devastating, such as the2003 Bam earthquake.
Iran consists of theIranian Plateau. It is one of the world's most mountainous countries; its landscape is dominated by ruggedmountain rangesthat separatebasinsorplateaus. The populous west part is the most mountainous, with ranges such as theCaucasus,Zagros, andAlborz, the last containingMount Damavand, Iran's highest point, at 5,610 m (18,406 ft), which is the highest volcano in Asia. Iran's mountains have impacted its politics and economics for centuries.
The north part is covered by the lush lowlandCaspian Hyrcanian forests, near the southern shores of the Caspian Sea. The east part consists mostly ofdesertbasins, such as theKavir Desert, which is the country's largest desert, and theLut Desert, as well assalt lakes. The Lut Desert is the hottest recorded spot on the Earth's surface, with 70.7 °C recorded in 2005.The only largeplainsare found along the coast of the Caspian and at the north end of the Persian Gulf, where the country borders the mouth of theArvand river. Smaller, discontinuous plains are found along the remaining coast of the Persian Gulf, theStrait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman.
Iranian islands are mainly located in the Persian Gulf. Iran has 102 islands inUrmia Lake, 427 inAras River, several inAnzali Lagoon,Ashurade Islandin theCaspian Sea, Sheytan Island in theOman Seaand other inland islands. Iran has an uninhabited island at the far end of theGulf of Oman, near Pakistan. A few islands can be visited by tourists. Most are owned by the military or used for wildlife protection, and entry is prohibited or requires a permit.
Iran took controlofBumusa, and theGreater and Lesser Tunbsin 1971, in theStrait of Hormuzbetween the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Despite the islands being small and having little natural resources or population, they are highly valuable for their strategic location.Although theUnited Arab Emiratesclaims sovereignty,it has consistently been met with a strong response from Iran,based on their historical and cultural background.Iran has full-control over the islands.
Kish island, as afree trade zone, is touted as a consumer's paradise, with malls, shopping centres, tourist attractions, and luxury hotels.Qeshmis the largest island in Iran, and aUNESCO Global Geoparksince 2016.Its salt cave, Namakdan, is the largest in the world, and one of the world's longest caves.
Iran's climate is diverse, ranging fromaridandsemi-arid, tosubtropicalalong the Caspian coast and northern forests.On the north edge of the country, temperatures rarely fall below freezing and the area remains humid. Summer temperatures rarely exceed 29 °C (84.2 °F).Annual precipitation is 680 mm (26.8 in) in the east part of the plain and more than 1,700 mm (66.9 in) in the west part. The UN Resident Coordinator for Iran, has said that "Water scarcityposes the most severe human security challenge in Iran today".
To the west, settlements in the Zagros basin experience lower temperatures, severe winters with freezing average daily temperatures and heavy snowfall. The east and central basins are arid, with less than 200 mm (7.9 in) of rain and have occasional deserts.Average summer temperatures rarely exceed 38 °C (100.4 °F). The southern coastal plains of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman have mild winters, and very humid and hot summers. The annual precipitation ranges from 135 to 355 mm (5.3 to 14.0 in).
More than one-tenth of the country isforested.About 120 million hectares of forests and fields are government-owned for national exploitation.Iran's forests can be divided into five vegetation regions:Hyrcanian regionwhich forms the green belt of the north side of the country; theTuranregion, which are mainly scattered in the centre of Iran;Zagros region, which mainly contains oak forests in the west; thePersian Gulf region, which is scattered in the southern coastal belt; theArasbarani region, which contains rare and unique species. More than 8,200plantspecies are grown. The land covered by natural flora is four times that of Europe's.There are over 200 protected areas to preserve biodiversity and wildlife, with over 30 beingnational parks.
Iran's living fauna includes 34batspecies,Indian grey mongoose,small Indian mongoose,golden jackal,Indian wolf,foxes,striped hyena,leopard,Eurasian lynx,brown bearandAsian black bear.Ungulatespecies includewild boar,urial,Armenian mouflon,red deer, andgoitered gazelle.One of the most famous animals is the critically endangeredAsiatic cheetah, which survives only in Iran. Iran lost all itsAsiatic lionsand the extinctCaspian tigersby the early 20th century.Domestic ungulates are represented bysheep,goat,cattle,horse,water buffalo,donkeyandcamel. Bird species likepheasant,partridge,stork,eaglesandfalconsare native.
TheSupreme Leader, "Rahbar", Leader of the Revolution or Supreme Leadership Authority, is thehead of stateand responsible for supervision of policy. The president has limited power compared to the Rahbar. Key ministers are selected with the Rahbar's agreement and they have the ultimate say on foreign policy.The Rahbar is directly involved in ministerial appointments for Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs, as well as other top ministries after submission of candidates from the president.
Regional policy is directly controlled by the Rahbar, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' task limited to protocol and ceremonial occasions. Ambassadors to Arab countries, for example, are chosen by theQuds Force, which directly reports to the Rahbar.The Rahbar can order laws to be amended.Setadwas estimated at $95 billion in 2013 by Reuters, accounts of which are secret even to theparliament.
The Rahbar is thecommander-in-chiefof theArmed Forces, controls military intelligence and security operations, and has sole power to declare war or peace. The heads of the judiciary, state radio and television networks, commanders of the police and military, and the members of theGuardian Councilare all appointed by the Rahbar.
TheAssembly of Expertsis responsible for electing the Rahbar, and has the power to dismiss him on the basis of qualifications and popular esteem.To date, the Assembly of Experts has not challenged any of the Rahbar's decisions nor attempted to dismiss him. The previous head of the judicial system,Sadeq Larijani, appointed by the Rahbar, said that it is illegal for the Assembly of Experts to supervise the Rahbar.Many believe the Assembly of Experts has become a ceremonial body without any real power.In February 2025,the New York Timesreported that according toKarim Sadjadpour, an expert on Iran at theCarnegie Endowment for International Peace, there exist in the Islamic Republic of Iran two parallel regimes.One which is ruled by the military and intelligence forces, who report to the Rahbar, and "who oversee the nuclear program and regional proxies and are tasked with repression, hostage taking and assassinations”.The other ruled by diplomats and politicians "who are authorized to speak to Western media and officials" and have minimal knowledge of Iran's nuclear program.
The political system is based on thecountry's constitution.Iran ranked 154th in the 2022The Economist Democracy Index.Juan José Linzwrote in 2000 that "the Iranian regime combines the ideological bent oftotalitarianismwith the limited pluralism ofauthoritarianism".
ThePresidentishead of governmentand the second highest-ranking authority, after the Supreme Leader. The President is elected byuniversal suffragefor 4 years. Beforeelections, nominees to become a presidential candidate must be approved by theGuardian Council.The Council's members are chosen by the Leader, with the Leader having the power to dismiss the president.The President can only be re-elected for one term.The president is the deputycommander-in-chiefof theArmy, the head ofSupreme National Security Council, and has the power to declare astate of emergencyafter passage by the parliament.
The President is responsible for the implementation of the constitution, and for the exercise of executive powers in implementing the decrees and general policies as outlined by the Rahbar, except for matters directly related to the Rahbar, who has the final say.The President functions as the executive of affairs such as signing treaties and other international agreements, and administering national planning, budget, and state employment affairs, all as approved by the Rahbar.
The President appoints ministers, subject to the approval of the Parliament, and the Rahbar, who can dismiss or reinstate any minister.The President supervises theCouncil of Ministers, coordinates government decisions, and selects government policies to be placed before the legislature.Eight Vice Presidents serve under the President, as well as a cabinet of 22 ministers, all appointed by the president.
Presidential and parliamentary candidates must be approved by the 12-memberGuardian Council(all members of which are appointed by the Leader) or the Leader, before running to ensure their allegiance.The Leader rarely does the vetting, but has the power to do so, in which case additional approval of the Guardian Council is not needed. The Leader can revert the decisions of the Guardian Council.
The constitution gives the council three mandates: veto power over legislation passed by theparliament,supervision of electionsand approving or disqualifying candidates seeking to run in local, parliamentary, presidential, or Assembly of Experts elections.The council can nullify a law based on two accounts: being againstSharia(Islamic law), or being against the constitution.
The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) is at the top of the foreign policy decisions process.The council was formed during the1989 Iranian constitutional referendumfor the protection and support of national interests, the revolution, territorial integrity and national sovereignty.It is mandated by Article 176 of theConstitutionto be presided over by thePresident.
The Leader selects the secretary of the Supreme Council, and the decisions of the council are effective after the confirmation by the Leader. The SNSC formulates nuclear policy, and would become effective if they are confirmed by the Leader.
Thelegislature, known as theIslamic Consultative Assembly(ICA), Iranian Parliament or "Majles", is aunicameralbody comprising 290 members elected for four-years.It drafts legislation, ratifies internationaltreaties, and approves the national budget. All parliamentary candidates and legislation from the assembly must be approved by theGuardian Council.The Guardian Council can and has dismissed elected members of the parliament.The parliament has no legal status without the Guardian Council, and the Council holds absolute veto power over legislation.
TheExpediency Discernment Councilhas the authority to mediate disputes between Parliament and the Guardian Council, and serves as an advisory body to the Supreme Leader, making it one of the most powerful governing bodies in Iran.
The Parliament has 207 constituencies, including the 5reserved seatsfor religious minorities. The remaining 202 are territorial, each covering one or more of Iran'scounties.
Iran uses theSharialaw as its legal system, with elements ofCivil law. The Supreme Leader appoints the head of the Supreme Court and chief public prosecutor. There are several types of courts, including public courts that deal with civil and criminal cases, andrevolutionary courtswhich deal with certain offences, such as crimes againstnational security. The decisions of the revolutionary courts are final and cannot be appealed.
The Chief Justice is the head of the judicial system and responsible for its administration and supervision. He is the highest judge of theSupreme Court of Iran. The Chief Justice nominates candidates to serve as minister of justice, and the President selects one. The Chief Justice can serve for two five-year terms.
TheSpecial Clerical Courthandles crimes allegedly committed byclerics, although it has taken on cases involvinglaypeople. The Special Clerical Court functions independently of the regular judicial framework and is accountable only to the Rahbar. The Court's rulings are final and cannot be appealed.The Assembly of Experts, which meets for one week annually, comprises 86 "virtuous and learned" clerics elected by adult suffrage for 8-year terms.
Iran is subdivided into thirty-oneprovinces(Persian:استانostân), each governed from a local centre, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital (Persian:مرکز,markaz) of that province. The provincial authority is headed by agovernor-general(استاندارostândâr), who is appointed by theMinister of the Interiorsubject to approval ofthe cabinet.
Iran maintains diplomatic relations with165 countries, but not the United States andIsrael—a state which Iran derecognised in 1979.
Iran has anadversarial relationship with Saudi Arabiadue to different political and ideologies.Iran and Turkeyhave been involved in modern proxy conflicts such as inSyria,Libya, and theSouth Caucasus.However, they have shared common interests, such as the issue ofKurdish separatismand theQatar diplomatic crisis.Iran has a close and strong relationship withTajikistan.Iran has deep economic relations and alliance withIraq,Lebanonand Syria, with Syria often described as Iran's "closest ally".
Russiais a key trading partner, especially in regard to its excess oil reserves.Both share a close economic and military alliance, and are subject to heavy sanctions by Western nations.Iran is the only country in Western Asia that has been invited to join theCSTO, the Russia-based international treaty organisation that parallelsNATO.
Relations between Iran andChinaare strong economically; they have developed a friendly, economic and strategic relationship. In 2021, Iran and China signed a25-year cooperation agreementthat will strengthen the relations between the two countries and would include "political, strategic and economic" components.Iran-China relationsdates back to at least 200 BC and possibly earlier.Iran is one of the few countries in the world that has a good relationship with bothNorthandSouth Korea.
Iran is a member of dozens of international organisations, including theG-15,G-24,G-77,IAEA,IBRD,IDA,NAM,IDB,IFC,ILO,IMF,IMO,Interpol,OIC,OPEC,WHO, and theUN, and currently has observer status at theWTO.
The military is organised under a unified structure, theIslamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, comprising theIslamic Republic of Iran Army, which includes theGround Forces,Air Defence Force,Air Force, andNavy; theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which consists of theGround Forces,Aerospace Force,Navy,Quds Force, andBasij; and theLaw Enforcement Command(Faraja), which serves an analogous function to agendarme. While the IRIAF protects the country's sovereignty in a traditional capacity, the IRGC is mandated to ensure the integrity of the Republic, against foreign interference, coups, and internal riots.Since 1925, it is mandatory for all male citizen aged 18 to serve around 14 months in the IRIAF or IRGC.
Iran has over 610,000 active troops and around 350,000 reservists, totalling over 1 million military personnel, one of the world's highestpercentage of citizens with military training.The Basij,aparamilitaryvolunteer militia within the IRGC, has over 20 million members, 600,000 available for immediate call-up, 300,000 reservists, and a million that could be mobilised when necessary.Faraja, the Iranian uniformedpolice force, has over 260,000 active personnel. Most statistical organisations do not include the Basij and Faraja in their ratings report.
Excluding the Basij and Faraja, Iran has been identified as a major military power, owing it to the size and capabilities of its armed forces. It possesses the world's 14th strongest military.It ranks 13th globally in terms of overall military strength, 7th in the number of active military personnel,and 9th in the size of both its ground force and armoured force. Iran's armed forces are the largest inWest Asiaand comprise the greatestArmy Aviationfleet in theMiddle East.Iran is among the top 15 countries in terms of military budget.In 2021, its military spending increased for the first time in four years, to $24.6 billion, 2.3% of the national GDP.Funding for the IRGC accounted for 34% of Iran's total military spending in 2021.
Since the Revolution, to overcome foreign embargoes, Iran has developed a domestic military industry capable of producing indigenoustanks,armoured personnel carriers,missiles,submarines,missile destroyer,radarsystems,helicopters,naval vessels, andfighter planes.Official announcements have highlighted the development of advanced weaponry, particularly in rocketry.Consequently, Iran has the largest and most diverseballistic missilearsenal in the Middle East and is only the 5th country in the world withhypersonic missile technology.It is the world's 6th missile power.Iran designs and produces a variety ofunmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs) and is considered a global leader and superpower indrone warfare and technology.It is one of the world's five countries withcyberwarfarecapabilities and is identified as "one of the most active players in the international cyber arena".Iran is an key exporter of arms since 2000s.
Following Russia's purchase of Iranian drones during theinvasion of Ukraine,in November 2023, theIslamic Republic of Iran Air Force(IRIAF) finalized arrangements to acquire RussianSukhoi Su-35fighter jets,Mil Mi-28attack helicopters, air defence and missile systems.TheIranian Navyhas had joint exercises withRussiaandChina.
Iran's nuclear programme dates back to the 1950s.Iran revived it after the Revolution, and its extensive nuclear fuel cycle, including enrichment capabilities, became thesubject of intense international negotiationsand sanctions.Many countries have expressed concern Iran could divert civilian nuclear technology into aweapons programme.In 2015, Iran and theP5+1agreed to theJoint Comprehensive Plan on Action(JCPOA), aiming to endeconomic sanctionsin exchange for restriction in producingenriched uranium.
In 2018, however, theUS withdrewfrom the deal under theTrump administration, and reimposed sanctions. This was met with resistance by Iran and other members of the P5+1.A year later, Iran began decreasing its compliance.By 2020, Iran announced it would no longer observe any limit set by the agreement.Progress since then has brought Iran to thenuclear threshold status.As of November 2023, Iran had uranium enriched to up to 60% fissile content, close to weapon grade.Some analysts already regard Iran as a de facto nuclear power.
Iran's significant influence and foothold, sometimes characterised as the "Dawn of A New Persian Empire."Some analysts associate the Iranian influence to the nation's proudnational legacy,empireandhistory.
Since theRevolution, Iran has grown its influence across and beyond the region.It has built military forces with a wide network of state and none-state actors, starting withHezbollahinLebanonin 1982.TheIRGChas been key to Iranian influence, through itsQuds Force.The instability in Lebanon (from the 1980s),Iraq(from 2003)andYemen(from 2014)has allowed Iran to build strong alliances and footholds beyond its borders. Iran has a prominent influence in the social services, education, economy and politics of Lebanon,and Lebanon provides Iran access to theMediterranean Sea.Hezbollah's strategic successes against Israel, such as its symbolic victory during the2006 Israel–Hezbollah War, elevated Iran's influence in theLevantand strengthened its appeal across theMuslim World.
Since theUS invasion of Iraq in 2003and the arrival ofISISin the mid-2010s, Iran has financed and trained militia groups in Iraq.Since theIran-Iraq warin 1980s and the fall ofSaddam Hussein, Iran has shaped Iraq's politics.Following Iraq's struggle against ISIS in 2014, companies linked to the IRGC such asKhatam al-Anbiya, started to build roads, power plants, hotels and businesses in Iraq, creating an economic corridor worth around $9 billion beforeCOVID-19.This is expected to grow to $20 billion.
DuringYemen's civil war, Iran provided military support to theHouthis,aZaydi Shiitemovement fighting Yemen'sSunnigovernment since 2004.They gainedsignificant powerin recent years.Iran has considerable influence inAfghanistanandPakistanthrough militant groups such asLiwa FatemiyounandLiwa Zainebiyoun.
InSyria, Iran has supported PresidentBashar al-Assad;the two countries are long-standing allies.Iran has provided significant military and economic support to Assad's government,so has a considerable foothold in Syria.Iran has long supported the anti-Israel fronts inNorth Africain countries likeAlgeriaandTunisia, embracingHamasin part to help undermine the popularity of thePalestinian Liberation Organization(PLO).Iran's support of Hamas emerged more clearly in later years.According to US intelligence, Iran does not have full control over these state and non-state groups.
The Iranian government has been denounced by various international organisations and governments for violating human rights.The government has frequently persecuted and arrested critics of the government. Iranian law does not recognisesexual orientations.Sexual activity between members of the same sexis illegal and ispunishable by death.Capital punishmentis a legal punishment, and according to the BBC, Iran "carries out more executions than any other country, except China".UN Special RapporteurJavaid Rehmanhas reported discrimination against several ethnic minorities in Iran.A group ofUNexperts in 2022 urged Iran to stop "systematic persecution" of religious minorities, adding that members of theBaháʼí Faithwere arrested, barred from universities, or had their homes demolished.
Censorship in Iran is ranked among the most extreme worldwide.Iran has strictinternet censorship, with the government persistently blockingsocial mediaand other sites.Since January 2021, Iranian authorities have blocked a list of social media platforms;Instagram,WhatsApp,Facebook,Telegram,TwitterandYouTube.
The 2006 election results were widely disputed, resulting inprotests.The2017–18 Iranian protestsswept across the country in response to the economic and political situation.It was formally confirmed that thousands of protesters were arrested.The2019–20 Iranian protestsstarted on 15 November inAhvaz, and spread across the country after the government announced increases in fuel prices of up to 300%.Aweek-long total Internet shutdownmarked one of the most severe Internet blackouts in any country, and the bloodiest governmental crackdown of the protestors.Tens of thousands were arrested and hundreds were killed within a few days according to multiple international observers, includingAmnesty International.
Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, was a scheduled international civilian passenger flight fromTehrantoKyiv, operated byUkraine International Airlines. On 8 January 2020, the Boeing 737–800 flying the route was shot down by theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps(IRGC) shortly after takeoff, killing all 176 occupants on board and leading toprotests. An international investigation led to the government admitting to the shootdown, calling it a "human error".AnotherProtests against the governmentbegan on 16 September 2022 after a woman namedMahsa Amini died in police custodyfollowing her arrest by theGuidance Patrol, known commonly as the "morality police".
As of 2024, Iran has the world's19th largest economy (by PPP). It is amixtureofcentral planning,state ownershipof oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures.Services contribute the largest percentage of GDP, followed by industry (miningand manufacturing) andagriculture.The economy is characterised by its hydrocarbon sector, in addition to manufacturing and financial services.With 10% of the world'soil reservesand 15% ofgas reserves, Iran is anenergy superpower. Over40 industriesare directly involved in theTehran Stock Exchange.
Tehran is the economic powerhouse of Iran.About 30% of Iran's public-sector workforce and 45% of its large industrial firms are located there, and half those firms' employees work for government.TheCentral Bank of Iranis responsible for developing and maintaining thecurrency: theIranian rial. The government does not recognisetrade unionsother than theIslamic labour councils, which are subject to the approval of employers and the security services.Unemployment was 9% in 2022.
Budget deficitshave been a chronic problem, mostly due tolarge state subsidies, that include foodstuffs and especially petrol, totalling $100 billion in 2022 for energy alone.In 2010, the economic reform plan was to cut subsidies gradually and replace them with targeted social assistance. The objective is to move towardsfree marketprices and increase productivity andsocial justice.The administration continues reform, and indicates it will diversify the oil-reliant economy. Iran has developed abiotechnology,nanotechnology, andpharmaceuticalindustry.The government isprivatising industries.
Iran has leading manufacturing industries in automobile manufacture, transportation, construction materials, home appliances, food and agricultural goods, armaments, pharmaceuticals, information technology, and petrochemicals in the Middle East.Iran is among the world's top five producers ofapricots,cherries,cucumbersandgherkins,dates,figs,pistachios,quinces,walnuts,Kiwifruitandwatermelons.International sanctions against Iranhave damaged the economy.Iran is one of three countries that have not ratified theParis Agreementto limitclimate change, although academics say it would be good for the country.
Tourism had been rapidly growing before theCOVID-19 pandemic, reaching nearly 9 million foreign visitors in 2019, the world's third fastest-growing tourism destination.In 2022 it expanded its share to 5% of the economy.Iran's tourism experienced a growth of 43% in 2023, attracting 6 million foreign tourists.The government ended visa requirements for 60 countries in 2023.
98% of visits are for leisure, while 2% are for business, indicating the country's appeal as a tourist destination.Alongside the capital, the most popular tourist destinations areIsfahan,ShirazandMashhad.Iran is emerging as a preferred destination formedical tourism.Travellers from other West Asian countries grew 31% in the first seven months of 2023, surpassingBahrain,Kuwait,Iraq, andSaudi Arabia.Domestic tourismis one of the world's largests; Iranian tourists spent $33bn in 2021.Iran projects investment of $32 billion in the tourism sector by 2026.
Roughly one-third of Iran's total surface area is suited for farmland. Only 12% of the total land area is under cultivation, but less than one-third of the cultivated area isirrigated; the rest is devoted todryland farming. Some 92% of agricultural products depend on water.The western and northwestern portions of the country have the most fertile soils. Iran'sfood securityindex stands at around 96 percent.3% of the total land area is used forgrazingand fodder production. Most of the grazing is done on mostly semi-dry rangeland in mountain areas and on areas surrounding the large deserts of Central Iran. Progressive government efforts and incentives during the 1990s, improved agricultural productivity, helping Iran toward its goal of reestablishing national self-sufficiency in food production.
Access to the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and many river basins provides Iran the potential to develop excellent fisheries. The government assumed control of commercial fishing in 1952. Expansion of the fishery infrastructure enabled the country to harvest an estimated 700,000 tons of fish annually from the southern waters. Since the Revolution, increased attention has been focused on producing fish from inland waters. Between 1976 and 2004, the combined take from inland waters by the state and private sectors increased from 1,100 tons to 110,175 tons.Iran is the world's largest producer and exporter ofcaviar, exporting more than 300 tonnes annually.
Iran is globally ranked 16th in car manufacturing, ahead of theUK,Italy, and Russia.It has outputted 1.188 million cars in 2023, a 12% growth compared to the previous years. Iran has exported various cars to countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Belarus. From 2008 to 2009, Iran leaped to 28th place from 69th in annual industrial production growth rate.Iraniancontractorshave been awarded several foreign tender contracts in different fields of construction ofdams,bridges, roads,buildings,railroads,power generation, andgas, oilandpetrochemicalindustries. As of 2011, some 66 Iranian industrial companies are carrying out projects in 27 countries.Iran exported over $20 billion worth of technical and engineering services over 2001–2011. The availability of local raw materials,rich mineral reserves, experienced manpower have all played crucial role in winning the bids.
45% of large industrial firms are located inTehran, and almost half of their workers work for government.The Iranian retail industry is largely in the hands ofcooperatives, many of them government-sponsored, and of independent retailers in thebazaars. The bulk of food sales occur at street markets, where the Chief Statistics Bureau sets the prices.Iran's main exports are toIraq,Afghanistan,Turkmenistan,Tajikistan,Russia,Ukraine,Belarus,Pakistan,Saudi Arabia,Kuwait,United Arab Emirates,Qatar,Oman,Syria,Germany,Spain, theNetherlands,France,Canada,Venezuela,Japan,South KoreaandTurkey.Iran's automotive industry is the second most active industry of the country, after its oil and gas industry.Iran Khodrois the largest car manufacturer in the Middle East, andITMCOis the biggest tractor manufacturer. Iran is the12th largest automaker in the world. Construction is one of the most important sectors in Iran accounting for 20–50% of the total private investment.
Iran is one of the most important mineral producers in the world, ranked among 15 major mineral-rich countries.Iran has become self-sufficient in designing, building and operating dams and power plants. Iran is one of the six countries in the world that manufacture gas- and steam-powered turbines.
In 2011 Iran had 173,000 kilometres (107,000 mi) of roads, of which 73% were paved.In 2008 there were nearly 100 passenger cars for every 1,000 inhabitants.Tehran Metrois the largest in the Middle East,it carries more than 3 million passengers daily and in 2018, 820 million trips.Trains operate on 11,106 km (6,901 mi) of track.The country's major port of entry isBandar Abbason theStrait of Hormuz. Imported goods are distributed through the country by trucks and freight trains. TheTehran–Bandar Abbas railroad connects Bandar-Abbas to the railroad system of Central Asia, via Tehran andMashhad. Other major ports includeBandar e-AnzaliandBandar e-Torkemanon theCaspian SeaandKhorramshahrandBandar-e Emam Khomeynion thePersian Gulf.
Dozens of cities have airportsthat serve passenger and cargo planes.Iran Air, the national airline, operates domestic and international flights. All large cities have mass transit systems using buses, and private companies provide bus services between cities. Over a million people work in transport, accounting for 9% of GDP.
Iran is anenergy superpowerand petroleum plays a key part.As of 2023, Iran produced 4% of the world'scrude oil(3.6 million barrels (570,000 m) per day),which generates US$36bnof export revenue and is the main source offoreign currency.Oil and gas reserves are estimated at 1.2 trn barrels;Iran holds 10% of worldoil reservesand 15% for gas. It ranks 3rd inoil reservesand isOPEC's 2nd largest exporter. It has the 2nd largestgas reserves,and3rd largest natural gas production. In 2019, Iran discovered a southern oil field of 50 bn barrelsand in April 2024, theNIOCdiscovered 10 giant shale oil deposits, totalling 2.6 bn barrels.Iran plans to invest $500 billion in oil by 2025.
Iran manufactures 60–70% ofits industrial equipmentdomestically, including turbines, pumps, catalysts,refineries,oil tankers,drilling rigs,offshore platforms, towers, pipes, and exploration instruments.The addition of newhydroelectricstations and streamlining of conventional coal and oil-fired stations increased installed capacity to 33 GW; about 75% was based on natural gas, 18% on oil, and 7% on hydroelectric power. In 2004, Iran opened its first wind-powered and geothermal plants, and the firstsolarthermal plant began in 2009. Iran is the world's third country to developGTLtechnology.
Demographictrends and intensified industrialisation have causedelectric powerdemand to grow by 8% per year. The government's goal of 53 GW of installed capacity by 2010 is to be reached by bringing on linenew gas-fired plants, and adding hydropower and nuclear generation capacity.Iran's first nuclear power plantwent online in 2011.
Iran has made considerable advances in science and technology, despiteinternational sanctions. In the biomedical sciences, Iran'sInstitute of Biochemistry and Biophysicshas aUNESCOchair in biology.In 2006,Iranian scientistssuccessfullycloneda sheep at the Royan Research Centre in Tehran.Stem cellresearch is among the top 10 in the world.Iran ranks 15th in the world innanotechnologies.Iranian scientists outside Iran have made major scientific contributions. In 1960,Ali Javanco-invented the firstgas laser, andfuzzy settheory was introduced byLotfi A. Zadeh.
CardiologistTofy Mussivandinvented and developed the first artificial cardiac pump, the precursor of theartificial heart. Furthering research in diabetes, theHbA1cwas discovered bySamuel Rahbar. Many papers instring theoryare published in Iran.In 2014, Iranian mathematicianMaryam Mirzakhanibecame the first woman, and Iranian, to receive theFields Medal, the highest prize in mathematics.
Iran increased its publication output nearly tenfold from 1996 through 2004, and ranked first in output growth rate, followed by China.According to a study bySCImagoin 2012, Iran would rank fourth in research output by 2018, if the trend persisted.The Iranian humanoid robotSorena 2, which was designed by engineers at theUniversity of Tehran, was unveiled in 2010. TheInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers(IEEE) has placed the name of Surena among the five most prominent robots, after analysing its performance.
Iran was ranked 64th in theGlobal Innovation Indexin 2024.
The Iranian Space Agency (ISA) was established in 2004. Iran became an orbital-launch-capable nation in 2009,and is a founding member of theUnited Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Iran placed its domestically builtsatelliteOmidinto orbit on the 30th anniversary of the Revolution, in 2009,through its first expendable launch vehicleSafir. It became the9th countrycapable of both producing a satellite and sending it intospacefrom a domestically madelauncher.Simorgh's launch in 2016, is the successor of Safir.
In January 2024, Iran launched theSoraya satelliteinto its highest orbit yet (750 km),a new space launch milestone for the country.It was launched byQaem 100 rocket.Iran also successfully launched 3 indigenous satellites, The Mahda, Kayan and Hatef,into orbit using the Simorgh carrier rocket.It was the first time in country's history that it simultaneously sent three satellites into space.The three satellites are designed for testing advanced satellite subsystems, space-based positioning technology, and narrowband communication.
In February 2024, Iran launched its domestically developed imaging satellite, Pars 1, from Russia into orbit.This was the second time since August 2022, when Russia launched another Iranian remote-sensing,Khayyam satellite, into orbit fromKazakhstan, reflecting deep scientific cooperation between the countries.
Iran's telecommunications industry is almost entirely state-owned, dominated by theTelecommunication Company of Iran(TCI). As of 2020, 70 million Iranians use high-speed mobile internet. Iran is among the first five countries which have had a growth rate of over 20 percent and the highest level of development in telecommunication.Iran has been awarded the UNESCO special certificate for providing telecommunication services to rural areas.
Globally, Iran ranks 75th in mobileinternetspeed and 153rd in fixed internet speed.
Iran's population grew rapidly from about 19 million in 1956 to about 85 million by February 2023.However, Iran'sfertility ratehas dropped dramatically, from 6.5 children born per woman to about 1.7 two decades later,leading to a population growth rate of about 1.39% as of 2018.Due to its young population, studies project that the growth will continue to slow until it stabilises around 105 million by 2050.
Iran hosts one of the largestrefugeepopulations, with almost one million,mostly fromAfghanistanandIraq.According to theIranian Constitution, the government is required to provide every citizen with access tosocial security, covering retirement, unemployment, old age,disability, accidents, calamities, health and medical treatment and care services.This is covered bytax revenuesand income derived from public contributions.
The country has one of the highest urban growth rates in the world. From 1950 to 2002, the urban proportion of the population increased from 27% to 60%.Iran's population is concentrated in its western half, especially in the north, north-west and west.
Tehran, with a population of around 9.4 million, is Iran's capital and largest city. The country's second most populous city,Mashhad, has a population of around 3.4 million, and is capital of the province ofRazavi Khorasan.Isfahanhas a population of around 2.2 million and is Iran's third most populous city. It is the capital ofIsfahan provinceand was also the third capital of theSafavid Empire.
Ethnic group composition remains a point of debate, mainly regarding the largest and second largest ethnic groups, the Persians and Azerbaijanis, due to the lack of Iranian state censuses based on ethnicity.The World Factbookhas estimated that around 79% of the population of Iran is a diverseIndo-Europeanethno-linguistic group,withPersians(includingMazenderanisandGilaks) constituting 61% of the population,Kurds10%,Lurs6%, andBalochs2%. Peoples of other ethnolinguistic groups make up the remaining 21%, withAzerbaijanisconstituting 16%,Arabs2%,Turkmensand otherTurkic tribes2%, and others (such asArmenians,Talysh,Georgians,Circassians,Assyrians) 1%.
TheLibrary of Congressissued slightly different estimates: 65% Persians (including Mazenderanis, Gilaks, and the Talysh), 16% Azerbaijanis, 7% Kurds, 6% Lurs, 2% Baloch, 1% Turkic tribal groups (includingQashqaiandTurkmens), and non-Iranian, non-Turkic groups (including Armenians, Georgians, Assyrians, Circassians, and Arabs) less than 3%.
Most of the population speaksPersian, the country'sofficialandnational language.Others include speakers of otherIranian languages, within the greaterIndo-Europeanfamily, and languages belonging to other ethnicities. TheGilakiandMazenderanilanguages are widely spoken inGilanandMazenderan, northern Iran. TheTalysh languageis spoken in parts of Gilan. Varieties ofKurdishare concentrated in the province ofKurdistanand nearby areas. InKhuzestan,several dialects of Persianare spoken. South Iran also houses theLuriandLarilanguages.
Azerbaijani, the most-spoken minority language in the country,and otherTurkic languagesand dialects are found in various regions, especiallyAzerbaijan. Notable minority languages includeArmenian,Georgian,Neo-Aramaic, andArabic.Khuzi Arabicis spoken by theArabs in Khuzestan, and the wider group ofIranian Arabs.Circassianwas also once widely spoken by the large Circassian minority, but, due to assimilation, no sizable number of Circassians speak the language anymore.
Percentages of spoken language continue to be a point of debate, most notably regarding the largest and second largest ethnicities in Iran, the Persians andAzerbaijanis. Percentages given by theCIA'sWorld Factbookinclude 53% Persian, 16%Azerbaijani, 10%Kurdish, 7%MazenderaniandGilaki, 7%Luri, 2%Turkmen, 2%Balochi, 2%Arabic, and 2% the remainderArmenian,Georgian,Neo-Aramaic, andCircassian.
TwelverShia Islamis thestate religion, to which 90–95% of Iranians adhere;about 5–10% are in theSunniandSufibranches of Islam.96% of Iranians believe inIslam, but 14% identify as not religious.
There is a large population of adherents toYarsanism, aKurdishindigenous religion, estimated to be over half a million to one million followers.TheBaháʼí Faithis not officially recognised and has been subject to official persecution.Since the Revolution, thepersecution of Baháʼíshas increased.Irreligionis not recognised by the government.
Christianity,Judaism,Zoroastrianism, and the Sunni branch of Islam are officially recognised by the government and have reserved seats in the Parliament.Iran is home to the largest Jewish community in theMuslim Worldand theMiddle East, outside of Israel.Around 250,000 to 370,000Christians reside in Iran, and Christianity is the country's largest recognised minority religion, most are of Armenian background, as well as a sizable minority of Assyrians.The Iranian government has supported the rebuilding and renovation of Armenian churches, and has supported theArmenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran. In 2019, the government registered theVank Cathedral, inIsfahan, as aWorld Heritage Site. Currently three Armenian churches in Iran have been included in the World Heritage List.
Education is highly centralised.K–12is supervised by theMinistry of Education, and higher education is supervised by theMinistry of Science and Technology. Literacy among people aged 15 and older was 86% as of 2016, with men (90%) significantly more educated than women (81%). Government expenditure on education is around 4% of GDP.
The requirement to enter into higher education is to have ahigh school diplomaand pass theIranian University Entrance Exam. Many students do a one–two-year course ofpre-university.Iran's higher education is sanctioned by different levels of diplomas, including anassociate degreein two years, abachelor's degreein four years, and amaster's degreein two years, after which another exam allows the candidate to pursue adoctoralprogramme.
Healthcare is provided by the public-governmental system, the private sector, andNGOs.
Iran is the only country in the world with alegal organ trade.Iran has been able to extend public healthpreventive servicesthrough the establishment of an extensivePrimary Health Care Network. As a result, child and maternal mortality rates have fallen significantly, and life expectancy at birth has risen. Iran's medical knowledge rank is 17th globally, and 1st in the Middle East and North Africa. In terms of medical science production index, Iran ranks 16th in the world.Iran is fast emerging as a preferred destination formedical tourism.
The country faces the common problem of otheryoung demographic nationsin the region, which is keeping pace with growth of an already huge demand for various public services. An anticipated increase in the population growth rate will increase the need forpublic healthinfrastructures and services.About 90% of Iranians havehealth insurance.
Iran has one of the richestartheritages in history and been strong in many media includingarchitecture,painting,literature,music,metalworking,stonemasonry,weaving,calligraphyandsculpture. At different times, influences from neighbouring civilisations have been important, and latterly Persian art gave and received major influences as part of the wider styles ofIslamic art.
From theAchaemenid Empireof 550–330 BC, the courts of successive dynasties led the style of Persian art, and court-sponsored art left many of the most impressive pieces that remain. The Islamic style of dense decoration, geometrically laid out, developed in Iran into an elegant and harmonious style, combining motifs derived from plants with Chinese motifs such as the cloud-band, and often animals represented at a smaller scale. During theSafavid Empirein the 16th century, this style was used across a variety of media, and diffused from the court artists of the king, most being painters.
By the time of the Sasanians, Iranian art had a renaissance.During the Middle Ages, Sasanian art played a prominent role in the formation of European and Asian mediaeval art.The Safavid era is known as the Golden Age of Iranian art.Safavid artexerted noticeable influences upon theOttomans, theMughals, and theDeccans, and was influential through its fashion and garden architecture on 11th–17th-century Europe.
Iran'scontemporary arttraces its origins toKamal-ol-molk, a prominentrealistpainter at the court of theQajar Empirewho affected the norms of painting and adopted a naturalistic style that would compete with photographic works. A new Iranian school of fine art was established by him in 1928, and was followed by the so-called "coffeehouse" style of painting. Iran'savant-gardemodernists emerged by the arrival of new western influences during World War II. The contemporary art scene originates in the late 1940s, and Tehran's first modern art gallery, Apadana, was opened in 1949 by Mahmud Javadipur, Hosein Kazemi, and Hushang Ajudani.The new movements received official encouragement by the 1950s,which led to the emergence of artists such asMarcos Grigorian.
The history of architecture in Iran dates back to at least 5,000 BC, with characteristic examples distributed over an area from what is nowTurkeyandIraqtoUzbekistanandTajikistan, and from theCaucasustoZanzibar. The Iranians made early use ofmathematics,geometryandastronomyin their architecture, yielding a tradition with structural and aesthetic variety.The guidingmotifis its cosmic symbolism.
Without sudden innovations, and despite the trauma of invasions and cultural shocks, it developed a recognizable style distinct from other regions of the Muslim world. Its virtues are "a marked feeling for form and scale; structural inventiveness, especially invaultanddomeconstruction; a genius for decoration with a freedom and success not rivalled in any other architecture".In addition to historic gates, palaces, and mosques, the rapid growth of cities such as Tehran has brought a wave of construction. Iran ranks 7th amongUNESCO's list of countries with the most archaeological ruins and attractions from antiquity.
Iran's richcultureand history is reflected by its 27World Heritage Sites, ranking 1st in the Middle East, and 10th in the world. These includePersepolis,Naghsh-e Jahan Square,Chogha Zanbil,Pasargadae,Golestan Palace,Arg-e Bam,Behistun Inscription,Shahr-e Sukhteh,Susa,Takht-e Soleyman,Hyrcanian forests, the city ofYazdand more. Iran has 24Intangible Cultural Heritage, or Human treasures, which ranks 5th worldwide.
Iran's carpet-weaving has its origins in theBronze Ageand is one of the most distinguished manifestations of Iranian art. Carpet weaving is an essential part ofPersian cultureandIranian art. Persian rugs and carpets were woven in parallel by nomadic tribes in village and town workshops, and byroyal courtmanufactories. As such, they represent simultaneous lines of tradition, and reflect the history of Iran, Persian culture, and its various peoples. Although the term "Persian carpet" most often refers to pile-woven textiles, flat-woven carpets and rugs likeKilim,Soumak, and embroidered tissues likeSuzaniare part of the manifold tradition of Persian carpet weaving.
Iran produces three-quarters of the world's handmade carpets, and has 30% of export markets.In 2010, the "traditional skills of carpet weaving" inFars ProvinceandKashanwere inscribed to theUNESCO Intangible Cultural HeritageList.Within theOriental rugsproduced by the countries of the "rug belt", the Persian carpet stands out by the variety and elaborateness of its manifold designs.
Carpets woven in towns and regional centres likeTabriz,Kerman,Ravar,Neyshabour,Mashhad,Kashan,Isfahan,NainandQomare characterized by their specific weaving techniques and use of high-quality materials, colours and patterns. Hand-woven Persian rugs and carpets have been regarded as objects of high artistic value and prestige, since they were mentioned byancient Greekwriters.
Iran's oldestliterarytradition is that ofAvestan, theOld Iraniansacred languageof theAvesta, which consists of the legendary and religious texts ofZoroastrianismand theancient Iranian religion.The Persian language was used and developed throughPersianate societiesinAsia Minor,Central Asia, andSouth Asia, leaving extensive influences onOttomanandMughal literatures, among others. Iran has several famous mediaeval poets, notablyMawlana,Ferdowsi,Hafez,Sa'adi,Omar Khayyam, andNezami Ganjavi.
Described as one of the great literatures of humanity,includingGoethe's assessment of it as one of the four main bodies of world literature,Persian literature has its roots in surviving works ofMiddle PersianandOld Persian, the latter of which dates back as far as 522 BCE, the date of the earliest survivingAchaemenidinscription, theBehistun Inscription. The bulk of surviving Persian literature, however, comes from the times following theMuslim conquestin c. 650 CE. After theAbbasidscame to power (750 CE), the Iranians became the scribes and bureaucrats of theIslamic Caliphateand, increasingly, also its writers and poets. The New Persian language literature arose and flourished inKhorasanandTransoxianabecause of political reasons, early Iranian dynasties of post-Islamic Iran such as theTahiridsandSamanidsbeing based inKhorasan.
Iranian philosophy can be traced back as far asOld Iranianphilosophical traditions and thoughts which originated in ancientIndo-Iranianroots and were influenced byZarathustra's teachings. Throughout Iranian history and due to remarkable political and social changes such asthe ArabandMongol invasions, a wide spectrum of schools of thoughts showed a variety of views on philosophical questions, extending from Old Iranian and mainlyZoroastrianism-related traditions, to schools appearing in the late pre-Islamic era such asManicheismandMazdakismas well as post-Islamic schools.
TheCyrus Cylinderis seen as a reflection of the questions and thoughts expressed byZoroasterand developed in Zoroastrian schools of the Achaemenid era.Post-Islam Iranian philosophy is characterised by different interactions with theOld Iranian philosophy, theGreek philosophyand with the development ofIslamic philosophy. TheIllumination Schooland theTranscendent Philosophyare regarded as two of the main philosophical traditions of that era in Iran. Contemporary Iranian philosophy has been limited in its scope by intellectual repression.
Iranian mythologyconsists of ancientIranian folkloreand stories of extraordinary beings reflecting ongood and evil(Ahura MazdaandAhriman), actions of the gods, and the exploits of heroes and creatures. The tenth-century Persian poet,Ferdowsi, is the author of thenational epicknown as theShahnameh("Book of Kings"), which is for the most part based onXwadāynāmag, aMiddle Persiancompilation of the history of Iranian kings and heroes,as well as the stories and characters of theZoroastriantradition, from the texts of theAvesta, theDenkard, theVendidadand theBundahishn. Modern scholars study the myths to shed light on the religious and political institutions of not only Iran but of theGreater Iran, which includes regions ofWest Asia,Central Asia,South Asia, andTranscaucasiawhere theculture of Iranhas had significant influence.
Storytellinghas a significant presence in Iranian folklore and culture.In classical Iran, minstrels performed for their audiences at royal courts and in public theatres.A minstrel was referred to by theParthiansasgōsān, and by theSasaniansas huniyāgar.Since theSafavid Empire, storytellers and poetry readers appeared at coffeehouses.After theIranian Revolution, it took until 1985 to found theMCHTH(Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts),a now heavily centralised organisation, supervising all kinds of cultural activities. It held the first scientific meeting on anthropology and folklore in 1990.
TheNational Museum of IraninTehranis the country's most important cultural institution. As the first and biggest museum in Iran, the institution includes theMuseum of Ancient Iranand theMuseum of the Islamic Era. The National Museum is the world's most important museum in terms of preservation, display and research of archaeological collections of Iran,and ranks as one of the few most prestigious museums globally in terms of volume, diversity and quality of its monuments.
There are many other popular museums across the country such as theGolestan Palace(World Heritage Site),The Treasury of National Jewels,Reza Abbasi Museum,Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art,Sa'dabad Complex,The Carpet Museum,Abgineh Museum,Pars Museum,Azerbaijan Museum, Hegmataneh Museum, Susa Museum and more. Around 25 million people visited the museums in 2019.
Iran is the apparent birthplace of the earliest complex instruments, dating to the third millennium BC.The use ofangular harpshave been documented at Madaktu andKul-e Farah, with the largest collection ofElamiteinstruments documented at Kul-e Farah.Xenophon'sCyropaediamentions singing women at the court of theAchaemenid Empire. Under theParthian Empire, thegōsān(Parthianfor 'minstrel') had a prominent role.
The history ofSasanian musicis better documented than earlier periods and is especially more evident in Avestan texts.By the time ofKhosrow II, the Sasanian royal court hosted prominent musicians, namely Azad,Bamshad,Barbad,Nagisa, Ramtin, andSarkash. Iranian traditional musical instruments include string instruments such aschang(harp),qanun,santur,rud(oud,barbat),tar,dotar,setar,tanbur, andkamanche, wind instruments such assorna(zurna,karna) andney, and percussion instruments such astompak,kus,daf(dayere), andnaqare.
Iran's first symphony orchestra, theTehran Symphony Orchestra, was founded in 1933. By the late 1940s,Ruhollah Khaleqifounded the country's first national music society and established the School of National Music in 1949.Iranian pop musichas its origins in the Qajar era.It was significantly developed since the 1950s, using indigenous instruments and forms accompanied byelectric guitarand other imported characteristics.Iranian rockemerged in the 1960s andhip hopin the 2000s.
Iran has known dance in the forms of music, play, drama or religious rituals since at least the 6th millennium BC. Artifacts with pictures of dancers were found in archaeological prehistoric sites.Genres of dance vary depending on the area, culture, and language of the local people, and can range from sophisticated reconstructions of refined court dances to energeticfolk dances.Each group, region, and historical epoch has specific dance styles associated with it. The earliest researched dance from historic Iran is a dance worshipping Mithra. Ancient Persian dance was significantly researched by Greek historianHerodotus. Iran was occupied by foreign powers, causing a slow disappearance of heritage dance traditions.
The Qajar period had an important influence on Persian dance. In this period, a style of dance began to be called "classical Persian dance". Dancers performed artistic dances in court for entertainment purposes such as coronations, marriage celebrations, andNorouzcelebrations. In the 20th century, the music came to be orchestrated and dance movement and costuming gained a modernistic orientation to the West.
The exact date of the emergence ofweavingin Iran is not yet known, but it is likely to coincide with the emergence ofcivilisation.Ferdowsiand many historians have consideredKeyumarsto be first to useanimals' skinand hair as clothing, while others proposeHushang.Ferdowsi considersTahmurasto be a kind oftextileinitiator in Iran. The clothing of ancient Iran took an advanced form, and the fabric and colour of clothing became very important. Depending on the social status, eminence, climate of the region and the season,Persian clothingduring the Achaemenian period took various forms. This clothing, in addition to being functional, had an aesthetic role.
A third-millennium BC earthen goblet discovered at theBurnt Cityin southeast Iran depicts what could be the world's oldest example of animation.The earliest attested Iranian examples of visual representations, however, are traced back to the bas-reliefs of Persepolis, the ritual centre of theAchaemenid Empire.
The first Iranian filmmaker was probablyMirza Ebrahim (Akkas Bashi), the court photographer ofMozaffar-ed-Dinof theQajar Empire. Mirza Ebrahim obtained a camera and filmed the Qajar ruler's visit to Europe. In 1904,Mirza Ebrahim (Sahhaf Bashi)opened the first public cinema in Tehran.The first Iranian feature film,Abi and Rabi, was a silent comedy directed byOvanes Ohanianin 1930. The first sound one,Lor Girl, was produced byArdeshir IraniandAbd-ol-Hosein Sepantain 1932. Iran's animation industry began by the 1950s and was followed by the establishment of the influentialInstitute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adultsin 1965.With the screening of the filmsQeysarandThe Cow, directed byMasoud KimiaiandDariush Mehrjuirespectively in 1969, alternative films set out to establish their status in the film industry andBahram Beyzai'sDownpourandNasser Taghvai'sTranquility in the Presence of Othersfollowed. Attempts to organise a film festival, which had begun in 1954 within the Golrizan Festival, resulted in the festival of Sepas in 1969. It also resulted in the formation of Tehran's World Film Festival in 1973.
Following theCultural Revolution, a new age emerged in Iranian cinema, starting withLong Live!byKhosrow Sinaiand followed by other directors, such asAbbas KiarostamiandJafar Panahi. Kiarostami, an acclaimed director, planted Iran firmly on the map of world cinema when he won thePalme d'OrforTaste of Cherryin 1997.The presence of Iranian films in prestigious international festivals, such asCannes,VeniceandBerlin, attracted attention to Iranian films.In 2006, 6 films represented Iranian cinema at Berlin; critics considered this a remarkable event in Iranian cinema.Asghar Farhadi, an Iranian director, has received aGolden Globe Awardand twoAcademy Awards, representing Iran for Best Foreign Language Film in 2012 and 2017, withA SeparationandThe Salesman.In 2020,Ashkan Rahgozar's "The Last Fiction" became the first representative of Iranian animated cinema in the competition section, inBest Animated FeatureandBest Picturecategories at theAcademy Awards.
The oldest Iranian initiation of theatre can be traced to ancient epic ceremonial theatres such asSug-e Siāvuڑ("mourning ofSiāvaڑ"), as well as dances and theatre narrations of Iranian mythological tales reported byHerodotusandXenophon. Iran's traditional theatrical genres include Baqqāl-bāzi ("grocer play", a form of slapstick comedy), Ruhowzi (orTaxt-howzi, comedy performed over a courtyard pool covered with boards), Siāh-bāzi (the central comedian appears in blackface), Sāye-bāzi (shadow play), Xeyme-ڑab-bāzi (marionette), and Arusak-bāzi (puppetry), andTa'zie(religious tragedy plays).
TheRoudaki Hallis home to theTehran Symphony Orchestra, the Tehran Opera Orchestra, and theIranian National Ballet Company, and was officially renamedVahdat Hallafter the Revolution.
Iran's largest media corporation is the state-ownedIRIB. TheMinistry of Culture and Islamic Guidanceis responsible for thecultural policy, including activities regarding communications and information.Most of thenewspapers published in Iranare in Persian, the country's official and national language. The country's most widely circulated periodicals are based in Tehran, among which areEtemad,Ettela'at,Kayhan,Hamshahri,Resalat, andShargh.Tehran Times,Iran Daily, andFinancial Tribuneare among the famous English-language newspapers based in Iran.
Iran ranks 17th amongcountries by number of Internet users.Google Searchis Iran's most widely used search engine andInstagramis the most popular onlinesocial networking service.Direct access to many worldwide mainstream websites has been blocked in Iran, includingFacebook, which has been blocked since 2009. About 90% of Iran'se-commercetakes place on the Iranian online storeDigikala, which has around 750,000 visitors per day and is the most visited online store in the Middle East.
Iranian main dishes include varieties ofkebab,pilaf,stew(khoresh),soupandāsh, andomelette. Lunch and dinner meals are commonly accompanied by side dishes such as plainyogurtormast-o-khiar,sabzi,salad Shirazi, andtorshi, and might follow dishes such asborani,Mirza Qasemi, orkashk e bademjan. In Iranian culture, tea is widely consumed.Iran is the world's seventh major tea producer.One of Iran's most popular desserts is thefalude.There is also the popular saffron ice cream, known asBastani Sonnati("traditional ice cream"),which is sometimes accompanied withcarrot juice.Iran is also famous for itscaviar.
Typical Iranian main dishes are combinations ofricewithmeat,vegetablesandnuts.Herbsare frequently used, along with fruits such asplums,pomegranates,quince,prunes,apricotsandraisins. Characteristic Iranian spices and flavourings such assaffron,cardamom, anddried limeand other sources of sour flavoring,cinnamon,turmericandparsleyare mixed and used in various dishes.
Iran is the most likely birthplace ofpolo,locally known as Chogan, with its earliest records attributed to the ancientMedes.Freestyle wrestlingis traditionally considered thenational sport, andIran's wrestlershave been world champions many times. Iran's traditional wrestling, calledkoڑti e pahlevāni("heroic wrestling"), is registered on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.Iran'sNational Olympic Committeewas founded in 1947. Wrestlers andweightliftershave achieved the country's highestrecords at the Olympics. In 1974, Iran became the first country in West Asia to host theAsian Games.
As a mountainous country, Iran is a venue forskiing,snowboarding,hiking,rock climbing,andmountain climbing.It is home to ski resorts, the most famous beingTochal,Dizin, andShemshak.Dizin is the largest, and authorised byFISto administer international competitions.
Footballis the most popular sport, with themen's national teamhaving won theAsian Cupthree times. The men's team ranks 2nd in Asia and 20th in theFIFA World Rankingsas of April 2024.TheAzadi Stadiumin Tehran is the largest association football stadium in West Asia and on a list of top-20 stadiums in the world.Volleyball is the second most popular sport.Having won the 2011 and 2013Asian Men's Volleyball Championships, themen's national teamis the 2nd strongest in Asia, and 15th in theFIVB World Rankingsas of January 2024.Basketballis also popular, with themen's national teamhaving won threeAsian Championshipssince 2007.
Iran's officialNew Yearbegins withNowruz, an ancient Iranian tradition celebrated annually on thevernal equinoxand described as thePersian New Year.It was registered on the UNESCO's list ofMasterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanityin 2009.On the eve of the last Wednesday of the preceding year, as a prelude to Nowruz, the ancient festival ofبārڑanbe SuricelebratesĀtar("fire") by performing rituals such as jumping overbonfiresand lightingfireworks.
Yaldā, another ancient tradition,commemorates the ancient goddessMithraand marks the longest night of the year on the eve of thewinter solstice(usually on 20 or 21 December),during which families gather to recite poetry and eat fruits.In some regions ofMazanderanandMarkazi,there is amidsummerfestival,Tirgān,which is observed onTir13 (2 or 3July) as a celebration of water.
Islamic annual events such asRamezān,Eid e Fetr, andRuz e Āڑurāare marked by the country's population, Christian traditions such asNoel,elle ye Ruze, andEid e Pākare observed by the Christian communities, Jewish traditions such asHanukāandEid e Fatir(Pesah)are observed by the Jewish communities, and Zoroastrian traditions such asSadeandMehrgānare observed by the Zoroastrians.
With 26, Iran has one of the world's highest number of public holidays.It ranks 1st in the world with the most paid leave days: 52.Iran'sofficial calendaris theSolar Hejri calendar, beginning at thevernal equinoxin theNorthern Hemisphere.Each of the 12 months of the Solar Hejri calendar correspond with azodiac sign, and the length of each year is solar.Alternatively, theLunar Hejri calendaris used to indicate Islamic events, and theGregorian calendarmarks international events.
Legal public holidays based on the Iranian solar calendar include the cultural celebrations of Nowruz (Farvardin1–4; 21–24 March) and Sizdebedar (Farvardin13; 2April), and the political events ofIslamic Republic Day(Farvardin12; 1April), the death ofRuhollah Khomeini(Khordad14; 4June), theKhordad 15 event(Khordad15; 5June), the anniversary of theIranian Revolution(Bahman22; 10 February), andOil Nationalisation Day(Esfand29; 19 March).
Lunar Islamic public holidays include Tasua (Muharram9), Ashura (Muharram10), Arba'een (Safar20), Muhammad's death (Safar28), the death of Ali al-Ridha (Safar29 or 30), the birthday of Muhammad (Rabi-al-Awwal17), the death of Fatimah (Jumada-al-Thani3), the birthday of Ali (Rajab13), Muhammad's first revelation (Rajab27), the birthday of Muhammad al-Mahdi (Sha'ban15), the death of Ali (Ramadan21), Eid al-Fitr (Shawwal1–2), the death of Ja'far al-Sadiq (Shawwal25), Eid al-Qurban (Zulhijja10), and Eid al-Qadir (Zulhijja18).
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