Shiraz is known for its gardens, poetry, and wine. The city is a cultural center and is famous for its historical sites, including the tomb of the poet Hafez and the ancient ruins of Persepolis. Tabriz, located in northwest Iran, is a major center for trade and industry. The city has a rich history and is known for its ancient bazaar, which is one of the largest covered marketplaces in the world.
Culture
Iran has a rich cultural heritage that includes poetry, literature, music, and art. Persian literature is one of the world's oldest literary traditions, with famous poets such as Rumi, Omar Khayyam, and Hafez. Persian rugs are highly regarded for their intricate designs and craftsmanship. Traditional Iranian music includes instruments such as the santur (a type of dulcimer), the tar (a long-necked lute), and the ney (a type of flute).
Iranian cuisine is known for its use of rice, lamb, chicken, and vegetables, as well as herbs and spices such as saffron, turmeric, and cinnamon. Popular dishes include kebabs, stews such as ghormeh sabzi, and rice dishes such as tahchin. Iranian tea is also a popular beverage, often served with sweets such as baklava or gaz.
Holidays and Celebrations
Nowruz, or Persian New Year, is one of the most important holidays in Iran. It marks the beginning of spring and is celebrated with family gatherings, picnics, and the traditional haft seen table setting. Other important holidays include Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, and Ashura, which commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
Overall, Iran is a country with a rich history and culture, influenced by its long-standing traditions and the diverse influences of its various ethnic and religious groups.
Iran, once known as Persia, is a country in Southwest Asia located at a strategic crossroads between Europe and Asia. More than 2,500 years ago, Cyrus the Great united the country and founded the great Persian Empire. Iran was long ruled by shahs, or kings. The last shah was overthrown in 1979, and Iran became an Islamic republic.
People
The Iranians are an Aryan people. Their ancestors migrated to the Iranian plateau from Central Asia before 1000 B.C. Persian (Farsi) is the official language. It is written in an Arabic script. But it is related to the languages of Europe. The dominant culture is Persian. But Iran's many ethnic and tribal groups include Azerbaijani Turks, Kurds, Lurs, Bakhtiaris, Arabs, Qashqais, Baluchis, and Turkomans.
Religion
The great majority of Iranians are Muslims, or followers of Islam. Most Iranians belong to the Shi'a branch of Islam, which is described in the article on Islam. Iran is the major Shi'ite country in the Muslim world. Large numbers of Christians, Baha'is, and Jews left Iran after the Islamic revolution in 1979.
Education
The revolution brought about many changes in the educational system. Today the emphasis is on the integration of Islamic teachings and values into part of the course of study. Five years of primary education are required. Girls are taught separately from boys.
Way of Life
Iran is a land made up of more than 40,000 villages. A typical small village has a mosque (a Muslim place of worship), a public bathhouse, and a bazaar, or market. For centuries a great majority of the people were farmers or nomads. They grew food for themselves, herded animals, and made rugs or other handicrafts. In recent decades millions of poor Iranians have moved to the cities in search of jobs and a better way of life. But many Iranians still live much as their ancestors did.
Land
Land Regions
Iran is centered on a huge plateau surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides but the east. In the north, just below the Caspian Sea, are the Elburz Mountains. The Zagros Mountains extend along Iran's western and southern borders. The east central plateau is a vast desert region. It contains two of the most uninhabitable deserts in the world, the Dasht-i Kavir and the Dasht-i Lut.
Rivers, Lakes, and Coastal Waters
Iran is bordered on the south by the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. The Caspian Sea forms part of its northern border. Iran has very few rivers; most of its lakes contain salt water.
Climate
Iran's climate is generally dry. Almost all precipitation falls during the winter, much of it in the form of snow. Winters are mild in the north and warm in the south. Elsewhere, January temperatures average near or below freezing. Summers are usually very hot except in the mountains.
Natural Resources
The history of Iran has been deeply influenced by the presence or absence of water. Population centers have grown up where water is plentiful. And many struggles have taken place over water rights.
Oil is the most important of Iran's many natural resources. Iran has some of the world's largest reserves of oil and natural gas. Coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, manganese, gypsum, lead, zinc, bauxite (aluminum ore) and turquoise are also found there.
Economy
Historically, Iran was mainly an agricultural country. But today the production of petroleum and natural gas dominates the nation's economy. Food processing and the making of textiles and metal goods are also important. The chief product of the small fishing industry is caviar, the salted roe (eggs) of sturgeon from the Caspian Sea.
Trade
Oil and petrochemicals make up most of Iran's exports. Much of the money Iran makes selling oil to other countries is used to import food, particularly meat and grains. Other exports include carpets, cotton, dried fruits, and pistachio nuts. China and other Asian nations are Iran's largest trade partners.
Transportation
All of Iran's major cities are linked by highways and railroads. The two chief international airports are located near Tehran and at Abadan. Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf is the main terminus for oil exports.
Major Cities
Tehran, the capital, is the center of the nation's political and commercial activities. See the article on Tehran.
Meshed, an important trade center, is located in a rich agricultural region in the northeast. It is surrounded by orchards, gardens, vineyards, and wheatfields. A holy shrine in Meshed is a destination of annual pilgrims, making the city a place of special significance to Shi'ite Muslims.
Isfahan was once the capital of the country. Its bazaar is considered one of the most magnificent marketplaces in the Middle East. The city also has many lovely tiled mosques and ancient palaces and stone bridges.
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Cultural Heritage
Iran's history is rich in artistic traditions. Many famous poets, architects, and skilled artisans have come from Iran.
Literature
From the A.D. 900s onward, Persian poets have left their imprint on world literature. Among the most famous are Omar Khayyam (1048–1131), Saadi (1213?–92), and Hafiz (1325–89?). Poetry is still a major means of literary expression in modern Iran.
Art and Architecture
The magnificence of Iranian architecture is seen in the beautiful mosques found everywhere in the country. Iranian artists are also known for their intricate calligraphy (fine handwriting), miniatures (paintings), and metalwork. Perhaps the country's most famous craft is the weaving of Persian rugs.
Government
The present government of Iran, established under a new constitution approved in 1979, is unique in Iranian history. All branches of the government are subject to the faqih, Iran's spiritual leader. He is the highest political authority in the land. Ruhollah Khomeini, better known as Ayatollah Khomeini, held this office until his death in 1989. ("Ayatollah" is a religious title meaning "sign of God"). Ayatollah Khomeini was succeeded by Ali Hussein Khamenei.
Iran's chief executive is the president, who is elected by the people for a 4-year term. The legislature, known as the Majles, has 270 members elected to 4-year terms. All laws passed by the Majles must be approved by the Council of Guardians to ensure that they agree with Islamic principles.
History
Early Empires
The Iranians arrived in the region from the north about 3,000 years ago. They included several related tribes. Of them, the Medes (Marda) and Persians (Parsa) were the most important. The first Iranian empire, that of the Medes, lasted until the 500s B.C., when the Persian ruler Cyrus, known as the Great, of the Achaemenid dynasty, united the Iranians under his rule and created a vast empire. Later Persian kings, notably Darius I, expanded this empire.
The Achaemenid dynasty eventually collapsed, in 331 B.C., under the onslaught of Alexander the Great, whose successors established the Greek-speaking Seleucid Empire. They were succeeded by the Parthians, another Iranian people, who ruled until about A.D. 224. The last of the great Persian empires, that of the Sassanians, lasted until A.D. 642. The Sassanian Empire fell before the attacks of mounted Arab warriors. These warriors carried with them a new religion and way of life known as Islam. For more information on this period, see the article Persia, Ancient.
Between the 600s and the 1400s, Persia experienced political and social chaos. Beginning in the 1000s, outside invaders such as the Seljuks, the Mongols, and the Timurids conquered and devastated the Persian plateau. Persia did not begin to reclaim its national identity and power until 1501.
The Safavid Dynasty
In the year 1501, a 13-year-old boy known as Shah Ismail Safavid marched triumphantly into Tabriz. Shah Ismail made Shi'ite Islam the official religion of Persia. The Safavid kings created a unified nation. It was able to hold off repeated challenges from the Ottoman Turks to the west, the Uzbeks to the northeast, and the Moguls to the east.
The greatest Safavid king was Shah Abbas the Great, who ruled from 1587 to 1629. He moved his capital to Isfahan, modernized the government and the army, and established relations with various Western nations.
The Safavid dynasty began to decline in the late 1600s. In 1736 a Turkic warrior known as Nadir deposed the last Safavid heir and crowned himself shah. Nadir Shah extended Persia's boundaries significantly before he was assassinated in 1747. Between 1750 and 1779, most of Persia was ruled by the Zands, a local tribe, from their capital in Shiraz.
The Qajar Dynasty
Beginning in 1779, a warrior from the Turkish Qajar clan named Agha Mohammed Khan fought to establish a new ruling dynasty in Persia. By the time of his death in 1797, he had brought the country under Qajar control and had made Tehran the capital city.
The Qajar family ruled Persia until 1925. During this time, Britain and Russia extended their influence into Persia, and Russia took over large areas of former Persian territory in the north. The Qajar shahs were often weak and ineffective. But they managed to maintain Persia's independence.
A reform movement in 1905–06 led to the creation of a parliament and the adoption of a European-style constitution. During World War I (1914–18), neutral Persia was used as a battleground by the great powers, and Britain and Russia (later the Soviet Union) continued to intervene in its internal affairs.
In 1921 the last Qajar shah was overthrown. One of the leaders of this coup was an illiterate but strong-willed army officer named Reza Khan. In 1925 he became the shah of Iran.
The Pahlavi Dynasty
Reza Shah Pahlavi was a dictator who used his position to gather great wealth for himself and his family. But he was also a strong nationalist who built a powerful nation. Rebellious tribes were defeated. Western codes of law were adopted. And a modern educational system was set up. In 1935, Reza Shah officially changed the name of the country from Persia to Iran.
In 1941, Britain and the Soviet Union forced the shah to give up the throne because of his pro-German sympathies. His son, Mohammed Reza, succeeded him.
Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the last shah of Iran, ruled for 37 years. He built a powerful military and police organization while introducing various reforms. In the early 1950s a popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh, challenged his power. Mossadegh was deposed with the help of Britain and the United States, which had oil interests in Iran.
Thanks largely to oil, Iran's economy prospered. But students and professional people criticized the shah's absolute rule. And conservative Shi'ite Muslims opposed the Western customs that were taking hold. The shah's secret police took harsh steps to suppress dissent. Opposition parties were banned. Their leaders were exiled. But opposition to the shah grew, organized by Shi'ite religious leaders. In 1978–79 more than 10,000 Iranians died in violence between police and protesters.
The shah fled the country on January 16, 1979. The Constitution of 1906 was set aside, and Iran became an Islamic republic led by Ayatollah Khomeini. (See the biography of Khomeini.)
Iran's history is rich in artistic traditions. Many famous poets, architects, and skilled artisans have come from Iran.
Literature
From the A.D. 900s onward, Persian poets have left their imprint on world literature. Among the most famous are Omar Khayyam (1048–1131), Saadi (1213?–92), and Hafiz (1325–89?). Poetry is still a major means of literary expression in modern Iran.
Art and Architecture
The magnificence of Iranian architecture is seen in the beautiful mosques found everywhere in the country. Iranian artists are also known for their intricate calligraphy (fine handwriting), miniatures (paintings), and metalwork. Perhaps the country's most famous craft is the weaving of Persian rugs.
Government
The present government of Iran, established under a new constitution approved in 1979, is unique in Iranian history. All branches of the government are subject to the faqih, Iran's spiritual leader. He is the highest political authority in the land. Ruhollah Khomeini, better known as Ayatollah Khomeini, held this office until his death in 1989. ("Ayatollah" is a religious title meaning "sign of God"). Ayatollah Khomeini was succeeded by Ali Hussein Khamenei.
Iran's chief executive is the president, who is elected by the people for a 4-year term. The legislature, known as the Majles, has 270 members elected to 4-year terms. All laws passed by the Majles must be approved by the Council of Guardians to ensure that they agree with Islamic principles.
History
Early Empires
The Iranians arrived in the region from the north about 3,000 years ago. They included several related tribes. Of them, the Medes (Marda) and Persians (Parsa) were the most important. The first Iranian empire, that of the Medes, lasted until the 500s B.C., when the Persian ruler Cyrus, known as the Great, of the Achaemenid dynasty, united the Iranians under his rule and created a vast empire. Later Persian kings, notably Darius I, expanded this empire.
The Achaemenid dynasty eventually collapsed, in 331 B.C., under the onslaught of Alexander the Great, whose successors established the Greek-speaking Seleucid Empire. They were succeeded by the Parthians, another Iranian people, who ruled until about A.D. 224. The last of the great Persian empires, that of the Sassanians, lasted until A.D. 642. The Sassanian Empire fell before the attacks of mounted Arab warriors. These warriors carried with them a new religion and way of life known as Islam. For more information on this period, see the article Persia, Ancient.
Between the 600s and the 1400s, Persia experienced political and social chaos. Beginning in the 1000s, outside invaders such as the Seljuks, the Mongols, and the Timurids conquered and devastated the Persian plateau. Persia did not begin to reclaim its national identity and power until 1501.
The Safavid Dynasty
In the year 1501, a 13-year-old boy known as Shah Ismail Safavid marched triumphantly into Tabriz. Shah Ismail made Shi'ite Islam the official religion of Persia. The Safavid kings created a unified nation. It was able to hold off repeated challenges from the Ottoman Turks to the west, the Uzbeks to the northeast, and the Moguls to the east.
The greatest Safavid king was Shah Abbas the Great, who ruled from 1587 to 1629. He moved his capital to Isfahan, modernized the government and the army, and established relations with various Western nations.
The Safavid dynasty began to decline in the late 1600s. In 1736 a Turkic warrior known as Nadir deposed the last Safavid heir and crowned himself shah. Nadir Shah extended Persia's boundaries significantly before he was assassinated in 1747. Between 1750 and 1779, most of Persia was ruled by the Zands, a local tribe, from their capital in Shiraz.
The Qajar Dynasty
Beginning in 1779, a warrior from the Turkish Qajar clan named Agha Mohammed Khan fought to establish a new ruling dynasty in Persia. By the time of his death in 1797, he had brought the country under Qajar control and had made Tehran the capital city.
The Qajar family ruled Persia until 1925. During this time, Britain and Russia extended their influence into Persia, and Russia took over large areas of former Persian territory in the north. The Qajar shahs were often weak and ineffective. But they managed to maintain Persia's independence.
A reform movement in 1905–06 led to the creation of a parliament and the adoption of a European-style constitution. During World War I (1914–18), neutral Persia was used as a battleground by the great powers, and Britain and Russia (later the Soviet Union) continued to intervene in its internal affairs.
In 1921 the last Qajar shah was overthrown. One of the leaders of this coup was an illiterate but strong-willed army officer named Reza Khan. In 1925 he became the shah of Iran.
The Pahlavi Dynasty
Reza Shah Pahlavi was a dictator who used his position to gather great wealth for himself and his family. But he was also a strong nationalist who built a powerful nation. Rebellious tribes were defeated. Western codes of law were adopted. And a modern educational system was set up. In 1935, Reza Shah officially changed the name of the country from Persia to Iran.
In 1941, Britain and the Soviet Union forced the shah to give up the throne because of his pro-German sympathies. His son, Mohammed Reza, succeeded him.
Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the last shah of Iran, ruled for 37 years. He built a powerful military and police organization while introducing various reforms. In the early 1950s a popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh, challenged his power. Mossadegh was deposed with the help of Britain and the United States, which had oil interests in Iran.
Thanks largely to oil, Iran's economy prospered. But students and professional people criticized the shah's absolute rule. And conservative Shi'ite Muslims opposed the Western customs that were taking hold. The shah's secret police took harsh steps to suppress dissent. Opposition parties were banned. Their leaders were exiled. But opposition to the shah grew, organized by Shi'ite religious leaders. In 1978–79 more than 10,000 Iranians died in violence between police and protesters.
The shah fled the country on January 16, 1979. The Constitution of 1906 was set aside, and Iran became an Islamic republic led by Ayatollah Khomeini. (See the biography of Khomeini.)
The revolution in Iran in 1979 marked a significant turning point in the country's history, leading to the establishment of an Islamic republic with Ayatollah Khomeini as the spiritual leader. The new government brought about significant changes in the political, social, and cultural landscape of Iran, emphasizing Islamic teachings and values in various aspects of society.
The revolution also resulted in the exodus of many Iranians, including Christians, Baha'is, and Jews, as well as opposition leaders and intellectuals who fled the country due to political persecution. The new government implemented strict laws based on Islamic principles, affecting various aspects of daily life, including education, dress code, and the role of women in society.
The Islamic republic of Iran faced internal and external challenges in the years following the revolution, including a devastating war with Iraq from 1980 to 1988, economic struggles, and international isolation due to its policies and actions. However, Iran has maintained its unique cultural heritage, including its rich literary tradition, architectural marvels, and artistic expressions, despite the political and social changes in the country.
Iran continues to be a country with a complex and multifaceted history, shaped by its ancient civilizations, Islamic heritage, and interactions with foreign powers. The Iranian people have demonstrated resilience and a strong sense of identity throughout the centuries, preserving their cultural traditions and values amidst changing political realities.
The revolution also resulted in the exodus of many Iranians, including Christians, Baha'is, and Jews, as well as opposition leaders and intellectuals who fled the country due to political persecution. The new government implemented strict laws based on Islamic principles, affecting various aspects of daily life, including education, dress code, and the role of women in society.
The Islamic republic of Iran faced internal and external challenges in the years following the revolution, including a devastating war with Iraq from 1980 to 1988, economic struggles, and international isolation due to its policies and actions. However, Iran has maintained its unique cultural heritage, including its rich literary tradition, architectural marvels, and artistic expressions, despite the political and social changes in the country.
Iran continues to be a country with a complex and multifaceted history, shaped by its ancient civilizations, Islamic heritage, and interactions with foreign powers. The Iranian people have demonstrated resilience and a strong sense of identity throughout the centuries, preserving their cultural traditions and values amidst changing political realities.
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