Iran

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
  - Volcanic and tectonic activity
  - The interior plateau
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
  - Flora
  - Fauna
People
- Ethnic groups
- Languages
- Religion
  - Shiʿism
  - Religious minorities
- Settlement patterns
  - Rural settlement
  - Urban settlement
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Overview
  - State planning
  - Reform
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
  - Mining
  - Power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labor and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
  - Velāyat-e faqīh
  - The presidency
  - Deliberative bodies
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Housing
- Education
Cultural life
- Cultural milieu
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
  - Crafts
  - Architecture
  - Visual arts
  - Music
  - Literature
  - Cinema
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- The advent of Islam (640–829)
  - Abū Muslim’s revolution
  - The Abbasid caliphate (750–821)
- The “Iranian intermezzo” (821–1055)
  - The Saffarids
  - The Samanids
  - The Iranian renaissance
  - The Ghaznavids
  - The Buyids
- The Seljuqs and the Mongols
  - The Seljuqs
  - The Ismāʿīliyyah
  - The Khwārezm-Shahs
  - The Mongol invasion
  - The Il-Khans
- The Timurids and Turkmen
- The Safavids (1501–1736)
  - Shah Ismāʿīl
  - Shah ʿAbbās I
  - The Afghan interlude
- Religious developments
- Nader Shah (1736–47)
- The Zand dynasty (1750–79)
- The Qajar dynasty (1796–1925)
  - The age of imperialism
  - Popular protest and the Constitutional Revolution
  - Rise of Reza Khan
- The Pahlavi dynasty (1925–79)
  - Reza Shah
  - Wartime and nationalization of oil
  - The White Revolution
  - Protest and failure
  - Foreign relations
  - The growth of social discontent
- The Islamic republic
  - The Iranian Revolution, 1978–79
  - Postrevolutionary chaos
  - The Iran-Iraq War (1980–88)
  - Iran under Ali Khamenei (1989–2026)
    - Domestic affairs and internal reform
      Presidential term of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani: reconstruction and liberalization
      First presidential term of Mohammad Khatami: reformist movement and conservative intervention
      Second presidential term of Mohammad Khatami: continued intervention
      First presidential term of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: conservatives return to power
      Second presidential term of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: growing discontent and unrest
      First and second presidential terms of Hassan Rouhani: economic recovery and renewed economic crisis
      Presidential term of Ebrahim Raisi
    - Foreign affairs since 1989: continuing tension abroad
      U.S. invasion of Iran’s neighbors
      Nuclear program and sanctions
      Nuclear deal reached: Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
      Nuclear deal falters
      Mounting conflict and a regime embattled
  - 2026 Conflict with the United States and Israel

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Map of the Middle East highlighting Iran in orange, with surrounding countries labeled, including Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea shown nearby. A small inset globe at the bottom left indicates the region's location in the world.

Political map of Iran showing international boundaries, provincial boundaries, and major cities including Tehran, the national capital. Neighboring countries such as Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are labeled. The map also includes the Caspian Sea to the north and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman to the south, with a locator inset highlighting Iran's position in the region.

Key sites of Iran's military-industrial complex

Physical map of Iran

Iran: Zagros Mountains

Iran: Alborz Mountains

Iran: Kavir Desert

Iran: Ethnic composition

Kurdish settlement in southwestern Asia

At a Glance

default image

Iran: Media

country, Asia

Videos

What Was the Iran Hostage Crisis?

What Was the Iran Hostage Crisis?

After the takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran in November 1979 by Iranian students...

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Images

Iran

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of the Middle East highlighting Iran in orange, with surrounding countries labeled, including Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea shown nearby. A small inset globe at the bottom left indicates the region's location in the world.

Iran

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Political map of Iran showing international boundaries, provincial boundaries, and major cities including Tehran, the national capital. Neighboring countries such as Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are labeled. The map also includes the Caspian Sea to the north and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman to the south, with a locator inset highlighting Iran's position in the region.

Iran

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Physical map of Iran

Physical map of Iran

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iran: Zagros Mountains

Iran: Zagros Mountains

The Zagros Mountains rise above orchards and pasturelands, southwestern Iran.

© Matyas Rehak/Dreamstime.com

Iran: Alborz Mountains

Iran: Alborz Mountains

A stream running through a section of the Alborz Mountains in Mazandaran, Iran.

Robert Harding Picture Library

Iran: Kavir Desert

Iran: Kavir Desert

Kavir Desert, Iran.

© Jeanne Menjoulet

Kurdish settlement in southwestern Asia

Kurdish settlement in southwestern Asia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iran: Qashqāʾī women

Iran: Qashqāʾī women

Cloth being woven by Qashqāʾī women in the area of Shiraz, Iran.

© R. & S. Michaud/Woodfin Camp & Associates

Isfahan, Iran: Māder-e Shah madrasah

Isfahan, Iran: Māder-e Shah madrasah

The Arabesque dome of the Māder-e Shah madrasah, Isfahan, Iran.

© Janzig—MiddleEast Alamy

Tehran: mosque in bazaar

Tehran: mosque in bazaar

Mosque with cupola in the bazaar, Tehran.

© RM Arabia/Alamy

Front view of the Ahmad Shahi Pavilion at Niavaran Palace Complex in Tehran, Iran, showing a two-story building with columns, large windows, and landscaped gardens.

Tehran, Iran: Niavaran Palace

The Niavaran Palace, Tehran, Iran.

© Majid Rokni/Shutterstock.com

Crowds of shoppers walk through the covered Tehran Grand Bazaar, Iran, beneath colorful flags and banners, with shops lining both sides of the busy walkway.

Tehran, Iran: bazaar

Shoppers throng the bazaar in Tehran, Iran.

© leshiy985/Shutterstock.com

Iran: agricultural region

Iran: agricultural region

The rich agricultural region of northwestern Iran.

Abbas/Magnum

Bandar-e Anzalī, Iran: Caspian port

Bandar-e Anzalī, Iran: Caspian port

Wharf at the Caspian port of Bandar-e Anzalī, Iran.

© Neda Aghaei—Hich Studio/Shutterstock.com

Persian silk hunting carpet

Persian silk hunting carpet

Detail of a Persian silk hunting carpet from Kashan, Iran, 16th century.

Courtesy of the Osterreichisches Museum fur Angewandte Kunst, Vienna; photograph, Eric Lessing/Magnum Photos

Mashhad: shrine of ʿAlī al-Riḍā

Mashhad: shrine of ʿAlī al-Riḍā

Shrine of the imam ʿAlī al-Riḍā, Mashhad, Iran.

© Atosan/Shutterstock.com

The Hazrat-e Masumeh shrine in Qom, Iran, features a large golden dome, ornate blue-tiled minarets, and an arched courtyard with visitors walking below.

Qom, Iran: Dome of the Shrine of Fāṭimah

Dome of the Shrine of Fāṭimah, Qom, Iran.

© GTW/Shutterstock.com

Azadi Tower

Azadi Tower

The Azadi (“Freedom”) Tower, Tehran.

Photos.com/Jupiterimages

Shiraz, Iran: tomb of Hāfeẓ

Shiraz, Iran: tomb of Hāfeẓ

Gardens at the tomb of the poet Hāfeẓ, Shiraz, Iran.

© OPIS Zagreb/Shutterstock.com

Two large eyvans with pointed arches and intricate tilework at the Imam Mosque in Isfahan, Iran, with a blue-tiled dome and minarets rising above the main entrance.

Isfahan, Iran: Masjed-e Emām (“Imam Mosque”)

The Masjed-e Emām (“Imam Mosque”) in Isfahan, Iran.

Ray Manley/Shostal Associates

Nader Shah

Nader Shah

Nader Shah, painting by an unknown artist, c. 1740.

Courtesy British Library, from the British Library archive (Foster 44)

Reza Shah Pahlavi

Reza Shah Pahlavi

Reza Shah Pahlavi of Iran.

Keystone/FPG

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi seated in a suit and striped tie, wearing large dark glasses, with his arms resting on the chair, 1979.

Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi

Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi of Iran, 1979.

© François Lochon—Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

Mohammad Mossadegh, Iranian Prime Minister, sits on a bed and smiles, wearing a buttoned coat in a simple indoor setting.

The Pajama Premier

Mohammad Mosaddegh frequently made public appearances in his pajamas and sometimes...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Ruhollah Khomeini

Ruhollah Khomeini

Ruhollah Khomeini (at open window) greeting supporters after returning to Tehran...

AP Images

A blindfolded man with his hands bound is escorted by four men outside the U.S. Embassy in Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis, with onlookers in the background.

Iran hostage crisis

Blindfolded American hostage surrounded by captors outside the U.S. embassy in Tehran,...

MPI—Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Mohammad Khatami, wearing glasses and a black turban, rests his hand on his chin while seated indoors.

Mohammad Khatami

Mohammad Khatami.

© Prometheus72/Shutterstock.com

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, 2006.

© stocklight/Shutterstock.com

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani wearing a white turban and glasses, seated against a dark blue background.

Hassan Rouhani

A member of Iran's revolutionary generation and a key player in Iran's national security...

Emmanuel Dunand—AFP/Getty Images

Ebrahim Raisi

Ebrahim Raisi

Ebrahim Raisi, 2021.

© Abedin Taherkenareh—EPA-EFE/Shutterstock.com

A crowd of people, many wearing masks, gathers on a Tehran street in protest. Some hold up scarves or clothing, and smoke rises in the foreground near a traffic light.

Iranian protests in 2022

Iranian women removing their head coverings on September 19, 2022, in protest against...

Getty Images

Woman, Life, Freedom protest against Iranian authorities

Woman, Life, Freedom protest against Iranian authorities

Protest against the Iranian regime following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in custody...

Markus Schreiber—AP/Shutterstock.com

Map titled 2026 Iran War showing the Middle East region, with Iran, Yemen, Israel, and Lebanon shaded red to indicate countries directly engaged in conflict. Several neighboring countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Oman, are shaded purple to show they are targeted by Iranian missiles and drones. Red diamond icons mark locations of U.S. military sites in the region. The Strait of Hormuz is labeled as affected by the conflict.

2026 Iran war

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Mojtaba Khamenei

Mojtaba Khamenei

Mojtaba Khamenei, Tehran, Iran, May 31, 2019.

Saeid Zareian—dpa picture alliance/Alamy

Zagros Mountains

Zagros Mountains

Zagros Mountains, southwestern Iran.

© gaelj/Fotolia

Sultan Sanjar and the Old Woman

Sultan Sanjar and the Old Woman

Sultan Sanjar and the Old Woman, oil on canvas, Iran, mid-18th century;...

Photograph by Katie Chao. Brooklyn Museum, New York, bequest of Irma B. Wilkinson in memory of her husband, Charles K. Wilkinson, 1997.108.4

Thematic map of ancient Iran and surrounding regions, shaded in light green to indicate the extent of ancient Iran. The map marks significant religious and archaeological sites of ancient Indo-Iranian peoples, other ancient sites, and modern pockets of Zoroastrianism, with symbols distinguishing each type of site across areas that now include Iran, Afghanistan, and neighboring territories.

religious sites of ancient Indo-Iranian peoples

Significant religious sites and sites containing religious artifacts of ancient Indo-Iranian...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map showing the geographic distribution of Indo-Iranian languages across Southwest, Central, and South Asia. Areas shaded orange represent regions where Iranian languages such as Persian, Pashto, Kurdish, and Balochi are spoken, primarily in Iran, Afghanistan, and parts of Pakistan and Central Asia. Areas shaded green indicate regions where Indo-Aryan languages like Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Marathi, and Gujarati are spoken, covering most of northern and central India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal

Indo-Iranian languages

Distribution of Indo-Iranian languages.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map showing the extent of the Achaemenid Empire during the 6th and 5th centuries BC, shaded in light green and spanning from the eastern Mediterranean and Egypt through the Middle East to parts of Central Asia and the Indus Valley. Major regions, cities, and trade routes such as the Royal Road are labeled within the empire's boundaries.

Achaemenid Empire

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map showing the Parthian Empire at its greatest extent in the 1st century BCE, shaded in green and covering much of present-day Iran, Iraq, and surrounding regions. Major ancient cities, trade routes, rivers, and neighboring territories such as Mesopotamia, Media, Persis, Sogdiana, and Armenia are labeled. The map also shows nearby bodies of water including the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea.

Parthian empire

The Parthian empire in the 1st century bce.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map showing the extent of the Sasanian Empire during the reign of Shapur I, shaded in green. The empire covers parts of present-day Iran, Iraq, the Persian Gulf coast, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and extends westward toward the Eastern Roman Empire, with major regions and cities labeled throughout the territory.

Sāsānian empire at the time of Shāpūr I

The Sāsānian empire at the time of Shāpūr I.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Thematic map showing the Arabian-Iranian basin region highlighted in purple, spanning parts of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, and Syria. Major oil fields, including supergiant fields such as Al-Ghawar, Kirkuk, and Ahvaz, are marked with black shapes within the basin. Major water bodies like the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Caspian Sea are labeled.

Arabian-Iranian basin oil fields

Major oil fields of the Arabian-Iranian basin region.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Antique map from 1902 showing Persia (Iran), Afghanistan, and Baluchistan, with detailed topography, cities, and political boundaries as understood in the early twentieth century. The map features fine lines and small text labeling geographic features, rivers, and settlements across the region.

Persia, Afghanistan, and Baluchistan, c. 1902

Map of Persia (Iran), Afghanistan, and Baluchistan, from the 10th edition of the...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Interactives

Key sites of Iran's military-industrial complex

Key sites of Iran's military-industrial complex

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iran: Ethnic composition

Iran: Ethnic composition

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iran: Religious affiliation

Iran: Religious affiliation

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Population density of Iran

Population density of Iran

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iran: Urban-rural

Iran: Urban-rural

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The chart uses distinct categorical colors to differentiate age groups. Under 15 is orange, 15–29 is light green, 30–44 is purple, 45–59 is salmon pink, 60–74 is green, 75–84 is tan, and 85+ is red.

Iran age breakdown

Interactive chart presents the share of the population in Iran by age group.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iran: Major import sources

Iran: Major import sources

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Iran: Major export destinations

Iran: Major export destinations

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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