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Iran

*** Shopping-Tip: Iran
{{Infobox Country| |native_name = Ø¬Ù…Ù‡ÙˆØ±ÛŒ Ø§Ø³Ù„Ø§Ù…ÛŒ Ø§ÙŠØ±Ø§Ù†
''JomhÅ«rÄ«-ye EslÄ?mÄ«-ye ÄªrÄ?n'' |conventional_long_name = Islamic Republic of Iran |common_name = Iran |image_flag = Flag of Iran.svg |image_coat = Iran coa.png |image_map = LocationIran.png |national_motto = Persian language Persian: ''EsteqlÄ?l, Ä?zÄ?dÄ«, jomhÅ«rÄ«-ye eslÄ?mÄ«''
(English language English: "Independence, freedom, the Islamic Republic") |national_anthem = ''Sorud-e Melli-e Iran SorÅ«d-e MellÄ«-e ÄªrÄ?n'' |official_languages = Persian language Persian |capital = Tehran |latd=35|latm=40|latNS=N|longd=51|longm=25|longEW=E |government_type = Islamic republic |leader_titles = Supreme Leader of Iran Supreme Leader
President of Iran President |leader_names = Ali Khamenei
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad |largest_city = Tehran |sovereignty_type = Iranian Revolution Revolution |established_events = Declared |established_dates = Overthrew Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
February 11, 1979 |area = 1,648,195 |areamiÂ²=636,372 |area_rank = 17th |area_magnitude = 1 E12 |percent_water = 0.7% |population_estimate = 68,017,860 |population_estimate_year = 2005 |population_estimate_rank = 18th |population_census = N/A |population_census_year = 2000 |population_density = 41 |population_densitymiÂ² =106 |population_density_rank = 128th |GDP_PPP = $560,348,000,000 |GDP_PPP_rank = 19th |GDP_PPP_year = 2005 |GDP_PPP_per_capita = $8,065 |GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 77th |HDI_year = 2006 |HDI = 0.736 |HDI_rank = 99th |HDI_category = medium |currency = Iranian Rial Rial (Ø±ÙŠØ§Ù„) |currency_code = IRR |time_zone = |utc_offset = +3.30 |time_zone_DST = not observed |utc_offset_DST = +3.30 |cctld = .ir |calling_code = 98 |footnotes = | }} '''Iran''' (Persian language Persian: Ø§ÙŠØ±Ø§Ù†, ''ÄªrÄ?n''), officially called ''Persia'' until 1935, is a Middle East Middle Eastern country located in Western Asia. Northern Iran is also a part of the Caucasus. It borders Armenia, Azerbaijan (including its Nakhichevan exclave), and Turkmenistan to the north, Pakistan and Afghanistan to the east, and Turkey and Iraq to the west. In addition, it borders the Persian Gulf across which lie Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The official name of the country is the '''Islamic Republic of Iran''' and a citizen of Iran is called an '''Iranian''' but the terms '''Persia''' and '''Persian''' are still common . After the second phase of the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the Ayatollah Khomeini helped transform Iran into a constitution constitutional theocratic republic with democracy democratic elements. Shi'a Islam is the official state religion and rule of law. Throughout history, Iran has been of great geostrategic importance due to its position between the Middle East, Caucasus (geographic region) Caucasia, Central Asia and the Persian Gulf and its proximity to Eastern Europe and the South Asia Indian subcontinent. Iran is currently led by President of Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and overseen by the Supreme Leader of Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran is a member and co-founder of OPEC and is important in international politics due to its large oil supply supply of petroleum. Recently, controversy has erupted over Iran's nuclear program.

Name
:''Main article: Iran naming dispute'' In the Achaemenid period Persian people called their country '''Parsa''' and in the Sassanid Empire Sassanian period, they referred to their country as ''Iran'', which means ''Land of the Aryan#Iranian Aryans''. The Greeks called the country Persis; this was passed into Latin as ''Persian Empire Persia'', which is the name widely used in the West. http://www.bartleby.com/61/99/A0449900.html http://www.nvtc.gov/lotw/months/february/indoIranianBranch.html http://imp.lss.wisc.edu/~aoliai/languagepage/iranianlanguages.htm On March 21 1935 Reza Pahlavi Reza Shah Pahlavi issued a decree asking foreign delegates to use the term ''Iran'' in formal correspondence. After Persian scholars protested, Mohammad Reza Shah in 1959 announced that both ''Persia'' and ''Iran'' could be used interchangeably. The Iranian Revolution of 1979 ultimately led to the establishment of a theocratic Islamic Republic. The country's political title was changed to the ''Islamic Republic of Iran''.

History
{{main|History of Iran}} Image:Takht-jamshid.jpg Persepolis.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|left|250px|The 2500 year old ruins of [[Persepolis..html" title="Meaning of left|250px|The 2500 year old ruins of [[Persepolis">thumb|left|250px|The 2500 year old ruins of [[Persepolis.">left|250px|The 2500 year old ruins of [[Persepolis">thumb|left|250px|The 2500 year old ruins of [[Persepolis. Written history in Persia (Iran) begins with the Jiroft Kingdom around 5000 BCE, and continues with the arrival of the Aryans and the establishment of the Median dynasty. The Achaemenids followed by building the Persian Empire, under Cyrus the Great in 546 BCE. Alexander the Great conquered Persia in 331 BCE, soon only to be succeeded by the Parthia Parthian and Sassanid dynasty Sassanid dynasties, which followed the Achaemenids as Persia's greatest pre-Islamic empires. The Middle Ages saw the unfolding of many critical events such as the Islamic Conquest of Iran, the destruction of Persia under the Military advances of Genghis Khan Mongol invasion beginning in 1220, the conquest of Tamerlane, and the establishment of Iran's first Shi'a Islam Islamic state under the Safavids Safavid dynasty in 1501. From then on Persia increasingly became the arena for rival colonial powers such as Imperial Russia and the United Kingdom. With the arrival of modernization in the late 19th century, Iranians longed for a change and thus the Persian Constitutional Revolution of 1905/1911 followed. Image:Mahan asemoon.jpg Golden Age of Islam.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|right|9th-11th century Persia was at the center of what came to be known as the [[Golden Age of Islam..html" title="Meaning of right|9th-11th century Persia was at the center of what came to be known as the [[Golden Age of Islam">thumb|right|9th-11th century Persia was at the center of what came to be known as the [[Golden Age of Islam.">right|9th-11th century Persia was at the center of what came to be known as the [[Golden Age of Islam">thumb|right|9th-11th century Persia was at the center of what came to be known as the [[Golden Age of Islam. Following the Constitutional Revolution, in 1921, Reza Shah Pahlavi staged a coup against the Qajar dynasty. A modernizer, Reza Shah made plans to develop industry, build railroads, and establish a national education system. However, his autocratic rule created discontent among many Iranians. During World War II, the Shah was forced to abdicate by the Allies of World War II Allies in favor of his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, whom the Allies hoped would be more supportive of them. In 1953, Iran's prime minister Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh, was removed from power in a plot orchestrated by British and United States U.S. intelligence agencies to protect their oil interests (dubbed "Operation Ajax"). The operation was conducted following the Prime-Minister's nationalization of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. It reinstated the Iranian monarchy, handing power back to former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Following Dr. Mosaddegh's fall, the Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran Shah's rule became increasingly dictatorial, particularly in the late 1970s. With strong support from the United States USA and the United Kingdom UK, the Shah further modernized Iranian industry but crushed civil liberties. His autocracy autocratic rule led to the Iranian revolution in 1979. An Islamic republic was soon established under the Ayatollah Khomeini. The new theocracy theocratic political system instituted some conservative Islamic reforms as well as introducing an unprecedented level of direct clerical rule. It also engaged in an anti-Western course due to Western support of the Shah. In particular Iranian-American relations were severely strained after the Iran hostage crisis Iranian seizure of U.S. embassy personnel in 1979, Iran's subsequent attempts to export its revolution, and its support of anti-Western militant groups such as Hezbollah Lebanese Hezbollah. In 1980 Iran was attacked by neighbouring Iraq and the destructive Iran-Iraq War continued until 1988. The struggle between the reformists and conservatives over the future of the country continues today through electoral politics and was a central Western focus in the Iranian presidential election of 2005 2005 elections, which resulted in the election of conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Politics
{{main|Politics of Iran}} Iran defines itself and is widely viewed as a constitutional Islamic Republic, whose political system is laid out in the 1979 constitution called ''Qanun-e Asasi'' (literally 'Fundamental Law'). Iran's makeup has several intricately connected governing bodies, some of which are democratically elected and some of which are appointed. Some political scientists might argue that the structure of the government is actually more in line with an elective monarchy, as the Supreme Leader is elected and rules for life with broad powers. If viewed from this perspective, Iran would be the largest elective monarchy in the world.

=The Supreme Leader
= Image:Azadi1.jpg Azadi_Tower.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|right|[[Azadi Tower ''("Tower of Freedom")''.html" title="Meaning of right|[[Azadi Tower">thumb|right|[[Azadi Tower ''("Tower of Freedom")''">right|[[Azadi Tower">thumb|right|[[Azadi Tower ''("Tower of Freedom")'' The concept of ''velayat-e faqih'' (guardianship of the jurist) plays a crucial role in the governmental structure of Iran. http://www.kadivar.com/Htm/English/Papers/Velayat-e%20Faghih.htm According to the Constitution, the Supreme Leader of Iran is responsible for the delineation and supervision of "the general policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran." The Supreme Leader is ''commander-in-chief'' of the armed forces and controls the Islamic Republic's military intelligence and security operations; he alone can declare war. He has the power to appoint and dismiss the head of the judiciary, the state radio and television networks, and the commander of the police and military forces. He also appoints six of the twelve members of the Council of Guardians. He is elected by the Assembly of Experts (a congress-like body whose members are elected by public vote to 8 year terms), on the basis of his qualifications and the high popular esteem in which they are held. http://countrystudies.us/iran/81.htm. Based on the constitution the Assembly of Experts is also responsible for supervising the Supreme Leader to perform his legal duties and has the power to dismiss and replace the Supreme Leader at anytime. The Supreme Leader is arguably an elected monarch (see elective monarchy), by the definition of that term. Please see Politics of Iran for more details.

=The President
= According to article 113 of the Constitution "Next to the Supreme Leader, the President of Iran President shall be the highest official State authority, who is responsible for the implementation of the Constitution and, as the Chief Executive, for the exercise of the executive powers, with the exception of those matters that directly relate to the Supreme Leader". According to the law, all presidential candidates must be approved by the Council of Guardians prior to running, after which he is elected by universal suffrage to a four-year term by an absolute majority of votes. After his election, the president appoints and supervises the List of current Iranian officials ''Council of Ministers'' (the cabinet), coordinates government decisions, and selects government policies to be placed before the Parliament. Eight vice presidents serve under the president, as well as a cabinet of twenty-one ministers. The Council of Ministers must be confirmed by Parliament. Unlike many other states, the executive branch in Iran does not control the armed forces. As a part of the cabinet, the president appoints the ministers of intelligence, and defense. Although not required by law, it has been customary practice for Iranian presidents to acquire the explicit approval of the Supreme Leader for these two ministers before announcing them to the Parliament for a vote of confidence.

=The Parliament
= Image:Jalaseh Majles.jpg Majlis_of Iran right|thumb|[[Majlis of Iran|Parliament of The Islamic Republic of Iran..html" title="Meaning of Parliament.html" title="Meaning of right|thumb|[[Majlis of Iran|Parliament">right|thumb|[[Majlis of Iran|Parliament of The Islamic Republic of Iran.">Parliament.html" title="Meaning of right|thumb|[[Majlis of Iran|Parliament">right|thumb|[[Majlis of Iran|Parliament of The Islamic Republic of Iran. The unicameral Majlis of Iran Iranian parliament, the Islamic Consultative Assembly or "Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami", consists of 290 members elected to a four-year term. The members are elected by direct and secret ballot. It drafts legislation, ratifies international treaties, and approves the country's budget. All Member of Parliament MP candidates and all legislation from the assembly must be approved by the Council of Guardians.

=The Assembly of Experts
= The Assembly of Experts, which meets for one week every year, consists of eighty-six "virtuous and learned" clerics elected by the public to eight-year terms. Like presidential and parliamentary elections, the Council of Guardians determines eligibility to run for a seat in this assembly. Members of the Assembly of Experts in turn elect the Supreme Leader. The assembly has never been known to challenge any of the Supreme Leader's decisions, although according to the Iranian constitution it has the authority to remove the Supreme Leader from power at any time.

=The Council of Guardians
= Twelve jurists comprise the Council of Guardians, six of whom are appointed by the Supreme Leader. The head of the judiciary recommends the remaining six, which are officially appointed by Majles Parliament. The Council of Guardians is vested with the authority to interpret the constitution and determines if the laws passed by Parliament are in line with ''sharia'' (Islamic law). Hence the council can exercise veto power over Parliament. If a law passed by Parliament is deemed incompatible with the ''constitution'' or ''sharia'', it is referred back to Parliament for revision. In a controversial excercise of its authority, the Council has drawn upon a narrow interpretation of the Iranian constitution to veto parliamentary candidates. See Council of Guardians.

=The Expediency Council
= The Expediency Discernment Council Expediency Council has the authority to mediate disputes between Parliament and the Council of Guardians, and serves as an advisory body to the Supreme Leader, making it one of the most powerful governing bodies in the country.

=The Judiciary
= {{main|Judicial system of Iran}} The head of the Judiciary is appointed by the Supreme Leader, who in turn appoints the head of the Supreme Court and the chief public prosecutor. Public courts deal with civil and criminal cases. "Revolutionary" courts try certain categories of offenses, including crimes against national security. Decisions rendered in revolutionary courts are final and cannot be appealed. The Special Clerical Court handles crimes allegedly committed by clerics, although it has also taken on cases involving lay people. The rulings of the Special Clerical Court, which functions independently of the regular judicial framework and is accountable only to the Supreme Leader, are also final and cannot be appealed.

=City and Village Councils
= {{main|City and Village Councils of Iran}} Local councils are elected by public vote in all cities and villages throughout Iran to 4 year terms. According to article 7 of the Iranian Constitution, these local councils together with the Parliament are "decision-making and administrative organs of the State". This section of the constitution was not implemented until 1999 when the first ever local council elections where held throughout the country. Councils have many different responsibilities including electing mayors, supervising the activies of municipalities; study of social, cultural, educational, health, economic, and welfare requirements of their constituencies; the planning and coordination of national participation in the implementation of social, economic, constructive , cultural, educational and other welfare affairs, etc.

Provinces
{{main|Provinces of Iran}} Iran consists of 30 provinces: {| border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" align="center" | #Tehran Province Tehran #Qom Province Qom #Markazi #Qazvin Province Qazvin #Gilan #Ardabil Province Ardabil #Zanjan Province Zanjan #East Azarbaijan #West Azarbaijan #Kurdistan Province, Iran Kurdistan #Hamadan Province Hamadan #Kermanshah Province Kermanshah #Ilam Province Ilam #Lorestan #Khuzestan ||

Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari
Kohkiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad
Bushehr Province Bushehr
Fars
Hormozgan
Sistan and Baluchistan
Kerman Province Kerman
Yazd Province Yazd
Esfahan Province Esfahan
Semnan Province Semnan
Mazandaran
Golestan
North Khorasan
Razavi Khorasan
South Khorasan ||Image:IranNumbered.png 300px|Numbered map of provinces |} The islands of Iran are not shown in this picture. They belong to the province of Hormozgan (# 20 on the map).

Geography
{{main|Geography of Iran}} Image:Iran map.png framed|Map of Iran Iran borders Azerbaijan (length of border: 432 km / 268 mi) and Armenia (35 km / 22 mi) to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan (992 km / 616 mi) to the northeast, Pakistan (909 km / 565 mi) and Afghanistan (936 km / 582 mi) to the east, Turkey (499 km / 310 mi) and Iraq (1,458 km / 906 mi) to the west, and finally the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to the south. Iran's total land mass is 1,648,000 kmÂ² / â‰ˆ636,300 miÂ² (Land: 1,636,000 kmÂ² / â‰ˆ631,663 miÂ², Water: 12,000 kmÂ² / â‰ˆ4,633 miÂ²). That is approximately the land mass of Alaska. Image:Damavand in winter.jpg 250px|thumb|left|Mount Damavand is Iran's tallest mountain. Iran's landscape is dominated by rugged mountain ranges that separate various drainage basin basins or plateaus from one another. The populous western part is the most mountainous, with ranges such as the Caucasus Mountains Caucasus, Zagros Mountains Zagros and Alborz Mountains, the latter of which also contains Iran's highest point, the Mount Damavand Damavand at 5,604 metres (18,386 foot (unit of length) ft). The eastern half consists mostly of uninhabited desert basins like the saline Dasht-e Kavir, with the occasional salt lake. The only large plains are found along the coast of the Caspian Sea and at the northern end of the Persian Gulf, where Iran borders on the mouth of the Arvand river (''Shatt al-Arab''). Smaller, discontinuous plains are found along the remaining coast of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman. The Iranian climate is mostly arid or semiarid, though subtropical along the Caspian coast. Iran is considered one of the fifteen states that comprise the so-called "Cradle of Humanity".

Climate
Image:2hezars.jpg thumb|right|Rural houses surrounded by trees in Mazandaran's green forests. Iran's landscape produces several different climates. On the northern edge of the country (the Caspian coastal plain) the temperatures nearly fall below freezing and remain humid for the rest of the year. Summer temperatures rarely exceed 29Â°Celsius C (84Â°Fahrenheit F). Annual precipitation is 680 millimetres (26 inch in) in the eastern part of the plain and more than 1,700 millimetres (75 in) in the western side of the plain. To the west, settlements in the Zagros Mountains basin experience lower temperatures. These areas have severe winters, with average daily temperatures below freezing and have heavy snowfall. The eastern and central basins are arid. They get less than 200 millimetres (8 in) of rain and have occasional desert. The average summer temperatures exceed 38Â°C (100Â°F). The coastal plains of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in southern Iran have mild winters, experience very humid, and hot summers. The annual precipitation ranges from 135 to 355 millimetres (6 to 14 in).

Economy
{{main|Economy of Iran}} Image:1000tomani.jpg Iranian rial thumb|left|300px|The ''[[Iranian rial|Rial'' is Iran's official currency..html" title="Meaning of Rial.html" title="Meaning of thumb|left|300px|The ''[[Iranian rial|Rial">thumb|left|300px|The ''[[Iranian rial|Rial'' is Iran's official currency.">Rial.html" title="Meaning of thumb|left|300px|The ''[[Iranian rial|Rial">thumb|left|300px|The ''[[Iranian rial|Rial'' is Iran's official currency. Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of petroleum oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures. The current administration has continued to follow the market reform plans of the previous one and has indicated that it will pursue diversification of Iran's oil-reliant economy. The Iranian government is attempting to diversify by Investment investing revenues in other areas, including, car manufacturing, aerospace industries, consumer electronics, petrochemicals and nuclear technology. Iran is also hoping to attract billions of dollars worth of foreign investment by creating a more favorable investment climate, such as reduced restrictions and duties on imports and the creation of free-trade zones like in Chabahar and the island of Kish. Modern Iran has a solid middle class and a growing economy but continues to be plagued with high inflation and unemployment. Iranian budget deficits have been a chronic problem, in part due to large-scale state subsidies– totaling some $7.25 billion per year–including foodstuffs and especially gasoline. Image:Elahiyeh.jpg Alborz.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|right|The towering [[Alborz mountains in Tehran rising above modern high rises of the Elahiyeh district..html" title="Meaning of right|The towering [[Alborz">thumb|right|The towering [[Alborz mountains in Tehran rising above modern high rises of the Elahiyeh district.">right|The towering [[Alborz">thumb|right|The towering [[Alborz mountains in Tehran rising above modern high rises of the Elahiyeh district. Iran is OPEC's second largest oil producer and holds 10% of the world's proven oil reserves. It also has the world's second largest natural gas reserves (after Russia). The strong oil market in 1996 helped ease financial pressures on Iran and allowed for Tehran's timely debt service payments. Image:Meydoon sadeghiyeh.jpg left|thumb|A busy commercial street in Tehran. State investment has boosted agriculture with the liberalization of production and the improvement of packaging and marketing helping to develop new export markets. Large-scale irrigation schemes, together with the wider production of export-based agricultural items such as date palm dates, flowers and pistachios, produced the fastest economic growth of any sector in Iran over much of the 1990s. Even though a series of droughts has held back output growth substantially, agriculture remains one of the largest employers. Iran has also developed a biotechnology, nanotechnology and pharmaceuticals industry. Iran's major commercial partners are France, Germany, Italy, Russia, China, Japan and South Korea. Since the late 1990's, Iran has increased its economic cooperation with other developing countries, including Syria, India, Cuba, Venezuela and South Africa. Iran is also expanding its trade ties with Turkey and Pakistan and shares with its partners the common goal for the creation of a single economic market in West and Central Asia.

Demographics
{{main|Demographics of Iran}}

Ethnic groups
Image:Iran peoples.jpg thumb|right|250px|Ethnic groups in Iran The majority of Iran's population speak one of the Iranian languages, though Persian language Persian is the official language. While the number, percentage, and definition of the different Iranian peoples is disputed, the major ethnic groups and Ethnic minorities in Iran minorities in Iran include the Persians (51%), Azeris (24%), Gilaki and Mazandarani (8%), Kurds (7%), Arabs (3%), Baluchistan Baluchi (2%), Lorestan Lurs (2%), Turkmen people (2%), Qashqai, Persian Jews, Armenians, Georgians, Assyrian people Assyrians, Circassians, Tats, and others (1%)http://cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html. The literacy rate in Iran is above 80% and closer to 100% for its younger population. Iran's population size increased dramatically during the latter half of the 20th century to reach 70 million in 2006, although in recent years Iran appears to have taken control of its high population growth rate and many studies show that Iran's population growth rate will continue to decline until it will reach replacement level and stabilize by the year 2050 (100 million). Iran's population density is forty persons per square kilometer. http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/idbsum.pl?cty=IR http://www.un.org/Depts/escap/pop/journal/v10n1a1.htm http://www.payvand.com/news/04/aug/1017.html Iran hosts more than one million foreign refugees (mainly from Afghanistan with some from Iraq), one of the largest figures on Earth earth, and official government policy and social factors aim towards repatriation. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3971711.stm http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48323&SelectRegion=Middle_East&SelectCountry=IRAN http://countrystudies.us/iran/35.htm Inversely, Iran has a diaspora estimated at over three million people who emigrated to North America, Western Europe, and South America, for the most part occurring after the Iranian revolution. Image:Iran ethnoreligious distribution 2004.jpg thumb|right|250px|Map showing ethnic and religious diversity among the population of Iran.

Major Languages
The number of native speakers of Persian language in Iran is estimated around 70 million, (see: Persian people) ( [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=IR Ethnologue] using an obsolete and old information claims that in 1997 there were 22 million native speakers of Persian language spoken in Iran). Because of the spread of broadcast media, central education system, and migration to larger cities nearly all Iranians speak and understand Persian as a native speaker. However, there are other regional languages used mainly as a second language and for informal and non-official verbal communications. Other major languages in Iran are Azeri language Azeri (c. 16.8 million), Kurdish language Kurdish (7.6 million) (Northern, Central, Southern and Laki), Gilaki (3.265 million), Mazandarani (3.265 million), Luri (2.375 million), Turkmen language Turkmen (2 million), Bakhtiari (1 million). Arabic language Arabic (1 million). By and large, speakers of these other languages are fluent in Persian as well, as Persian is the lingua franca of the country.

Religion
Most Iranians are Muslims; 90% belong to the Shi'a Islam Shi'a branch of Islam, the official state religion, and about 9% belong to the Sunni Islam Sunni branch (many of whom are Kurds). The remainder consists of non-Muslim Religious minorities in Iran religious minorities, mainly BahÃ¡'Ã Faith BahÃ¡'Ãs, Mandeans, Zoroastrianism Zoroastrians, Persian Jews Jews and Christians in Iran Christians.http://cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html The latter three minority religions are officially recognized and have reserved seats in the ''Majles'' (Parliament), and are officially protected religions. In contrast, the BahÃ¡'Ã Faith, the largest religious minority in Iran, is not officially recognized, and has been persecuted during its existence in Iran. Since the 1979 revolution the persecution has increased with executions and the denial of access to higher education. More recent persecution towards BahÃ¡'Ãs has led to the United Nations Special Rapporteur of the United Nations United Nations Commission on Human Rights Commission on Human Rights stating on March 20, 2006 that "The Special Rapporteur is concerned that this latest development indicates that the situation with regard to religious minorities in Iran is, in fact, deteriorating." http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/5E72D6B7B624AABBC125713700572D09?opendocument ''See also persecution of BahÃ¡'Ãs and religious minorities in Iran for more information.''

Major cities
Iran's eight largest cities (as of 2006 2006 populations, unless otherwise noted) are as follows (non-metropolitan estimates): http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1139346236&geo=-106&men=gcis&lng=en Image:Elahieh view.jpg|'''Tehran''': 7,160,094 Image:Mashad masjed khiyaboon.jpg|'''Mashad''': 2,837,734 Image:40sotoon.jpg|'''Esfahan (city) Isfahan''': 1,573,378 Image:Poets tomb tabriz.jpg|'''Tabriz''': 1,523,085 Image:Karaj-top.jpg|'''Karaj''': 1,460,961 Image:Hafez_tomb.jpg|'''Shiraz, Iran Shiraz''': 1,279,140 Image:GonbadSabz.jpg|'''Qom''': 1,046,578 Image:Ahvaz-karun.jpg|'''Ahvaz''': 841,145

Culture
{{main|Culture of Iran}} Iran has a long history of art, music, architecture, poetry, philosophy, traditions, and ideology. Many Iranians believe their culture to be the one and only reason why their civilization has continuously survived thousands of years of turmoil. Image:Mehmooni2.jpg focal point.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|right|''Farhang'' ("culture") has always been the [[focal point of Iranian civilization. Most Iranians consider themselves the proud Cultural heritage inheritors and guardians of an ancient and sophisticated culture..html" title="Meaning of right|''Farhang'' ("culture") has always been the [[focal point">thumb|right|''Farhang'' ("culture") has always been the [[focal point of Iranian civilization. Most Iranians consider themselves the proud Cultural heritage inheritors and guardians of an ancient and sophisticated culture.">right|''Farhang'' ("culture") has always been the [[focal point">thumb|right|''Farhang'' ("culture") has always been the [[focal point of Iranian civilization. Most Iranians consider themselves the proud Cultural heritage inheritors and guardians of an ancient and sophisticated culture. Ú©Ù‡ Ø§ÛŒØ±Ø§Ù† Ø¨Ù‡Ø´Øª Ø§Ø³Øª ÛŒØ§ Ø¨ÙˆØ³ØªØ§Ù†
Ù‡Ù…ÛŒ Ø¨ÙˆÛŒ Ù…Ø´Ú© Ø¢ÛŒØ¯ Ø§Ø² Ø¯ÙˆØ³ØªØ§Ù† ''"Whether one thinks of Iran as Garden of Eden Eden or Persian Garden Garden,''
''The smell of musk abounds there from friend and companion."''
--''Firdawsi'' Ù‡Ù…Ù‡ Ø¹Ø§Ù„Ù… ØªÙ† Ø§Ø³Øª Ùˆ Ø§ÛŒØ±Ø§Ù† Ø¯Ù„
Ù†ÛŒØ³Øª Ú¯ÙˆÛŒÙ†Ø¯Ù‡ Ø²ÛŒÙ† Ù‚ÛŒØ§Ø³ Ø®Ø¬Ù„ "''Iran is The Heart and all the universe The Body,''
''Of this claim, the poet feels no regret or humility."''
--''Nizami'' Persian literature is also highly regarded by both native Persians and foreign scholars. The Persian language being used for over 2,500 years has left distinct marks in the history of the written word. Because of such poets as Hafez, Molavi(Rumi), Omar Khayyam, and Ferdowsi, Iranian poetry has received world-wide attention for their beautiful poems and songs. With 300 international awards in the past twenty-five years, films from Iran continue to be celebrated worldwide. Perhaps the best known director is Abbas Kiarostami. All media in Iran are controlled directly or indirectly by the state and must be approved by the Ministry of Islamic Guidance. This includes the Internet, which has become an expanding means to accessing information and self-expression among the younger population. Iran is now the world's fourth largest country of bloggers. The quest for social justice and equity is an important Iranian cultural trait. Respect for the elderly and hospitality for foreigners are also integral an part of Iranian etiquette. The Iranian new year (Norouz) is celebrated on March 21, the first day of spring (season) spring. Norouz was nominated as one of UNESCO's Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2004. http://www.payvand.com/news/04/jul/1090.html In her book, ''New Food of Life'', Najmieh Batmanglij writes that ''"Cuisine of Iran Iranian food has much in common with the other cuisines of the Middle East, but is often considered to be the most sophisticated and imaginative of them all, as colorful and complex as a Persian carpet."''

Miscellaneous topics
{{portal}} {{Iran-related topics}}

Notes and references

Additional references and bibliography can be found in the more detailed articles linked to in this article.

External links

Official Government Links
The following websites belong to the various branches of government, or are directly operated by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
- Official site of the Supreme Leader, [http://www.wilayah.org/ (Qom office)]
- Presidency of the Islamic Republic of Iran - Official website.
- The Council of Guardians, Official website.
- The Majlis, Iran's parliament. [http://www.majlis.ir/ (2)].
- The Judiciary of The Islamic Republic of Iran
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance
- Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces
- Secretariat of The High Council of Iran Free Trade Industrial Zones
- Secretariat of The High Council of The Cultural Revolution
- Official Spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran
- Islamic Republic of Iran Atomic Energy Organization
- Islamic Republic of Iran Cultural Heritage Organization
- Islamic Republic of Iran Red Crescent Society
- Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, official website.

Other links
{{sisterlinks|Iran}} * {{wikitravel}}
- English Translation of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran
- Slideshows: Iran, from Damavand to Ispahan
- Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies (CAIS)
- CIA World Factbook - ''Iran''
- Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding Iran
- U.S. State Department - ''Iran'' includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports
- Open Directory Project - ''Iran'' directory category
- List of alleged weapons * List of [http://www.irpedia.com/iran/touristinfo.php?ID=1203 Iranian High Commissions, embassies and consulates] around the world.
- Farhangsara.com - an independently-produced Iran encyclopedia ; Iran News Sites
- News from Iran Blog Channel 4 News.
- Country Briefings: Iran Economist.com country briefings and news articles.
- Directory of Iranian online newspapers Gooya.com
- Iran News HavenWorks.com news portal on Iran.
- Governing Iran PBS NewsHour special on Iranian politics.
- Yahoo! News Full Coverage ''Iran'' Yahoo headline links {{Middle East}} {{Asia}} Category:Persian Gulf states Category:Iran Category:Near Eastern countries hr:Iran ar:Ø¥ÙŠØ±Ø§Ù† an:IrÃ¡n ast:IrÃ¡n az:Ä°ran zh-min-nan:Iran ca:Iran cs:Ã?rÃ¡n cy:Iran da:Iran de:Iran et:Iraan el:Î™Ï?Î¬Î½ es:IrÃ¡n eo:Irano eu:Iran fa:Ø§ÛŒØ±Ø§Ù† fr:Iran gl:IrÃ¡n - Ø§ÛŒØ±Ø§Ù† ko:ì?´ëž€ hy:Ô»Ö€Õ¡Õ¶ hi:à¤ˆà¤°à¤¾à¤¨ io:Iran id:Iran is:Ã?ran it:Iran he:×?×™×¨×?×Ÿ ka:áƒ˜áƒ áƒ?áƒœáƒ˜ ku:ÃŽran lv:IrÄ?na lt:Iranas li:Iraan hu:IrÃ¡n ms:Iran na:Iran nl:Iran nds:Iran ja:ã‚¤ãƒ©ãƒ³ no:Iran nn:Iran oc:Iran pl:Iran pt:IrÃ£o ro:Iran ru:Ð˜Ñ€Ð°Ð½ sh:Iran scn:Iran simple:Iran sk:IrÃ¡n sl:Iran sr:Ð˜Ñ€Ð°Ð½ fi:Iran sv:Iran tl:Iran ta:à®ˆà®°à®¾à®©à¯? th:à¸›à¸£à¸°à¹€à¸—à¸¨à¸à¸´à¸«à¸£à¹ˆà¸²à¸™ tr:Ä°ran uk:Ð†Ñ€Ð°Ð½ ur:Ø§ÛŒØ±Ø§Ù† zh:ä¼Šæœ— {{sisterlinkswp|Category:Iran}} {{catmore}} Category:Southwest Asian countries Category:Middle Eastern countries Category:Persian Gulf states ar:ØªØµÙ†ÙŠÙ?:Ø¥ÙŠØ±Ø§Ù† az:Category:Ä°ran bg:ÐšÐ°Ñ‚ÐµÐ³Ð¾Ñ€Ð¸Ñ?:Ð˜Ñ€Ð°Ð½ ca:Categoria:Iran cs:Kategorie:Ã?rÃ¡n da:Kategori:Iran de:Kategorie:Iran et:Kategooria:Iraan es:CategorÃa:IrÃ¡n eo:Kategorio:Irano fa:Category:Ø§ÛŒØ±Ø§Ù† fr:CatÃ©gorie:Iran gl:Category:IrÃ¡n ko:ë¶„ë¥˜:ì?´ëž€ hr:Kategorija:Iran io:Category:Iran id:Kategori:Iran is:Flokkur:Ã?ran it:Categoria:Iran he:×§×˜×’×•×¨×™×”:×?×™×¨×?×Ÿ ka:áƒ™áƒ?áƒ¢áƒ”áƒ’áƒ?áƒ áƒ˜áƒ?:áƒ˜áƒ áƒ?áƒœáƒ˜ lb:Category:Iran lt:Kategorija:Iranas hu:KategÃ³ria:IrÃ¡n na:Category:Iran nl:Categorie:Iran nds:Kategorie:Iran ja:Category:ã‚¤ãƒ©ãƒ³ no:Kategori:Iran nn:Kategori:Iran os:ÐšÐ°Ñ‚ÐµÐ³Ð¾Ñ€Ð¸:Ð˜Ñ€Ð°Ð½ pl:Kategoria:Iran pt:Categoria:IrÃ£o ro:Categorie:Iran ru:ÐšÐ°Ñ‚ÐµÐ³Ð¾Ñ€Ð¸Ñ?:Ð˜Ñ€Ð°Ð½ simple:Category:Iran sk:KategÃ³ria:IrÃ¡n sl:Category:Iran sr:ÐšÐ°Ñ‚ÐµÐ³Ð¾Ñ€Ð¸Ñ˜Ð°:Ð˜Ñ€Ð°Ð½ fi:Luokka:Iran sv:Kategori:Iran th:Category:à¸›à¸£à¸°à¹€à¸—à¸¨à¸à¸´à¸«à¸£à¹ˆà¸²à¸™ tr:Kategori:Ä°ran uk:ÐšÐ°Ñ‚ÐµÐ³Ð¾Ñ€Ñ–Ñ?:Ð†Ñ€Ð°Ð½ zh:Category:ä¼Šæœ— {{browsebar}}
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