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| Irán | |
|---|---|
| Conventional long name | Islamic Republic of Irán |
| Common name | Irán |
| Capital | Tehran |
| Largest city | Tehran |
| Official languages | Persian |
| Government type | Islamic Republic |
| Area km2 | 1648195 |
| Population estimate | 86000000 |
| Currency | Rial |
| Calling code | +98 |
Irán is a country in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea with a history that spans ancient empires, Islamic caliphates, dynastic states and a 20th-century revolution. Its territory includes the Zagros Mountains, Alborz Mountains and extensive Central Asian-adjacent plateaus, and its population reflects diverse ethnic, linguistic and religious traditions connected to figures and institutions across Eurasia.
The name derives from the Old Persian term connected to the Aryans and appears in classical sources like Herodotus and inscriptions of the Achaemenid Empire, including those of Darius I and Xerxes I. Medieval and modern exonyms such as Persia were used by Herat chroniclers and European travelers including Marco Polo and diplomatic missions such as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company delegations; the shift to the native term in the 20th century paralleled reforms under Reza Shah Pahlavi and later declarations by the United Nations and foreign ministries.
Ancient history saw the rise of the Elamite civilization, the Median Empire, and the Achaemenid Empire founded by Cyrus the Great, whose tomb at Pasargadae and the palaces of Persepolis testify to imperial administration and contact with the Greeks during the Greco-Persian Wars. The Parthian Empire and Sasanian Empire contested boundaries with the Roman Empire and later the Byzantine Empire, until the Arab conquests brought the region into the orbit of the Rashidun Caliphate and the Umayyad Caliphate with cultural florescence under the Abbasid Caliphate and scholars such as Al-Razi and Avicenna.
Medieval dynasties like the Samanids, Seljuks, and Safavids shaped language and religious identity, with the Safavid establishment of Twelver Shi'a Islam and cultural production exemplified by poets such as Ferdowsi, Hafez, and Rumi. The Qajar dynasty faced interventions by Russian Empire and British Empire forces, culminating in concessions like those to the Anglo-Persian Oil Company and the Constitutional Revolution that produced a Persian Constitutional Revolution parliament influenced by figures like Mirza Kuchak Khan.
20th-century events include the 1921 coup by Reza Khan leading to the Pahlavi dynasty, the 1953 coup d'état involving Mohammad Mosaddegh and the United Kingdom and United States intelligence services, nationalization of oil under the Nationalization of the Iranian Oil Industry movement, the 1979 revolution led by Ruhollah Khomeini, the establishment of the Islamic Republic and the Iran hostage crisis with United States diplomatic fallout. The 1980–1988 Iran–Iraq War under Saddam Hussein and post-war reconstruction shaped subsequent politics, including nuclear program developments involving the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and negotiations with the P5+1 and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
The country occupies the Iranian Plateau, bordered by Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Major physical features include the Zagros Mountains, Alborz Mountains with Mount Damavand, the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut deserts, and coastlines on the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Climate zones range from arid deserts to subtropical coasts, affecting biodiversity in regions like Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests and riparian zones along the Karun River and wetlands such as Hawizeh Marshes. Environmental challenges include water scarcity, desertification, seismic activity along the Alborz and Zagros fault systems, and urban air pollution in cities like Tehran.
The political structure centers on institutions such as the Assembly of Experts, the Expediency Discernment Council, the Guardian Council, and a presidency held by figures who have included Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The supreme leadership established after the 1979 revolution has been occupied by clerics including Ruhollah Khomeini and Ali Khamenei. Electoral politics involve parties and movements linked to personalities like Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mohammad Khatami, while domestic policy debates engage institutions such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Law Enforcement Force.
Natural resources include large hydrocarbon reserves exploited by companies such as the National Iranian Oil Company and the National Iranian Gas Company, with export routes historically influenced by ports like Bandar Abbas and pipelines crossing to Turkey and Pakistan. Industrial centers in Isfahan and Tabriz produce steel and carpets, and agricultural products include pistachios, saffron and caviar from the Caspian Sea. Economic policy has been shaped by sanctions from entities including the United States Department of the Treasury and international bodies, negotiations over nuclear activity with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and development projects involving multilateral banks and regional organizations like the Economic Cooperation Organization.
Population centers include Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, and Shiraz, with ethnic groups such as Persians, Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Lurs, Balochs, Armenians and Assyrians. Languages used in media and literature include Persian, Azerbaijani, Kurdish, and Balochi. Urbanization, migration, youth demographics and social movements—evident in protests influenced by events like the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests and demonstrations after the death of Mahsa Amini—affect public life. Healthcare systems interact with institutions such as Tehran University of Medical Sciences and pharmaceutical producers, while education involves universities including University of Tehran and technical institutes.
Cultural heritage includes classical poets Ferdowsi, Hafez, Saadi, and Omar Khayyam; thinkers like Avicenna and Al-Farabi; and visual traditions in Persian miniature and tilework found at sites like Naqsh-e Jahan Square. Religious life is dominated by Twelver Shi'a Islam, with minority communities following Sunni Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, and the Bahá'í Faith. Festivals include Nowruz and observances such as Ashura, and contemporary culture spans cinema with directors like Abbas Kiarostami and Asghar Farhadi, music influenced by classical and folk traditions, and architecture from Persepolis to modern projects.
Foreign policy has navigated relations with neighbors like Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, strategic waterways like the Strait of Hormuz, and wider diplomacy with the European Union, Russia, and China. Military institutions include the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian Army, and procurement and regional alignments have involved proxies and allies in theaters such as Syria and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Nuclear negotiations, sanctions, and incidents in the Persian Gulf have involved international actors including the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Category:Countries in Asia