Dezful

Dezful is a significant city located in the Khuzestan province of Iran. It serves as the capital for both the Dezful County and the Central District. The city sits at an altitude of 143 meters. It is positioned at the foot of the Zagros Mountains. Geographically, it is 650 kilometers from Tehran, the national capital. It is also 155 kilometers from Ahvaz, the provincial capital. The city is 300 kilometers away from the Persian Gulf.

The history of this region is incredibly deep. Civilizations have inhabited the area around Dezful for 5,000 years. Archaeologists, such as the German historian Walther Hinz, have performed excavations in the area. Hinz suggested that Awan, the capital of the first Elam dynasty, was located here. The city's name is closely tied to its ancient structures. It likely comes from the Persian words *dej*, meaning fortress, and *pul*, meaning bridge. This suggests the name originally meant "fortified bridge" or "the bridge to the fortress." This name was originally Dezhpul. After the Muslim conquest of Persia, the name changed to Dezful. This occurred because the Arabic language lacks the "p" and "zh" sounds.

One of the most important historical features is the bridge over the Āb-e Dez river. It is believed that Shapur II of the Sasanian era constructed a bridge there. The Sasanians also built a nearby fortress to protect the crossing. While the upper parts of the bridge were rebuilt with bricks during the Saljuq and Qajar periods, the stone foundation remains visible. In the 14th century, the writer Ḥamd-Allāh Mostāwfī described the bridge's specific dimensions. He noted it was 520 paces long and 15 paces wide. He also recorded that it featured forty-two arches.

The climate in Dezful is classified as hot semi-arid, known as BSh in the Köppen system. This means the region experiences extremely hot summers and mild winters. Rainfall is higher here than in most of southern Iran. However, almost all rain falls between November and April. This precipitation sometimes includes thunderstorms. Dust is a frequent occurrence, especially during the summer months. Snowfall is a very rare event for this area. However, the city witnessed snowfall for the first time in 2020.

Dezful has a diverse economy based on agriculture and skilled artisan work. Sugarcane has been cultivated in the region for more than a thousand years. Today, a modern sugar refinery near Haft Tappa can process over 300 tons. Other important crops include wheat, barley, maize, sesame, and alfalfa. Sheep are the most important type of livestock in the area. The city is also famous for its reed pens. These pens have been produced for 300 years and are considered the finest in the world. They are exported to many cities in Iran and even to countries like China and Turkey.

Artisans in Dezful are also known for their metalwork, specifically a craft called *varshoosazi*. This involves crafting items from a metal known as nickel silver or German silver. This metal was historically imported from Germany, specifically from Poland. Because of this connection, artisans named the metal *varsho*, after the city of Warsaw. This craft reached its height during the late Qajar and Pahlavi eras. Many local people even took the surname Varshoochi because of this profession. Artisans also create handmade wooden tools, such as candlesticks and salt shakers.

The people of the city are known as Dezfuli, Dezfoolian, or Dezfulian. They speak the Dezfuli dialect, which belongs to the Southwest Iranian language group. This dialect is distinct from standard Persian in its vocabulary and pronunciation. The most notable differences are found in the structure of verbs. They also speak Shushtari, which is sometimes considered one of the most archaic dialects on the Iranian plateau. Historically, the city was also home to a Mandaean community for many centuries.

Dezful is a growing urban center with a significant population. The 2006 census recorded 228,507 people living in 55,711 households. By 2011, the population grew to 248,380 people. The 2016 census measured the population at 264,709 people across 78,348 households. The city is a hub for higher education in Khuzestan. It hosts several institutions, including the Dezful University of Medical Sciences. Other schools include Jundi-Shapur University of Technology and Payame Noor University. These institutions contribute to the academic and cultural richness of the region.