Iran

Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a major country in West Asia.

It is also known as Persia. The nation is geographically large, ranking 17th in the world for both size and population. More than 92 million people live across its 31 provinces. Tehran serves as the capital city, the largest urban center, and the financial heart of the nation. Iran shares borders with many neighbors. Iraq lies to the west. To the northwest, it meets Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. The Caspian Sea sits to the north. To the northeast is Turkmenistan. Afghanistan is to the east, and Pakistan is to the southeast. To the south, the land reaches the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.

The territory of Iran holds one of the world's oldest continuous major civilizations. Human presence in the region dates back very far. Hominins lived in the Zagros Mountains around 800,000 years ago. Agriculture began appearing about 12,000 years ago. At the Chogha Golan site, people domesticated emmer wheat. Around 10,000 years ago, the Ganj Dareh site showed the early domestication of goats.

Ancient urban life also took root early. The city of Susa was settled between 4400 and 4200 BC. This area saw early developments in writing, religion, and administration.

Many powerful empires shaped the history of this land. The Medes first unified the territory in the 7th century BC. Later, Cyrus the Great founded the Achaemenid Empire in the 6th century BC.

This was the largest Iranian state ever recorded. Alexander the Great eventually conquered this empire in the 4th century BC. Following his rule, the Parthian Empire was established through an Iranian rebellion. The Parthians were later succeeded by the Sasanian Empire in the 3rd century AD. The Sasanians oversaw a golden age and used a centralized government bureaucracy. They also revitalized Zoroastrianism as a unifying ideal.

Religious and cultural shifts changed the region significantly over time. Following the 7th century Muslim conquest, Iran underwent Islamization. Most Iranians eventually converted to Islam. This era led to the Islamic Golden Age. During this time, Iranian Muslim dynasties revived the Persian language. They also made great progress in mathematics, medicine, and astronomy. Later, the Safavid dynasty re-established a unified state in the 16th century. They made Twelver Shia Islam the official religion. This established the framework for the modern state of Iran.

The 20th century brought many political changes and conflicts. The Pahlavi dynasty was established by Reza Shah in 1925. In 1953, an Anglo-American coup occurred after Mohammad Mosaddegh tried to nationalize the oil industry. The Iranian Revolution of 1979 overthrew the monarchy. This led to the creation of the Islamic Republic of Iran under Ruhollah Khomeini. The country later faced the eight-year Iran–Iraq War starting in 1980. More recently, the nation has faced significant tension. In June 2025, Israeli strikes led to the Twelve-Day War. Following these strikes, the United States and Israel launched a major attack in February 2026. These events led to the death of Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, became the new supreme leader in March 2026.

Today, Iran is a theocratic Islamic republic. This means the government is a religious state. It is governed by both elected and unelected institutions. The supreme leader holds the ultimate authority. While the country holds elections, the head of state and military leaders are not elected by the public. The government is considered an authoritarian regime. International observers have criticized its human rights record. They have noted restrictions on the press and freedom of expression. There are also concerns regarding the treatment of women and ethnic minorities. The Guardian Council, an unelected body, vets candidates for elections.

Iran is also a significant global middle power. This status comes from its massive natural resources. It holds the world's second largest supply of natural gas. It also has the third largest proven oil reserves. Its location is also geopolitically important. Iran is a focal point of Shia Islam. The country also has a highly scrutinized nuclear program. While Iran claims its program is for civilian use, the IAEA has found it non-compliant with safeguards twice. Culturally, Iran is very rich. It has 29 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

This is the 10th-highest number in the world. It also ranks 4th in intangible cultural heritage.