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{{Infobox Country or territory
|native_name = <span style="line-height:1.33em;"><big>جمهوری اسلامی ايران</big><br>''Jomhūrī-ye Eslāmī-ye Īrān''</span>
|conventional_long_name = Islamic Republic of Iran
|common_name = Iran
|image_flag = Flag of Iran.svg
|image_coat = Coat of arms of Iran.svg
|symbol_type = Emblem
|image_map = LocationIran01.png
|official_religion = ]
|national_motto = ''Esteqlāl, āzādī, jomhūrī-ye eslāmī''&nbsp;&nbsp;<small>(])<br/>"Independence, freedom, (the) Islamic Republic"</small>
|national_anthem = ]
|capital = ]
|latd=35 |latm=40 |latNS=N |longd=44 |longm=26 |longEW=E
|official_languages = ]
|government_type = ]
|leader_title1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_name2 = ]
|largest_city = Tehran
|sovereignty_type = ]
|sovereignty_note = 550 BCE ] overthrows ] overlords and establishes ]
|established_event1 = ]
|established_date1 = <br/>] ]
|area = 1,648,195
|areami² = 636,372 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|area_rank = 18th
|area_magnitude = 1 E12
|percent_water = 0.7
|population_estimate = 68,467,413<ref name="pop_est">{{cite web |url=http://www.sci.org.ir/Englishold/SEL/j-shvro-84.htm |title="Selected Statistical Information" |first=Government of Iran |last=Statistical Centre |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref>
|population_estimate_year = 2005
|population_estimate_rank = 17th
|population_density = 42
|population_densitymi² = 109 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|population_density_rank = 158th
|population_census = 60,055,488 <ref name="pop_cen">{{cite web |url=http://www.sci.org.ir/Englishold/SEL/F2/S2_16S.htm |title="Population by Religion and Ostan, 1375 Census (1996 CE)" |first=Government of Iran |last=Statistical Centre |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref>
|population_census_year = 1996
|GDP_PPP = $561.6 billion
|GDP_PPP_rank = 19th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2005
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $8,300
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 71th
|HDI_year = 2006
|HDI = 0.746
|HDI_rank = 96th
|HDI_category = <font color="#FFCC00">medium</font>
|currency = ] (<big>ريال</big>)
|currency_code = IRR
|time_zone =
|utc_offset = +3.30
|time_zone_DST = ''not observed''
|utc_offset_DST = +3.30
|cctld = ]
|calling_code = 98
|footnotes =
}}
'''{{audio|Iran.ogg|Iran}}''' ({{PerB|ايران}}, ''Īrān'', officially the '''Islamic Republic of Iran''' ({{PerB|جمهوری اسلامی ايران}} ]: ''Jomhūrī-ye Eslāmī-ye Īrān''), is a country located in west Asia, once known as ] to the Western world. Iran borders ], ] (including its ] ]), and ] to the north, ] and ] to the east, and ] and ] to the west. In addition, it borders the ], across which lie ], ], ], ], ], ], and the ]. ] is the official state religion and ] is its official language.

Throughout history, Iran has been of great ] importance because of its central location in ]. Iran is a member and co-founder of the ], ], the ], and ]. Iran is also significant in ] on account of its large ] of ]. The name Iran is a ] of ] and literally means "Land of the Aryans."<ref name="nvtc">{{cite web| url=http://www.nvtc.gov/lotw/months/february/indoIranianBranch.html| title="The Indo-Iranian Branch of the Indo-European Language Family"| first=Government of the U.S.A.| last=National Virtual Translation Center| accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref>

==Name==
], ]200 BCE. In antiquity, the names Ariana (Āryānā) and Persis were used to describe the region where modern-day Iran is found.]]
{{main|Iran naming dispute}}
In former ages, the names Āryānā and Persis were used to describe the region which is today known as the ]. The earliest Iranian reference to the word (airya/arya/aryana etc), however, predates the Iranian prophet ] (est. anywhere between 1200 to 1800 ], according to Greek sources, as early as 6000 BCE<ref> http://www.zarathushtra.com/z/life/time.htm</ref><ref> http://us.geocities.com/okar_review/history.html</ref> and is attested in non-]]; it appears as ''airya'', meaning noble/spiritual/elevated; as ''airya dainhava'' (Yt.8.36, 52) meaning the land of the Aryans; and as '']'', the original land of the Aryans.

During the ] dynasty (550-330 BCE), the ] called their provincial homeland ''Pārsa'', the ] name for ]'s kingdom which belonged to the Persian tribe of the ] branch of the ]s and which can still be found in the term ''Pars'' or ] as part of the heartland of Iran and for example in the map by ] and other historical or modern maps.

] showing ] of Persia (521-486 BC).]]
However, the country as a whole was called ''Aryanam''. The word ''Ariya'', noble/spiritual/elevated, is attested in the Inscriptions of ] and his son, ]; it is used both as a linguistic and a racial designation as Darius refers to this at the ] (DBiv.89), which is written in ]/''airyan'', also ], the son of ], continued the expansion of The Persian Empire]] known as ]. Both Darius and Xerxes state in ] (DNa.14), ] (DSe.13), and ] (XPh.13):

''Adam Pārsa, Pārsahyā puça; Ariya, Ariya ciça...''<br/>
"I am Persian, son of a Persian; an ], having ]."


In ] times (248 BCE &ndash; 224 ]), Aryanam was modified to ''Aryan''. In the early ] Period (224–651 CE), it had already evolved to ] ''Ērān'' or ''Ērān Shahr'' which finally resulted in ] ''Iran'' or ''Iran Shahr''.

At the time of the Achaemenid empire, the Greeks called the country ''Persis'', the Greek name for Pars (Fars), the central region where the empire was founded; this passed into Latin and became ''Persia'', the name widely used in Western countries which causes confusion as Persia is actually Pars (Fars) province.<ref name="bartleby">{{cite web |url=http://www.bartleby.com/61/99/A0449900.html |title="Aryan" |first=Bartleby.com |last=American Heritage Dictionary (Fourth Edition |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref><ref name="nvtc">{{cite web |url=http://www.nvtc.gov/lotw/months/february/indoIranianBranch.html |title="The Indo-Iranian Branch of the Indo-European Language Family" |first=Government of the U.S.A. |last=National Virtual Translation Center |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref><ref name="wisconsin">{{cite web |url=http://imp.lss.wisc.edu/~aoliai/languagepage/iranianlanguages.htm |title="Iranian Languages" |first=University of Wisconsin |last=Department of Languages and Cultures of Asia |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref>

In the ], ] arose over whether Iran or Persia is the correct name for the country. On ] ], the ruler of the country, ], issued a decree asking foreign delegates to use the term ''Iran'' in formal correspondence in accordance with the fact that "Persia" was a term used for a country called "Iran" in Persian. Opponents claimed that this act brought cultural damage to the country and separated Iran from its past in the West. The ] led to the establishment of the present day ] that is officially called the '']'', but the ] ''Persia'' and the ] ''Persian'' are still commonly used.

==History==
{{main|History of Iran}}
===Early history and the Median and Achaemenid Empires===
] was the founder of the Persian Empire and the first ] of Iran.]]
] (648–330 BCE) at its greatest extent.]]
Iran has been inhabited by ] since ] times and recent discoveries have begun to shed light upon what ancient culture was like in Iran, centuries before the earliest civilizations arose in nearby ].<ref name="Iranian pottery in the Oriental Institute">{{cite web |url=http://oi.uchicago.edu/OI/MUS/VOL/NN_SUM94/NN_Sum94.html |title="Iranian Pottery" |first=University of Chicago |last=Oriental Institute |accessdate=2006-04-29}}</ref>


The written history of Persia (Iran) begins in about 3200 BCE with the ] civilization, followed by the ]s. The arrival of the ] (]), and the establishing of the ] culminated in the first ], the ] (648–330 BCE), founded by ].

] created the ], considered to be the first declaration of human rights. He was the first king whose name was suffixed with the word "Great" and the first ] of Iran to be properly called. Cyrus' seminal ideas greatly influenced later human civilizations; as shown in this documentary movieclip,
Cyrus' principles of ruling &ndash; advocating "''love''" rather than "''fear''" &ndash; has influenced the current ].(movieclip 11:23 "In Search of Cyrus the Great")<ref name="In Search of Cyrus the Great">{{cite web |url=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5468494210860637483&q=Cyrus+The+Great&hl=en |title="In Search of Cyrus the Great"}}</ref>

After Cyrus' death, his son Cambyses ruled for eight years (530-522 BC) and continued his father's work of conquest, making significant gains in Egypt. A power struggle followed Cambyses' death and, despite his tenuous connection to the royal line, Darius was declared king (ruled 522-486 BC). He was to be arguably the greatest of the ancient Persian rulers.

] construction 'Takht-e Jamshid' located in Shiraz, Iran.]]
]' ] lies in the ruins of ], now a ] ].]]
]' first capital was at ], and he started the building programme at ]. He built a canal between the ] and the ], a forerunner of the modern ]. He improved the extensive ] system, and it is during his reign that mention is first made of the ] (shown on map), a great highway stretching all the way from Susa to Sardis with posting stations at regular intervals.

Major reforms took place under Darius. ], in the form of the ''daric'' (gold coin) and the ''shekel'' (silver coin) was introduced to the world and administrative efficiency was increased. The ] language appears in royal inscriptions, written in a specially adapted version of ].(Movieclip, "Persepolis Recreated" 41:14) <ref>http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6441223490216307140&q=persepolis</ref>.

Under ] and ], the Persian Empire eventually became the largest and most powerful empire in human history up until that point, ruling and administrating over most of the then known world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/PERSIANS.HTM |title=The Persians |year=1996 |first=Richard |last=Hooker |accessdate=2006-08-20}}</ref>

], also known in the ] ] '']'' as "the accursed Alexander" (due to his conquest of the ] and the destruction of its cities, including the capital ]), conquered Persia in 333 BCE only to be followed shortly by two more vast and unified Persian empires that shaped the pre-Islamic identity of Iran and ]: the ] (250 BCE &ndash; 226 CE) and ] (226-650 CE) dynasties. The latter dynasties also defeated the Roman empire at the height of its power on several occasions.

The ], connecting Persia with China was significant not only for the development and flowering of the great civilizations of ], ], ], ], ] and ] but also helped to lay the foundations of our modern world.

===A new Iranian Empire: Parthian Empire===
] citadel, built before 500 BC.]]
] was led by the ], who reunited and ruled over the Iranian plateau, taking over the eastern provinces of the ] ], beginning in the late ] ], and intermittently controlled ] between ca 150 BCE and 224 ]. It was the second native dynasty of ancient Iran (]). Parthia (mostly due to their invention of ]) was the arch-enemy of the ] in the east; and it limited Rome's expansion beyond ] (central ]).

The Parthian armies included two types of ]: the heavily-armed and armoured ]s and lightly armed but highly-mobile ]. For the Romans, who relied on heavy ], the Parthians were too hard to defeat, as both types of cavalry were much faster and more mobile than foot soldiers. On the other hand, the Parthians found it difficult to occupy conquered areas as they were unskilled in ]. Because of these weaknesses, neither the Romans nor the Parthians were able to completely ] each other.

The Parthian empire lasted five centuries, longer than most Eastern Empires. The end of this long lasted empire came in 224 CE, when the empire was loosely organized and the last king was defeated by one of the empire's vassals, the Persians of the ] dynasty.

===Zoroastrianism and Second Persian Empire: Sassanid Empire===
] (Old Persian: ''Parsa'; New Persian: ''Takht-e Jamshid'').]]
] in 602-629 AD (green) and areas under Sassanid military control (striped).]]
Before the Islamic conquest of Persia, ] was the national religion of the ] Empire of Persia, and played an important role in the earlier ] and ] dynasties. The Iranian ] ] is considered by numerous scholars as the founder of the earliest religion based on revealed scripture. Many scholars point out that ] and subsequently, ] and ] have borrowed from ] in regards to the concepts of ], ] and ], as well as the fallen angel Satan, as the ultimate agent of evil; others insist it might have been a process of mutual influencing. Zoroastrian monotheism has had major influence on the religions of the middle eastern monotheisms in adaptations of such concepts as heavens, hells, judgment day and messianic figures. These concepts amongst many others, reflect the extreme ] of Persian culture which has influenced ] and ]. According to Professor ], who was the world's leading doyenne of ] studies and ], Zoroastrianism is the oldest of the revealed credal religions, and it has probably had more influence on mankind, directly and indirectly, than any other single faith. Nonetheless, claims of Zoroastrianism influencing ancient Jewish (and subsequent Christian) thought are disputed by other scholars or explained by the mutual influencing phenomenon.

Despite its heavy persecution of Christians during the ], ] Zoroastrian Iran became a haven for ]s fleeing Christian territories that supported the ]. As a result, the ] was formed.

], the first king ] started reforming the country both economically and militarily. The empire's territory encompassed all of today's Iran, ], ], ], eastern parts of ], and parts of ], ], ], ] and ]. During ]'s rule in 590-628, ], ], ] and ] were also annexed to the Empire. The Sassanians called their empire ''Erānshahr'' (or ''Iranshæhr'', "Dominion of the Aryans", i.e. of ]).<ref>Garthwaite, Gene R., ''The Persians'', p. 2</ref>

An interesting chapter of Iran's history followed after roughly six hundred years of conflict with the ]. According to historians, the war-exhausted Persians lost the ] (632 CE) in ], (present day ]). The Persian general ] had been criticised for his decision to face the Arabs on their own ground, suggesting that the Persians could have prevailed if they had stayed on the opposite bank of the ]. The first day of battle ended with Persian advances and the Arab force appeared as though it would succumb to the much larger ] army. In particular, the latter's elephants terrified the Arab cavalry. By the third day of battle, Arab veterans arrived on the scene and re-enforced the Arab army. In addition a clever trick whereby the Arab horses were decorated in costume succeeded in frightening the Persian elephants. When an Arab warrior succeeded in slaying the lead elephant, the rest fled into the rear, trampelling numerous Persian fighters. At dawn of the fourth day, a sandstorm broke out blowing sand in the Persian army's faces resulting in total disarray for the ] army and paving way for the ].

The Sassanian era, encompassing the length of the ] period, is considered to be one of the most important and influential historical periods in Iran, and had a major impact on the world. In many ways the Sassanian period witnessed the highest achievement of ], and constituted the last great Iranian Empire before the adoption of Islam. Persia influenced Roman civilisation considerably during the Sassanians times<ref>J. B. Bury, p.109.</ref>; their cultural influence extending far beyond the empire's territorial borders, reaching as far as Western Europe<ref>Durant.</ref>, Africa<ref></ref>, China and India<ref>Sarfaraz, pp.329-330.</ref> and also playing a prominent role in the formation of both European and Asiatic medieval art.<ref></ref> This influence carried forward to the early ]. The dynasty's unique and aristocratic culture transformed the Islamic conquest and destruction of Iran into a Persian Renaissance.<ref>Durant.</ref> Much of what later became known as Islamic culture, architecture, writing and other skills, were taken from the Sassanian Persians into the broader Muslim world<ref>Zarinkoob, p.305.</ref>.

===Islamic Persia and Islamic Golden Age of Persia===
] (Ibn-Sina) is considered the greatest of the medieval Islamic and ] ]s. His work directly influenced ].]]
] palace, the celebrated seat of the ] in ], Iran.]]
After the conquest Persians began to look for ways in which they could remain ] but also define themselves as Persians and sought the "]" of Islam. In the 8 CE (2 H) they helped the Abbassids to overthrow the ], an Arab-oriented regime that was largely disdainful towards Persians and Persian culture. Under the ], Persians (and other non-Arabs) began to take on a more meaningful role in the Islamic Empire's intellectual, cultural, and political realms. Persians entered the ] government as ministers, among those were the ]. They established new dynasties in some parts of Iran, which derived legitimacy from the ]s. ] and ] were among those. One of these dynasties (]) also conquered ].

Also a cultural movement emerged during the ] and ]. There was a resurgence of ] national identity. It was not against Islamic identity but against ] of ] and ]. The most notable effect of the movement was the decision of the continuation of the ], the language of the ] to the present day. The movement never moved into apostacy though, and has its basis in a verse from the ] ().

].]]
During this period, ] and Persian scientists created an ] (see ]). Persia was at this point of history a world center of scientific inquiry, with philosophers, scientists, engineers and historians contributing enormously to technology, science and medicine, later influencing the rise of European science in ]. The late ] however brought many critical events in the region. From 1220, Persia was again invaded and destroyed by wave after wave of calamity starting with the ], followed later by ]. During the ] period more than half of the population were killed and didn't reach its pre-Mongol levels until the twentieh century.

===Safavid Empire, Shi'a Islam and modern Iran===
Persia's first encompassing ]ic state was established under the ] in 1501. The Safavid dynasty soon became a major power in the world and started the promotion of tourism in Iran. Under their rule the Persian Architecture flowered again and saw many new monuments. The decline of the Safavid state in the seventeenth century increasingly turned Persia into an arena for rising rival colonial powers such as ] and the ] that wielded great political influence in ] under the ]id dynasty. Iran however, managed to maintain its sovereignty and was never colonized, making it unique in the region. With the rise of ] in the late nineteenth century, desire for change led to the ] of 1905-1911. In 1921, ] Pahlavi staged a ] against the weakened ]. A supporter of modernization, Reza Shah initiated the development of modern ], ], and establishment of a national ] system, but his ] rule and unbalanced social reforms created discontent among many Iranians.

], a famous historic garden built in ] during the ] era.]]
During ], ] from August 25 to September 17, 1941, to stop an Axis-supported coup and secure Iran's petroleum infrastructure. The ] forced the Shah to abdicate in favor of his son, ], whom they hoped would be more supportive. In 1951, an eccentric pro-democratic nationalist, Dr. ] rose to prominence in Iran and was elected its first ]. As Prime Minister, Mossadegh alarmed the West by his ] of ] (later ], BP) that had controlled the country's oil reserves. In response, Britain immediately embargoed Iran. In 1953, members of the British Intelligence Service invited the ] under President Eisenhower to join them in ] to overthrow Iran’s democracy. President Eisenhower agreed, authorizing the CIA to take the lead in the operation of overthrowing Mossadegh and reinstalling a US-friendly monarch. The CIA faced many setbacks, but eventually succeeded and the end of Iranian democracy became an early notch in the young organization’s belt.
] founder of Iran's first democratic government, overthrown in a ]-backed coup in 1953]]

Regardless of this setback, the ] soon went into full swing, conducted from US Embassy in Tehran under the leadership of ]. Agents were hired to facilitate violence; and, as a result, protests broke out across the nation. Anti- and pro-monarchy protestors violently clashed in the streets, leaving almost three hundred dead. The operation was successful in triggering a coup, and within days, pro-Shah tanks stormed the capital and bombarded the Prime Minister's residence. Mossadegh surrendered, and was arrested on ] ]. He was tried for treason, and sentenced to three years in prison.

], the last ] of ], crowning ] as Empress of Iran.]]
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was then reinstated as Shah. His rule became increasingly ] in the following years. With strong support from the US and UK, the Shah further modernized Iranian industry, but simultaneously crushed all forms of political opposition with his intelligence agency, ]. ] ] became an active critic of the Shah's modernization efforts and publicly denounced the government. Khomeini, who was popular in religious circles, was arrested and imprisoned for 18 months. After his release in 1964, Khomeini publicly criticized the United States government. The Shah was persuaded to send him into exile by General ]. Khomeini was sent first to ] and then to ]. While in exile, he continued to denounce the Shah.

===The Islamic Revolution and contemporary Iran===
1979 saw an increase in protests against the ], culminating in the ]. The Shah fled the country again, after which ] returned from exile in ] on ], 1979 and eventually succeeded in taking power. On ], Khomeini declared a provisional government led by prime minster ] and on ] to ], asked all Iranians sixteen years of age and older, male and female, to vote in a referendum on the question of establishing an ] in Iran. Over 98% voted in favour of replacing the monarchy with the newly-proposed form of government. Khomeini's new Islamic state instated ] Islamic laws and unprecedented levels of direct clerical rule.

] ] ], leader of the ] and founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.]]
Iran's relations with the United States were severely strained after the revolution, especiallly when Iranian students ] on ], ], labeling the embassy a "den of spies"{{cn}} and accused its personnel of being CIA agents trying to overthrow the revolutionary government, similar to what they did against ] in 1953. Khomeini did not stop the students from holding embassy employees hostage and instead supported the embassy take over, a move which only increased his popularity among the revolutionaries. ], ] and one hostage diagnosed with ] were soon released. Despite attempts made by the administration of ] ] at negotiation and rescuing the remaining hostages through such methods as ], Iran refused to release them and threatened to put the hostages on trial for espionage. The students demanded the handover of the shah in exchange for the hostages. However, this exchange never took place, and after 444 days of captivity, embassy employees were finally allowed to leave Iran and return to the United States on the basis of ] in which U.S. hasn't released the properties of Iran.

Meanwhile, ] leader ] decided to take advantage of what he perceived to be disorder in the wake of the Iranian Revolution and its unpopularity with Western governments. Of particular interest was that the once-strong Iranian military had been disbanded during the revolution. With the Shah out of power, Hussein had far-reaching ambitions to assert himself as the new strong man of the Middle East and planned a full-scale invasion of Iran, boasting that his forces could reach the capital within three days. The Iraqi army's assault took the country completely by surprise and the destructive ] called "Saddām's al-Qādisiyyah" in ], and the "Imposed war" in Iran had begun.

Tens of thousands of Iranian ] and ] personnel were killed when Iraq used ] weapons in its warfare. ] by ], the ] countries of the ], the ] (beginning in ]), ], the ], ], the ] (which also sold weapons to Iran), the ], and the ] states. All of these countries provided intelligence, agents for chemical weapons as well as other forms of military assistance to Saddam Hussein. Iran's principal allies during the war were ], ], ], ] and ].

Although Saddam Hussein's forces made several early advances, by 1982, Iranian forces managed to push the Iraqi army back into Iraq. Khomeini refused a cease-fire from Iraq which was demanding huge reparation payments and an end to his rule. Khomeini also sought to export his Islamic revolution westward into Iraq, especially on the majority Shi'a Arabs living in the country. The war then continued for six more years until 1988, when Khomeini, in his words, "drank the cup of poison" and accepted a truce mediated by the United Nations. With the fall of Saddam's regime in Iraq in April ] and his capture in December of that year, Iran announced it had sent its own indictment against Saddam to Iraq's government, with the list of complaints including the use of chemical weapons. The total Iranian casualties of the war were estimated to be anywhere between 500,000 to 1,000,000. Almost all relevant international agencies have confirmed Saddams chemical warfare to blunt Iranian human wave attacks, while unanimously announcing that Iran never used chemical weapons during the war.<ref>http://www.fas.org/news/iran/1997/970205-480132.htm</ref>
<ref>http://www.fas.org/cw/intro.htm</ref><ref>http://www.antiwar.com/glantz/?articleid=2804</ref><ref></ref>

==Government and politics==
<!-- Unsourced image removed: ] -->
{{morepolitics|country=Iran}}<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series-->
Iran is a founding member of the ] organization and also a member of the ] and the ].

The political system of the Islamic ] is based on the 1979 ] called the "''Qanun-e Asasi''" ("Fundamental Law"). The system comprises several intricately connected governing bodies.

====Supreme Leader====
], the current ].]]
{{main|Supreme Leader of Iran}}
The Supreme Leader of Iran is responsible for ] of "the general policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran". The Supreme Leader is ''Commander-in-Chief'' of the armed forces, controls the military intelligence and security operations; and has sole power to declare war. The heads of the judiciary, state radio and television networks, the commanders of the police and military forces and six of the twelve members of the ] are appointed by the Supreme Leader. The ] elects and dismisses the Supreme Leader on the basis of qualifications and popular esteem.<ref name=loc">{{cite web |url=http://countrystudies.us/iran/81.htm |title="Iran - The Constitution" |first=Library of Congress |last=Federal Research Division |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref> The Assembly of Experts is responsible for supervising the Supreme Leader in the performance of legal duties.

====Executive====
] (left), current ].]]
{{main|President of Iran}}
After the Supreme Leader, the Constitution defines the ] as the highest state authority. The President is elected by ] for a term of four years. Presidential candidates must be approved by the ] prior to running in order to ensure their allegiance to the ideals of the Islamic revolution. The President is responsible for the implementation of the Constitution and for the exercise of executive powers, except for matters directly related to the Supreme Leader, who has the final say in all matters. The President appoints and supervises the ], coordinates government decisions, and selects government policies to be placed before the legislature. Eight Vice-Presidents serve under the President, as well as a cabinet of twenty-one ministers, who must all be approved by the legislature. Unlike many other states, the executive branch in Iran does not control the armed forces. Although the President appoints the Ministers of Intelligence and Defense, it is customary for the President to obtain explicit approval from the Supreme Leader for these two ministers before presenting them to the legislature for a vote of confidence.

====Council of Guardians====
{{main|Council of Guardians}}
The ] comprises twelve jurists including six appointed by the Supreme Leader. The head of the judiciary, who is also appointed by the Supreme Leader, recommends the remaining six, who are officially appointed by ]. The Council interprets the constitution and may ] Parliament. If a law is deemed incompatible with the constitution or '']'' (Islamic law) , it is referred back to Parliament for revision. In a controversial exercise of its authority, the Council has drawn upon a narrow interpretation of Iran's constitution to veto parliamentary candidates.

====Expediency Council====
{{main|Expediency Discernment Council}}
The ] 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.

====Parliament====
].]]
{{main|Majlis of Iran}}
The ] (Islamic Consultative Assembly) is comprised of 290 members elected for four-year terms. The Majlis drafts ], ratifies international ], and approves the national budget. All Majlis candidates and all legislation from the assembly must be approved by the ]. Before the ], Iran's legislature was ] with both the Majlis and a ]; the Senate was eliminated in the 1979 constitution.

====Judiciary====
The Supreme Leader appoints the head of the Judiciary, who in turn appoints the head of the Supreme Court and the chief public prosecutor. There are several types of courts including public courts that deal with civil and criminal cases, and "revolutionary courts" which deal with certain categories of offenses, including crimes against ]. The decisions of the revolutionary courts are final and cannot be appealed. The Special Clerical Court handles crimes allegedly committed by ]s, although it has also taken on cases involving ]. The Special Clerical Court functions independently of the regular judicial framework and is accountable only to the Supreme Leader. The Court’s rulings are final and cannot be appealed.

====Assembly of Experts====
] (Freedom Tower).]]
{{main|Assembly of Experts}}
The ], which meets for one week annually, comprises 86 "virtuous and learned" clerics elected by adult suffrage for eight-year terms. As with the presidential and parliamentary elections, the ] determines candidates' eligibility. The Assembly elects the Supreme Leader and has the constitutional authority to remove the Supreme Leader from power at any time. The Assembly has never been known to challenge any of the Supreme Leader's decisions.

====City and village councils====
{{main|City and Village Councils of Iran}}
Local councils are elected by public vote to four-year terms in all cities and villages of Iran. According to article seven of Iran's 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 local council elections were held across the country. Councils have many different responsibilities including electing mayors, supervising the activities of municipalities; studying the social, cultural, educational, health, economic, and welfare requirements of their constituencies; planning and co-ordinating national participation in the implementation of social, economic, constructive, cultural, educational and other welfare affairs.

==Administrative divisions==
{{main|Provinces of Iran}}
Iran is divided into thirty ]s (''ostanha'', ] ''ostan''), each governed by an appointed governor (استاندار, ostāndār). The map does not show the southern islands of ] (#20 listed below):
]
{{columns
|width=200px
|col1 =
1 ] <br/>
2 ] <br/>
3 ] <br/>
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}}

==Geography and climate==
] is highest point of Iran and the Middle East.]]
{{main|Geography of Iran}}
] near the village of Kilaneh, ].]]
Iran is the seventeenth-largest country in the world. Its area roughly equals the size of the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Germany combined, one-fifth the size of the United States or roughly the size of the state of ]. Its borders are with ] (432&nbsp;km/268&nbsp;mi) and ] (35&nbsp;km/22&nbsp;mi) to the northwest; the ] to the north; ] (992&nbsp;km/616&nbsp;mi) to the northeast; ] (909&nbsp;km/565&nbsp;mi) and ] (936&nbsp;km/582&nbsp;mi) to the east; ] (499&nbsp;km/310&nbsp;mi) and Iraq (1,458&nbsp;km/906&nbsp;mi) to the west; and finally the waters of the ] and the ] to the south. Iran's area is 1,648,000&nbsp;] (approximately 636,300&nbsp;]), of which 1,636,000&nbsp;km² (approx. 631,663&nbsp;mi²) is land and 12,000&nbsp;km² (approx. 4,633&nbsp;mi²) is water.

Iran is one of the world's most mountainous countries, its landscape is dominated by rugged ]s that separate various ] or ]s from one another. The populous western part is the most mountainous, with ranges such as the ], ] and ] Mountains; the latter contains Iran's highest point, ] at 5,604&nbsp;] (18,386&nbsp;]), which is not only the country's highest peak but also the highest mountain on the Eurasian landmass west of the ]. The eastern part consists mostly of ] basins like the saline ], and some ]s. Except for some scattered oases, these deserts are uninhabited.

] skiing resort, Iran.]]
]
<!-- Unsourced image removed: ] -->
The only large ]s are found along the coast of the ] and at the northern end of the Persian Gulf, where Iran borders the mouth of the ] river. Smaller, discontinuous plains are found along the remaining coast of the Persian Gulf, the ] and the ].

Iran's ] is mostly ] or ], to ] along the Caspian coast. On the northern edge of the country (the Caspian coastal plain) temperatures nearly fall below freezing and remain humid for the rest of the year. Summer temperatures rarely exceed 29] (84]). Annual precipitation is 680&nbsp;] (27&nbsp;]) in the eastern part of the plain and more than 1,700&nbsp;mm (67&nbsp;in) in the western part. To the west, settlements in the Zagros Mountains basin experience lower temperatures, severe winters, sub-freezing average daily temperatures and heavy snowfall. The eastern and central basins are arid, with less than 200&nbsp;mm (eight in) of rain and have occasional desert. Average summer temperatures exceed 38°C (100°F). The coastal plains of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in southern Iran have mild winters, and very humid and hot summers. The annual precipitation ranges from 135 to 355&nbsp;mm (five to fourteen inches).

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Iran}}
] is Iran's official currency.]]
]
] ]-200.]]
Iran's economy is a mixture of ], ] of oil and other large ]s, village ], and small-scale private trading and service ventures. Its economic ] has been improving steadily over the past two decades.

In the early 21st century the service sector contributed the largest percentage of the GDP, followed by industry (] and manufacturing) and ]. About 45 percent of the government's budget came from oil and natural gas revenues, and 31 percent came from taxes and fees. Government spending contributed to an average annual inflation rate of 14 percent in the period 2000-2004. In 2004 the GDP was estimated at $163 billion, or $2,440 per capita ($8,100 at ]). Because of these figures and the country’s diversified but small industrial base, the United Nations classifies Iran's economy as semideveloped.

The current administration continues to follow the market reform plans of the previous one and indicated that it will diversify Iran's oil-reliant economy. It is attempting to do this by ] revenues in areas like ] ], ] industries, consumer ], ] and ].

Iran also expects to attract billions of dollars of ] by creating a more favorable investment climate, such as reduced restrictions and duties on imports, and free-trade zones like in ] and the island of ]. Modern Iran has a solid ] and a growing economy but continues to be affected by ] and ].

Iranian budget deficits have been a chronic problem, in part due to large-scale state subsidies (totaling some $7.25 billion per year) that include foodstuffs and especially gasoline.

Iran is ]'s second largest oil producer, exporting over three million barrels of oil per day; moreover, it holds 10% of the world's confirmed oil reserves. Iran also has the world's second largest ] reserves (after ]). The strong oil market in 1996 helped ease financial pressures on Iran and allowed for Tehran's timely debt service payments.

The services sector has seen the greatest long-term growth in terms of its share of GDP, but the sector remains volatile. State investment has boosted agriculture with the liberalization of production and the improvement of packaging and marketing helping to develop new export markets. Thanks to the construction of many ]s throughout the country in recent years, large-scale ] schemes, and the wider production of export-based agricultural items like ], ]s, and ]s, produced the fastest economic growth of any sector in Iran over much of the ]. Although successive years of severe ] in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 have held back output growth substantially, ] remains one of the largest employers, accounting for 22% of all jobs according to the 1991 census.

Iran has also developed a ], ], and ] industry. For energy, it currently relies on conventional methods, but as of March 2006, uranium refinement, the last major hurdle to developing nuclear power, was revealed to have taken place.

Iran's major commercial partners are ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. Since the late 1990s, Iran has increased its economic cooperation with other developing countries, including ], ], ], ], and ]. Iran is also expanding its trade ties with ] and ] and shares with its partners the common goal of creating a single economic market in West and ], much like the ].

==Demographics==
]
]
{{main|Demographics of Iran}}
Iran is a diverse country consisting of people of many religions and ethnic backgrounds cemented by the ]. ], the founders of ], constitute the majority of the ]. Seventy percent of present-day Iranians are ], native speakers of ] who are descended from the ] (]) tribes that began migrating from Central Asia into what is now Iran in the second millennium BC. The majority of the population speaks one of the ], including the official language, ] (]). The main ethnic groups are ] (51%), ] (24%), ] (8%), ] (7%), ] (3%), ] (2%), ] (2%), ] (2%), ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and others (1%).<ref name="ciaa">{{cite web |url=http://cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html |title="Iran" |first=CIA |last=World Factbook |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref> The number of native speakers of Persian in Iran is estimated at around 40 million.<ref name="ciab">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html#People |title="Iran - People" |first=CIA |last=World Factbook |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref> However, the ] and their various dialects (totaling an estimarted 150-200 million speakers) exceed the ] and are spoken throughout western ], southern ], and eastern ].<ref name="payvand">{{cite web |url=http://www.soas.ac.uk/departments/departmentinfo.cfm?navid=316}}</ref>

Iran's population increased dramatically during the latter half of the twentieth century, reaching about 70 million by 2006. 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 stabilizing by the year 2050 at around 100 million.<ref name="bureau">{{cite web |url=http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/idbsum.pl?cty=IR |title="IDB Summary Demographic Data for Iran" |first=Government of the U.S.A. |last=Census Bureau |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref><ref name="una">{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/Depts/escap/pop/journal/v10n1a1.htm |title="A New Direction in Population Policy and Family Planning in the Islamic Republic of Iran" |first=United Nations |last=Asia-Pacific Population Journal |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref><ref name="payvand">{{cite web |url=http://www.payvand.com/news/04/aug/1017.html |title="Iran's population growth rate falls to 1.5 percent: UNFP" |first=Payvand.com |last=Iran News |accessdate=2006-10-18}}</ref> More than two-thirds of the population are under the age of 30, and the literacy rate is 80%.

The Iranian ] is estimated at over three million people who emigrated to ], ], ] and ], mostly after the ] in ]. Iran also hosts one of the largest ] populations in the world, with more than one million refugees, mostly from ] and ]. As recent as October 10, 2006, Iranian officials have been working hand in hand with the UNHCR and Afghani officials to furthur is official government policy of ].<ref name="bbcb">{{cite web |url=http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/452b78394.html |title="Tripartite meeting on returns to Afghanistan" |first=] |last=United Nations |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref>

Most Iranians are Muslims; 90% belong to the ] branch of ], the official state religion, and about 8% belong to the ] branch, many Kurds. The remaining 2% are non-Muslim ], mainly ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="ciaa" /> The latter three ] religions are officially recognized and protected, and have reserved seats in the '']'' (Parliament). However the ], Iran's largest religious minority, 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 ] has led to the United Nations Special Rapporteur of the ] stating on ], ] that "''this latest development indicates that the situation with regard to religious minorities in Iran is, in fact, deteriorating.''" <ref name="minority">{{cite web |url=http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/5E72D6B7B624AABBC125713700572D09?opendocument |title="Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief concerned about treatment of followers of Bahá'í faith in Iran" |first=United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights |last=Special Rapporteur |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref>

==Major cities==
Iran has one of the highest urban-growth rates in the world. From 1950 to 2002 the urban proportion of the population increased from 27% to 60%.<ref name="payvand2">{{cite web |url=http://www.payvand.com/news/03/nov/1135.html |title="Iran: Focus on reverse migration" |author=Payvand |accessdate=2006-04-17}}</ref><ref name="tourismandtravel">{{cite web |url=http://tourism.chn.ir/en/aboutIran/ |title="Tourism and Travel: About Iran" |author=Cultural Heritage New Agency |accessdate=2006-04-17}}</ref> The United Nations predicts that by 2030 the urban population will form 80% of the overall population.<ref name="tourismandtravel"/> Most of the internal migrants have settled near the cities of Tehran, Isfahan, Ahwaz, and Qom. ] is the largest city with 7,160,094 inhabitants (]: 14,000,000). More than half of the country's ] is based there. Industries include the manufacturing of ], ] and ], military ]ry, ], ], ], and ] ]. ], one of the holiest ] cities, is the second largest city with a population of 2.8 million.

The population of the eight largest cities (], unless otherwise noted) are as follows (non-metropolitan estimates):<ref name="gazetteer">{{cite web |url=http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1139346236&geo=-106&men=gcis&lng=en |title="Iran: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population" |first=World Gazetteer |last=Stefan Helders |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref>
{{clear}}
<center>
<gallery>
Image:Elahieh view.jpg | ]<br/>7,160,094
Image:Ferdowsi2.jpg | ]<br/>2,837,734
Image:40sotoon.jpg | ]<br/>1,573,378
Image:Poets tomb tabriz.jpg | ]<br/>1,523,085
Image:Karaj-top.jpg | ]<br/>1,460,961
Image:Saadi X.JPG | ]<br/>1,279,140
Image:Howzeh.jpg | ]<br/>1,046,578
Image:Ahvaz.jpg | ]<br/>841,145
</gallery>
</center>

==Culture==
{{main|Culture of Iran}}
Iran has a long history of ], ], ], ], ], ]s, and ].

The following quotes from poets belonging to a vast chronological and geographical expanse can be a proper exemplification of the devotion to Persian culture and its multimillenial penetrating existence:

{{quotation
|
<big>همه عالم تن است و ایران دل</big><br/>
<big>نیست گوینده زین قیاس خجل</big><br/>
<br/>
"Iran is The Heart and all the universe The Body,<br/>
Of this claim, the poet feels no regret or humility."
| ]
}}

{{quotation
|
<big>که ایران بهشت است یا بوستان</big><br/>
<big>همی بوی مشک آید از دوستان</big><br/>
<br/>
"Whether one thinks of Iran as ] or ],<br/>
The smell of ] abounds there from friend and companion."
| ]
}}

{{quotation
|
<big>بنى آدم اعضاء يک پیکرند که در آفرينش ز يک گوهرند</big><br/>
<big>چو عضوى بدرد آورد روزگار دگر عضوها را نماند قرار</big><br/>
<br/>
"Of one Essence is the human race<br/>
thus has Creation put the base,<br/>
One Limb impacted is sufficient<br/>
For all Others to feel the Mace."
| ]<br/><small>Inscribed on the ]' ]</small>
}}

] of ] ("Hafez's Anthology"), published 1969.]]
] in pensive mood.]]

Iranian culture has long been the predominant culture of the ] and ], with ] considered the language of intellectuals during much of the second millennium AD. Nearly all philosophical, scientific, or literary work of the Islamic empires was written in or translated to Persian as well as Arabic. The ] during the first half of the seventh century began a synthesis of the Arabic and Iranian tongues. By the tenth century, this cultural diffusion threatened to erase native Persian entirely, as many Persian writers, scientists, and scholars elected to write in the language of the Qur'an (Arabic) (see ]). Moreover, Islamic caliphate was largely disdainful towards Persians and Persian culture more specifically during the rule of first caliphate dynasty of ] who vividly sought Arabic supremacy in all aspects of their empire. This prompted ] to compose the '']'' (Persian: ''Book of Kings''), Iran's national epic from its legendary prehistoric nascence till its defeat at the battle of ''al-Qādisiyyah''. It was written entirely in Persian. This gave rise to a strong reassertion of Iranian national identity, and is in part responsible for the continued existence of Persian as a separate language.

Iran's literary tradition is rich and varied as well, although the world is most familiar with Iranian poetry. ] is by far the most famous of Iran's poets, although ] is considered by many Iranians to be just as influential. Both poets were practitioners of ], and are quoted by Iranians with the same frequency and weight as the ].

Cinema has continued to thrive in modern Iran, and many Iranian directors have garnered worldwide recognition for their work. (Iranian movies have won over three hundred awards in the past twenty-five years.) One of the best-known directors is ]. The Iranian media is a mixture of private and state-owned, but books and movies must be approved by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance before being released to the public. The state also actively monitors the ], which has become enormously popular among the Iranian youth. Iran is now the world's fourth largest country of ].

The quest for ] and equity is an important Iranian cultural trait. The ] is considered the world's first declaration of human rights, and was the basis of government for the ]. Equality of the sexes also has a strong historical precedent in Iran: from the Achaemenid to ] dynasties, women were encouraged to pursue an education and study at universities; they held property, influenced the affairs of state, and worked and received the same compensation as men. Today, women compose more than half of the incoming classes for universities around the country. Respect for the elderly and hospitality for foreigners are also an integral part of ].

The Iranian New Year (]) is celebrated on ] from ] in the west to ] in the east. It is celebrated as the first day of ]. Norouz was nominated as one of ]'s ] in 2004.<ref name="culture">{{cite web |url=http://www.payvand.com/news/04/jul/1090.html |title="Nowrouz Vital Meeting to be Held in Tehran" |first=Payvand.com |last=Iran News |accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref>

{{quotation
| "] has much in common with the other cuisines of the ], but is often considered to be the most sophisticated and imaginative of them all, as colorful and complex as a ]."
| ], ''New Food of Life''
}}

==Health==
{{main|Health care in Iran}}
According to the ], the government is required to provide every citizen of the country with access to ] that covers retirement, unemployment, old age, disability, accidents, calamities, health and medical treatment and care services. This is covered by public revenues and income derived from public contributions.

In its 2000 report on national healthcare systems, the ] ranks Iran's overall healthcare system performance as 93rd among the world's nations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.who.int/whr/2000/en/annex10_en.pdf |title=The World Health Report 2000 |first=] |last=WHO |accessdate=2006-10-12}}</ref> The health status of Iranians has improved over the last two decades. Iran has been able to extend public health preventive services through the establishment of an extensive Primary Health Care network. As a result child and maternal mortality rates have fallen significantly, and life expectancy at birth has risen remarkably. Infant (IMR) and under-five (U5MR) mortality have decreased to 28.6 and 35.6 per 1,000 live births respectively in 2000, compared to an IMR of 122 per 1,000 and an U5MR of 191 per 1,000 in 1970.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/iran.html |title=At a glance: Iran |first=United Nations |last=] |accessdate=2006-10-12}}</ref>.

==Scientific progress==
]. Throughout the ], the ] and ] of the ancient Greeks and Persians were furthered and preserved within Persia. During this period, Persia became a centre for the manufacture of ]s, retaining its reputation for quality well into the nineteenth century.]]
] (1236–1311), a Persian astronomer. The image depicts an ].]]
{{main|Science in Iran}}
{{see also|Education in Iran}}
Science in Iran, as the country itself, has a long history. Iranians contributed significantly to the current understanding of ], ], ], ], and ]. To mention just a few, Persians first discovered ], invented the ] and found medical uses of ].

In present times, scientists in Iran are trying to revive the golden age of Persian science. Iran has increased its publication output nearly tenfold from 1996 through 2004, and has been ranked first in terms of output growth rate followed by ].{{fact}}

Theoretical and computational sciences are rapidly developing in Iran. Theoretical physicists and chemists are regularly publishing in high impact factor journals. Despite the limitations in funds, facilities, and international collaborations, Iranian scientists remain highly productive in several experimental fields as ], ], ], and ]. Iranian scientists are also helping construct the ], a detector for ]'s ] due to come online in 2007. Iranian Biophysicists (especially molecular biophysics) have gained international reputation since the 1990s. High field ] facilities, as well as ], ], and instruments for single protein channel studies have been provided in Iran during recent decades. ] and research on ]s have just started to emerge in ] departments. In late 2006, Iranian scientists ]d successfully a sheep, by somatic cell nuclear transfer, at the Rouyan research centre in Isfahan. <ref> The first successfully cloned animal in Iran</ref>

==Human rights==
], the "first charter of ]".]]
{{main|Human rights in Islamic Republic of Iran}}
Iranian history boasts the first charter of human rights <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/documentary_archive/6034541.stm</ref>; the ] (Iran) established unprecedented principles of ] in the ]. Since then, the status of human rights in Iran has varied dramatically. Today, the violation of human rights by the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to be significant, despite many efforts by Iranian human right activists, writers, ]s and some political parties. Human rights in Iran regularly faces the issues of governmental impunity, restricted ], and ].

According to ], respect for human rights in Iran, especially freedom of expression and opinion, deteriorated considerably in 2005. The government routinely uses torture and ill-treatment in detention, including prolonged solitary confinement, to punish dissidents. The judiciary, which is accountable to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been at the center of many serious human rights violations.

==See also==
{{portalpar|iran|Image:Flag of Iran.svg|thumb|right|250px}}
{{Iran-related topics}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
], ''Persian Pageant: A Cultural History of Iran,'' Arya Press, Cacutta, 1950.

==External links==
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{{Geographic Location (8-way)
| Northwest =
| North = {{ARM}}{{·}}{{AZE}}{{·}}]{{·}}{{TKM}}
| Northeast =
| West = {{TUR}}<br/>{{IRQ}}
| Centre = {{IRN}}
| East = {{AFG}}<br/>{{PAK}}
| Southwest =
| South = ]
| Southeast = }}


{{Iranian-speaking nations}}
{{D8}}
{{Countries of the Middle East}}
{{Countries of Asia}}
{{Southwest Asia}}
{{Islamic republics}}
{{G15}}
{{OIC}}
{{Arabian Sea}}
{{Caspian Sea}}
{{Persian Gulf}}
{{Indian Ocean}}


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alot of things have happend in iran but most af all is the oil prices!

Revision as of 02:17, 16 November 2006

gay country which suck ball like a fucking suicide bombers