ایران

Iran

Context of Iran

Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Turkey to the northwest and Iraq to the west, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Caspian Sea, and Turkmenistan to the north, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south. With a multi-ethnic population of nearly 86 million in an area of 1,648,195 km² (636,372 sq mi), Iran ranks 17th globally in both geographic size and population. It is the sixth-largest country entirely in Asia and one of the world's most mountainous countries. Officially an Islamic republic,The country is divided into five regions with 31 provinces. Tehran is the nation's capital, largest city and financial centre.

A cradle of civilisation, Iran has been inhabited since the Lower Palaeolithic. The large part of Iran was first unified as a political...Read more

A cradle of civilisation, Iran has been inhabited since the Lower Palaeolithic. The large part of Iran was first unified as a political entity by the Medes under Cyaxares in the seventh century BC, and reached its territorial height in the sixth century BC, when Cyrus the Great founded the Achaemenid Empire, one of the largest in ancient history. Alexander the Great conquered the empire in the fourth century BC. An Iranian rebellion established the Parthian Empire in the third century BC and liberated the country, which was succeeded by the Sasanian Empire in the third century AD. Ancient Iran saw some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanisation, religion and central government. The Sasanian era is considered a golden age in the history of Iranian civilisation. Muslims conquered the region in the seventh century AD, leading to Iran's Islamisation. The literature, philosophy, mathematics, medicine, astronomy and art which had blossomed during the Sasanian era were renewed during the Islamic Golden Age and Persian Renaissance, when a series of Iranian Muslim dynasties ended Arab rule, revived the Persian language and ruled the country until the Seljuk and Mongol conquests of the 11th to 14th centuries.

In the 16th century, the native Safavids re-established a unified Iranian state with Twelver Shi'ism as the official religion. During the Afsharid Empire in the 18th century, Iran was a leading world power, but this was no longer the case after the Qajars took power in the 1790s. The early 20th century saw the Persian Constitutional Revolution and the establishment of the Pahlavi dynasty by Reza Shah the Great, who ousted the last Qajar shah in 1925. Attempts by Mohammad Mosaddegh to nationalise the oil industry led to an Anglo-American coup in 1953. After the Iranian Revolution, the monarchy was overthrown in 1979 and the Islamic Republic of Iran was established by Ruhollah Khomeini, who became the country's first Supreme Leader. In 1980, Iraq invaded Iran, sparking the eight-year-long Iran–Iraq War, which ended in stalemate.

Iran is officially governed as a unitary Islamic republic with a presidential system, with ultimate authority vested in a Supreme Leader. The government is authoritarian and has attracted widespread criticism for its significant violations of human rights and civil liberties. Iran is a major regional power, due to its large reserves of fossil fuels, including the world's second largest natural gas supply, third largest proven oil reserves, its geopolitically significant location, military capabilities, cultural hegemony, regional influence, and role as the world's focal point of Shia Islam. The Iranian economy is the world's 23rd-largest by PPP. Iran is a founding member of the United Nations, OIC, OPEC, and ECO as well as a current member of the NAM, SCO, and BRICS. Iran is home to 28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the 10th highest in the world, and ranks 5th in Intangible Cultural Heritage, or human treasures.

More about Iran

Basic information Population, Area & Driving side Stay safe

Basic information

Currency Iranian rial
Native name ایران
Calling code +98
Internet domain .ir
Mains voltage 220V/50Hz
Democracy index 2.2

Population, Area & Driving side

Population 86758304
Area 1648195
Driving side right

Stay safe

Contents
1 Stay safe 1.1 Perceptions of outsiders 1.2 Photography 1.3 Women 1.4 LGBT travellers 1.5 Iranian dual citizens 1.6 Emergencies 1.7 Natural disasters 1.7.1 Earthquakes 1.8 Other safety issues

Stay safe
WARNING: Iran treats drug offences extremely severely....Read more

Contents
1 Stay safe 1.1 Perceptions of outsiders 1.2 Photography 1.3 Women 1.4 LGBT travellers 1.5 Iranian dual citizens 1.6 Emergencies 1.7 Natural disasters 1.7.1 Earthquakes 1.8 Other safety issues

Stay safe
WARNING: Iran treats drug offences extremely severely. The death penalty is statutory for those convicted of trafficking or manufacturing of any drug and following a third conviction for drug possession.
Government travel advisories
Canada New Zealand

(Information last updated 22 Aug 2019)

Iran is still a relatively low-crime country, although thefts and muggings occur. Keep your wits about you, and take the usual precautions against pickpockets in crowded bazaars and buses.

Although its strict Islamic moral code is well known, Iranian laws are not as strict as those of Saudi Arabia. Respecting the dozens of unspoken rules and regulations of Iranian life can be a daunting prospect for travellers, but don't be intimidated. As a foreigner you will be given leeway and it doesn't take long to acclimatise yourself.
Perceptions of outsiders
Even though travellers may arrive with the image of a throng chanting "Death to America", the chances of Westerners facing anti-Western sentiment as a traveller are slim. Even hardline Iranians make a clear distinction between the Western governments they distrust and individual travellers who visit their country. Americans may receive the odd jibe about their government's policies, but usually nothing more serious than that. However, it is always best to err on the side of caution and avoid politically-oriented conversations, particularly in taxi cabs. In addition, a few Iranian-Americans have been detained and accused of espionage, as were three American hikers in 2009 who allegedly strayed across into Iran from Iraqi Kurdistan. These kind of incidents are rare, but still the broader implications are worth considering and bearing in mind.
Photography

The best time for photography in Iran is during festivals, like Mourning of Muharram.

There are a lot of military and other sensitive facilities in Iran. Photography near military and other government installations is strictly prohibited. Any transgression may result in detention and serious criminal charges, including espionage, which can carry the death penalty. Do not photograph any military object, jails, harbours, or telecommunication devices, airports or other objects and facilities which you suspect are military in nature. Be aware that this rule is taken very seriously in Iran.
Women
Female travellers should not encounter any major problems when visiting Iran, as long as they obey the local laws – including those on dressing. You will undoubtedly be the subject of at least some unwanted attention.

If you are married to an Iranian, you are subject to Iranian marital laws: you cannot leave the country unless your (former) husband approves. Divorces that have taken place in other countries are not recognised by Iran.
LGBT travellers
WARNING: Iran is a very dangerous destination for gay and lesbian travellers. Iran is one of the few countries in the world that enforces the death penalty against those involved in LGBT activities. The cultural, societal, and legal abhorrence against the LGBT community is well-documented, and some Iranians consider it morally justified to murder/torture gays and lesbians.
Iranian dual citizens
If you are regarded Iranian – such as because of dual citizenship, having an Iranian father or being married to an Iranian – your foreign nationality will be ignored by the authorities. If you are arrested, your embassy is not contacted and has little ability to help.
Emergencies
Emergency services are extensive in Iran, and response times are very good compared to other local regions.
Local police control centre, ☏ 110. it is probably easiest to phone 110, as the local police have direct contact with other emergency services, and will probably be the only number with English-speaking operators.
Other emergency services are also available.
Ambulance, ☏ 115. Fire and Rescue team, ☏ 125. these numbers are frequently answered by the Ambulance or Fire crew operating from them, there is little guarantee these men will speak English. Rescue and Relief Hotline of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, ☏ 112. Road status information, ☏ 141. Natural disasters Earthquakes
Because of Iran's highly mountainous geography, Iran is prone to earthquakes. 90% of the country is situated on major fault lines, which means that earthquakes occur regularly.

Do not despair though; most of these earthquakes have magnitudes less than 4. Anything greater than 4 is a cause of concern.
The Iranian Seismological Centre maintains a seismic map that is updated every 24 hours. The Iranian Seismological Centre maintains a detailed record of all the earthquakes that have happened. You can look at it here.Other safety issues
In particular, the tourist centre of Isfahan has had problems with muggings of foreigners in unlicensed taxis, and fake police making random checks of tourists' passports. Only use official taxis, and never allow 'officials' to make impromptu searches of your belongings.

Iranian traffic is congested and chaotic. Guidelines are lax and rarely followed. Pedestrians are advised to exercise caution when crossing the roads, and even greater care when driving on them - Iranian drivers tend to overtake along pavements and any section of the road where there is space. In general, it is not recommended for inexperienced foreigners to drive in Iran. Watch out for joobs (جوب), the open storm water drains that shoulder every road and are easy to miss when walking in the dark.

Travellers should avoid the southeastern area of Iran, particularly the province of Sistan va Baluchistan. The drug trade thrives based on smuggling heroin from Afghanistan. There is plenty of associated robbery, kidnapping and murder. Some cities, such as Zahedan, Zabol and Mirjaveh are particularly dangerous, although not every place in this region is dangerous. Chahbahar, which is close to the Pakistani border, is a very calm and friendly city.

Read less