Iran, called Persia in the West until 1935, is a country of about 90 million people in West Asia, between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf. It has one of the world’s oldest continuous civilisations.
This section introduces the country for learners of Persian and travellers: the facts you need, its cities and the places most worth seeing, and a detailed history told one event at a time, from the kingdom of Elam to the present.
Explore Iran
Iran Facts and OverviewKey facts about Iran: geography and climate, provinces, people and languages, religion, government, economy, currency, food, festivals and c…Cities of IranIran’s main cities and historic towns, from Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan to Shiraz, Yazd, Kashan and Tabriz, with their history and what to s…Top Places to Visit in IranThe best places to visit in Iran: UNESCO sites, mosques, palaces, bridges, gardens, deserts and mountains, with their history and practical…History of IranIranian history era by era: Elam, the Medes, the Achaemenid, Parthian and Sasanian empires, Islamic dynasties, the Safavids, Qajars, Pahlavi…
Want to learn Persian? Get the free Starter Pack
Get the 14-page printable Starter Pack (all 32 letters, a 7-day reading plan, 100 core words and 20 survival phrases) and a short 5-email course. Free.