20 Fascinating Facts About Iran
1. Iran is a country located in the Middle East and Asia, that was known as Persia for thousands of years until 1935.
2. Archaeological evidence suggests humans have inhabited Iran since the prehistoric period, circa 100,000 BC.
3. The Iranian nation is one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations, with communities and settlements on the Iranian plateau dating back to 6000 BC.
4. Persia was one of the greatest empires of the ancient world the First Persian Empire, known as the Achaemenid Empire, was initially founded by Cyrus the Great around 550 BC. It united three early human civilizations under one government: Mesopotamia, Egypt’s Nile Valley, and India’s Indus Valley.
5. At its height, under Darius the Great, the First Persian Empire stretched from present-day Bulgaria, Romania, and Ukraine to the Indus River Valley in northwest India and south to Egypt.
6. The ruined city and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Persepolis was the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. It is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest archaeological sites.
7. To date, Iran has 24 properties inscribed on the World Heritage List, with a further 56 properties on the Tentative List (properties intended to be submitted for nomination).
8. At certain stages, Persia was occupied by Alexander the Great of Macedonia circa 330 BC as well as Genghis Khan of Mongolia around 1220 AD. Arab invaders brought Islam to the region in 636 AD.
9. Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown in a revolution. Islamic clerical leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to rule Iran after 14 years in exile.
10. Later that year in 1979, Iranian revolutionaries seized control of the US embassy in Tehran and took 66 embassy workers hostage. They demanded the extradition of the former Shah, who was receiving medical treatment in the USA, in exchange for the hostages. 14 hostages were released relatively quickly, but 52 of them spent 444 days in captivity. They were finally released after the Shah died in Egypt and the USA agreed to unfreeze his assets.
11. The Iran-Iraq War was fought between the two neighboring countries from 1980 to 1988. During the war, an estimated 1 million Iranians and between 250,000-500,000 Iraqis died.
12. Iran is home to one of the hottest places on Earth, the Lut Desert. The UNESCO-listed site once registered a record temperature of 70.7°C (159.3°F) in 2005.
13. One of the most surprising facts about Iran is that, despite its record temperatures, it is possible to go skiing there. The Alborz mountains, in northern Iran, have a number of high-altitude and popular ski resorts with excellent snow ideal for skiing.
14. The thumbs-up sign (a common indication of satisfaction) is offensive in Iran. It is the equivalent of the middle finger “up yours” and should never be used.
15. By area, Iran is the second-largest country in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia and the 16th largest in the world.
16. In 2007, Iranian officials detained 14 squirrels for spying. Allegedly, the squirrels were wearing small recording or radio devices that were used for espionage.
17. Iran has been nicknamed the “nose job capital of the world”, with as many as 200,000 people receiving cosmetic surgery for a nose job every year.
18. The game of polo originates in Iran dating from around 600 BC to 100 AD. The game was initially a training military cavalry unit, which played with as many as 100 participants per side. It would later develop into a national sport.
19. Iran is the largest producer of saffron. The country produces over 90% of the 250 tons of spice produced worldwide every year. Costing as much as $65 per gram, saffron can be more expensive than gold, and is the most expensive and sought-after spice in the world. As such, it is commonly referred to as “red gold”.
20. Esfahan is Iran’s top tourist destination. The city is home to the UNESCO-listed central square of Meidan Emam. It was built by Shah Abbas I the Great in the 17th century, and is bordered on all sides by grand and ornate architecture.
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