• Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is located in West Asia.
• It shares borders with Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and others.
• Iran has a population of over 92 million and ranks 17th in size and population globally.
• Divided into five regions with 31 provinces; Tehran is the capital and economic center.

• Early civilizations unified under the Medes in the 7th century BC.
• Achaemenid Empire founded by Cyrus the Great reached its height in the 6th century BC; later conquered by Alexander the Great.
• Parthian and Sasanian Empires followed, with significant cultural advancements.
• Post-7th century, Iran experienced Islamization; the Islamic Golden Age led to a revival in various fields.

• The Safavid dynasty in the 16th century unified Iran with Twelver Shia Islam.
• Control shifted through several empires until the establishment of the Pahlavi dynasty in the early 20th century.
• The 1979 Iranian Revolution resulted in the Islamic Republic; subsequent conflicts include the Iran–Iraq War and proxy wars.

• Iran is a theocratic Islamic republic with an authoritarian regime, criticized for human rights violations.
• The economy is centrally planned with state ownership in key sectors.
• Iran is a regional power due to fossil fuel reserves and holds 29 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

List of newspapers published in Iran.