Iran

¹

[ ih-ran, ih-rahn, ahy-ran ]

noun

1. a republic in SW Asia. About 635,000 sq. mi. (1,644,650 sq. km). : Teheran.

Iran.

²

abbreviation for

1. Iranian.

Iran

/ ɪˈrɑːn /

noun

1. a republic in SW Asia, between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf: a monarchy until an Islamic revolution in 1979 headed by the Ayatollah Khomeini when the Shah was obliged to leave the country. Consists chiefly of a high central desert plateau almost completely surrounded by mountains, a semitropical fertile region along the Caspian coast, and a hot and dry area beside the Persian Gulf. Oil is the most important export. Official language: Persian (Iranian or Farsi). Official religion: Muslim majority. Currency: rial. Capital: Tehran. Pop: 79 853 900 (2013 est). Area: 1 647 050 sq km (635 932 sq miles) Former name (until 1935)Persia Official nameIslamic Republic of Iran See also Persian Empire

Iran

1. Republic in the Middle East , bordered by Armenia , the Caspian Sea , Turkmenistan , and Azerbaijan to the north; Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east; the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south; and Iraq and Turkey to the west. Its capital and largest city is Teheran .

Notes

In 1979, Iranian militants attacked the U.S. embassy and seized hostages, including sixty-two Americans, who were held until 1981.

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ruled from 1979 until his death in 1989, imposing strict Islamic law.

The United States supported the regime of the shah (king) Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who was forced by popular opposition to leave the country in 1979.

The 1990s saw some moderating elements emerge to challenge the conservative heirs to Khomeini.

The Iranian government was widely believed to have controlled the taking of U. S. hostages in Lebanon . ( See Iran-Contra affair .)

Core of the ancient Persian Empire , Iran was known as Persia until 1935.

Iraq unsuccessfully invaded Iran in 1980.

Example Sentences

"We face that now with China and to some extent Russia, and … rogue states like Iran and North Korea."

From BBC

US and Iranian officials have arrived in Oman's capital Muscat to try to reach a new deal over Iran's controversial nuclear programme.

From BBC

Iran's foreign minister has arrived in Oman for talks with the United States over Iran's nuclear programme.

From BBC

He estimates across Rochdale there are more than 20 businesses that are fronts for criminal organisations and he says he sees many of the same people from Iran, Iraq and Kurdistan working in them.

From BBC

He also said he’d negotiate directly with Iran on the “nuclear question” for as long as he could - based on his “feel” of the situation.

From Salon