Iran: Between Ancient History and Modernity

Explanation: The country was officially called Persia until 1935, when Shah Reza Pahlavi asked foreign countries to use the name 'Iran', which means 'Land of the Aryans' in Persian.

Explanation: Tehran became the capital in 1796 under Agha Mohammad Khan, founder of the Qajar dynasty. Earlier, several cities of the Iranian plateau had successively held that role as dynasties changed.

Explanation: Cyrus II, called the Great (c. 600-530 BC), was the founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, one of the largest empires of Antiquity, stretching from India to Greece.

Explanation: Iran is 95% Muslim, with a very large Shia majority (about 90% of the population), making it the largest Shia country in the world.

Explanation: The 1979 Islamic Revolution overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who had ruled since 1941. Khomeini, exiled in Paris, returned triumphantly to Tehran on 1 February and proclaimed the Islamic Republic on 1 April 1979.

Explanation: Persian (Farsi) is the official language of Iran, spoken by about 60% of the population. It is an Indo-European language written in a modified Arabic alphabet.

Explanation: Hafez (c. 1320-1389) is considered the greatest Persian lyric poet. His collection 'The Divan' is still consulted as an oracle by many Iranians today.

Explanation: Isfahan, a former imperial capital on the Iranian plateau, is famous for its exceptional Islamic architecture, including the Shah Mosque with its blue tiled domes and the Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a UNESCO site.

Explanation: The Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) was one of the deadliest conflicts of the 20th century, causing over a million deaths on both sides, notably with the use of chemical weapons.

Explanation: Persepolis, built by Darius I around 515 BC, was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. Its majestic ruins bear witness to the grandeur of the ancient Persian civilisation.

Explanation: The Strait of Hormuz, only 33 km wide at its narrowest, is one of the most strategic maritime chokepoints in the world. It borders Iran to the north and Oman to the south, controlling access to the Persian Gulf.

Explanation: Iran holds the world's fourth-largest oil reserves and second-largest natural gas reserves, making hydrocarbons the backbone of its economy and exports.

Explanation: Ayatollah is the title of Iran's supreme leader. This position, created by the 1979 Constitution, holds supreme religious and political authority in the country. The first supreme leader was Ayatollah Khomeini (1979–1989), followed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (1989–2026). After Khamenei's death in February 2026, an interim council comprising the president, the chief justice, and a member of the Guardian Council is managing the transition until the Assembly of Experts designates a successor.

Explanation: The Caspian Sea, the world's largest enclosed body of water, borders Iran along 650 km of coastline. It is shared between Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

Explanation: The Safavid Empire (1501-1736) unified modern Iran and imposed Shia Islam as the state religion, shaping the country's present religious identity. Isfahan was their capital.