Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader who, according to the constitution, is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts.

Iranian-US relations have been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces between 1987 and 1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement.

Following the election of the reformist Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and similarly a reformist Majles (parliament) in 2000, a campaign to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered as conservative politicians prevented reform measures from being enacted, increased repressive measures, and made electoral gains against reformers. Starting with nationwide municipal elections in 2003 and continuing through Majles elections in 2004, conservatives reestablished control over Iran's elected government institutions, which culminated with the August 2005 inauguration of an ultra-conservative layman as president.

Capital: Tehran

Currency: Iranian rial (IRR)

Iran is located in the Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea. It sits between Turkey and Iraq in the west, Pakistan and Afghanistan in the east, and in the north Armenia, Azerbijian, and Turkmenistan.

The country is comprised of 12,000 square kilometers of water and 1.636 million square kilometers of land, for a total area of 1.648 million square kilometers -- slightly larger than Alaska.

The climate of Iran is mostly arid or semiarid, except along Caspian coast which is subtropical.

Iran's primary natural resources include petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, and sulfur.

Iran occupies a strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport flowing out of the Middle East.

Iranians are represented by many ethnic groups:

• Persian 51%
• Azeri 24%
• Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%
• Kurd 7%
• Arab 3%
• Lur 2%
• Baloch 2%
• Turkmen 2%
• Other 1%

98% of Iranians are Muslim (9% Sunni, 89% Shi'a). The other 2% includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i.

Several languages are spoken in Iran: 

• Persian and Persian dialects 58%
• Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%
• Kurdish 9%
• Luri 2%
• Balochi 1%
• Arabic 1%
• Turkish 1%
• Other 2%
  

The Iranian flag has three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red.

The national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band.

ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band.