cities of Iran

Abadan The capital of the county of Abadan, province of Khuzestan, is located on the border of Mesopotamia inferior. It is a vast plain at the foot of the Zagros Mountains, overlooking the Persian Gulf. It is located on the island of Abadan (68 km long, 3-19 km or 2-12 miles wide), bounded by the

Ahvaz Ahvaz, the capital of the Khuzestan province, is the seventh most populous city in Iran, which is located on the bank of the Karoon River. With 9 bridges, Ahvaz has the largest number of bridges between cities in the Middle East which has led to it being known as the “city of bridges”. The

Arak Arak is the capital of the Marazi province. Originally called Soltán Abad, the modern city of Arak was founded in 1808. Arak is surrounded by mountains to the south, west and east, and its average altitude is about 1,750 m above sea level. It is located 260 km from the city of Tehran. The

Ardabil Ardebil, capital of the province of the same name, whose prominent archaeological sites and pleasant, cool climate during spring and summer attract many tourists annually, is located in northwestern Iran. The language spoken in Ardebil is Azeri from the Oghuz branch. Ardebil contains 8 hot springs and the Sabalan stratovolcano with a height of

Introducing the city of Astara Astara, city of clay roofs in Iran! Astara is the northernmost city of Gilan province, located on the border of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. This city is located southwest of the Caspian Sea and north of Talesh city. It is a customs border and a commercial port for

Bandar Abbas It is a port city and the capital of Hormozgan province, on the southern coast of Iran. The city dominates the Persian Gulf and occupies a strategic position in the Strait of Hormuz. The earliest traces of Bandar Abbas date back to the reign of Darius the Great (522-486). Darius’s commander, Silacus, sailed

Birjand Capital of the province of South Khorasan and center of Birjand county. This city is known for its export of saffron, barberry, handmade carpets and tapestries. Being close to the Afghan border, Birjand was on the “Silk Road” linking Afghanistan to the European continent. The city has a dry climate with a lot of

Bojnurd Bojnurd is the capital of the North Khorasan province in northeastern Iran. The city of Bojnurd is located north of the Alborz mountain range and south of the Kappe Daq Mountains. In the northwest area, present-day Bojnurd, there is a hill that has been home to several historical works. The history of this city

Borujerd Borujerd county capital in Lorestan province, western Iran. Among the cities of Iran, Borujerd is one of the oldest since the 9th century. In the Sassanid Empire, Borujerd was a small town near Nahavand. Borujerd attracted much attention during the Seljuk empire of the 9th and 10th centuries. It was a commercial and strategic

Bushehr The capital of the Bushehr province, also known as Bandar-e Bushehr. The city is situated on an extensive plain along the Persian Gulf coastal region in southwestern Iran. The city is located near the ancient Sassanid port city, Rishahr. It was the main maritime port of the country and the administrative center of its

Introduction of Chabahar port Chabahar, a missing piece of Iran’s tourism puzzle! When it arrives to important tourist cities in Iran, everyone’s mind proceeds to cities like Shiraz, Isfahan, Yazd, Mashhad, Kish, or northern cities. This is even though the beauty of Iran is’t only limited to these cities; there are different and attractive destinations

Damghan It is the capital of the Damghan district in Semnán province, Iran. This city, called Sad Darvazeh (City of Hundred Gates), was the capital of the Arsacid empire. In Greek texts, the name of this city was Hacatopolis. Given its privileged geographical location, Damghan stretches from Alborz in the north to the desert in

Dezful A city in the Khuzestan province, located in a region whose history dates back to the ancient Iranian civilization. The name Dezful derives from the words Dez (fortress) and Pol (bridge), which combined could mean fortified bridge. The bridge was built during the reign of Shapur I and according to the legends the king

Presenting the city of Ferdows Ferdows, The Paradise of Persia Ferdows city is one of the northeastern cities of Iran and South Khorasan province. This city is located at a distance of 345 km south of Mashhad and 195 km northwest of Birjand and on the main route connecting Yazd, Kerman, Isfahan, and Fars provinces

Introduction of Filband village Filband village, The sea of the ​​clouds! Mazandaran province in the north of Iran is one of the essential tourist destinations on the shores of Caspian Sea. The village of Filband in the heights of Chelaw is considered one of this province’s pristine and beautiful areas. This village has an ocean

Gonbad-e Qabus The city of Gonbad-e Qabus is located in Golestan province, in northeastern Iran. Gonbad-e Qabus Tower is located on top of a hill, north of the city and in the extreme northwest of the national park. Also known as the Tower of Qabus or Maghbar-e Qabus (Mausoleum of Qabus), it is located 3

Gorgan Gorgán (before Astrabad or Astarabad) is the capital of the Golestan province, in Iran. It is located about 400 kilometers northeast of Tehran, 30 kilometers from the Caspian Sea. The city enjoys an ideal climate, since it is located exactly between the Alborz mountain range and the rainy currents of the Caspian Sea. There

Hamadan (Hegmataneh) Hamedan, the first capital of the Medes, was founded in the 7th century BC. by order of the first king of Iran, Deioces. The Medes called this city Hegmataneh, while the Greeks called it Ecbatana, which means meeting place, where they met and chose Deioces as the first king of Media. The minority

Ilam Ilam is the capital of the province of the same name. The city is bordered to the east by the Kabir Kuh mountain range and to the west by Iraq. The city is populated mainly by Kurds. Like many other parts of Iran, the history and architecture of Ilam spans various historical and contemporary

Isfahan The splendor of Isfahan came during its reconstruction by the Safavid monarch Shah Abbas I, who moved his capital here at the end of the 16th century. Monuments from the Safavid era include palaces, mosques, minarets, churches, gardens, bridges, and caravanserais, many of which are considered masterpieces of Islamic art today. Naqsh-e Yahán (Mirror

Jahrom Jahrom is one of the cities of Fars province in southern Iran, located 170 kilometers southeast of Shiraz, the capital of Fars province. Many tropical and subtropical plants are grown in Jahrom including citrus, date, palm and wheat. The name Jahrom can be literally translated as “hot place”, expressing the climate of the area,

Karaj Karaj is the capital of the Alborz province in Iran. The city developed during the reign of the Safavid and Qajar dynasties and is home to historical monuments. Until the second half of the 20th century it was known mainly as a seaside resort. Today it is an industrial city, with factories for sugar,

Kashan One of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Iran is thousands of years old. The Sialk Hills, about 3 kilometers west of Kashan, claim that this region was one of the first settlements of humans in Prehistoric times when they built houses using clay and mud. As Kashan has a desert climate and

Kerman Kerman Province is the largest province in Iran in terms of area, located in the southeast of the country and the historic city center of Kerman is the 10th most populous in Iran. This desert city was founded in the 3rd century BC. by the first Sassanid monarch Ardashir I, it was one of

Kermanshah This historic city, dating from the 4th century BC. is surrounded by the Zagros mountains, on the border of Iranian Kurdistan and Iraq, and with the Behistun as the highest peak it becomes one of the most picturesque cities in the country. Due to its pleasant and temperate climate, Kermanshah was the second capital

Khaf Capital of the county of Khaf, in the province of Khorasan Razaví, in Iran. Khaf houses a rich ancestral tradition linked to the first universities of the 12th-13th centuries, which offered the opportunity to study a wide variety of sciences, such as: mathematics, astronomy, medicine or music. From an anthropological point of view, Khaf

Khorramabad The city of Khorramabad is located in the center of Lorestan province, in western Iran. Surrounded by mountains that are excellent reservoirs of water, the city has many natural springs that are exceptionally cool, even during the hot season. Its unique climate has allowed different peoples to settle in this place throughout history. The

Kish Pearl of the Persian Gulf and a beautiful and spectacular island with an area of ​​90 square kilometers south of Iran whose coral reefs and crystal clear waters attract more than 2 million tourists annually. This island, like others in the Persian Gulf, especially those located in the Strait of Hormuz, has a semi-equatorial

Introducing the Lahijan city Lahijan, the bride of the Iranian cities! The lovely city of Lahijan is one of the most attractive tourist areas in the north of Iran, with a rich history and full of incredible untouched landscapes. This city is located in Gilan province and the south of Caspian Lake (the largest lake

Maraghe Maraghe is a charming city in the East Azerbaijan province that is located on the bank of the Safi Chay river. The population is mainly composed of Azerbaijani-speaking Iranian Azeris. Maraghe is the thriving center of a vast fruit growing area and exports a lot of dried fruit and its modern development has accelerated

Mashhad Mashhad, the second most populous city in Iran and capital of the Khorasan Razaví province, is the most important pilgrimage destination in the country, welcoming more than 30 million Iranian and foreign visitors each year by hosting the tomb of Imam Reza, eighth imam of Shiism. The sound of Naqareh, a percussion instrument similar

Meybod Meybod is one of the main desert cities in Yazd province, Iran. It is an ancient city dating back to pre-Islamic times, so it is home to many ancient landmarks. The historic town of Meybod is on the provisional list to be declared on the World Heritage List. Meybod was the capital of Iran

Nain A historical gem that offers interesting historical sites and wonderful knots for pesian carpet lovers. Nain, located on the edge of the Lut desert in the province of Isfahan, has some quite remarkable monuments, such as the 10th century Jomeh Mosque, one of the first four mosques built in Iran after the Arab invasion,

Natanz Natanz is a city in the province of Isfahan, and is located 70 kilometers southeast of Kashan. The mild climate, pears and saffron from Natanz are well known in all parts of Iran. The Karkas mountain range, literally the mountain of the vultures, with an altitude of 3,899 meters, rises next to the city

Nishapur Ancient city of the Iranian province of Khorasan. Nishapur, despite historical and natural catastrophes, was one of the most prosperous cities in the Islamic East until the time of the Mongols. Long overshadowed as a regional capital by the holy city of Mashhad, Nishapur retains its economic importance for its famous turquoise mines and

Qazvin During the Persian Empire, a 3000-kilometer highway was built called the Persian Royal Road by order of Darius I that connected various satrapies from present-day Iran to the Mediterranean Sea, passing through present-day Turkey. The Persian Royal Road was part of the greater trade route known as the Silk Road that stretched from the

Qeshm Qeshm Island, with a length of 100 kilometers and an area of ​​1,500 kilometers, is the largest island in the Persian Gulf, twice the size of Bahrain. This island, known under the name of the Persian Gulf dolphin for its shape in satellite images is home to several coastal towns, mostly inhabited by fishermen

Qom The second religious pilgrimage site, after Mashhad and the first Shiite theological center in Iran, with its large golden dome it is one of the most visited cities in the country. Qom, the capital of the homonymous province, is 100 miles south of Tehran on the edge of the central desert. The socio-economic activities

Rafsanjan Rafsanjan, an ancient city in the Kerman province, is the Iranian center for the cultivation and trade of pistachios. In addition, it is an important carpet weaving center. Copper is another important Rafsanjan product found in the Sarcheshmeh copper mines. This city is known more under the name of “city of the pistachios”.

Ramsar A city in the Mazandaran province, located on the Caspian Sea coast, known as Sakhtsar in the past. The Ramsar natives are Guilakíes (from Guilán province), although there are also Mazandaraní among them. Ramsar is a popular seaside resort for Iranian tourists also offering attractions such as: hot springs, the lush green forests of

Rasht The capital of the Guilán province and the largest city on the Iranian coast of the Caspian Sea. It is an important trade center between the Caucasus, Russia and Iran. Imports and exports between the countries of the Caspian Sea coast are carried out through Bandar-e Anzali (port of Anzalí). Historically, Rasht was an

Sanandaj The origins of the Kurds go back to an Indo-European people settled in the Kurdistan region. Kurds are members of an ethnic and linguistic group living in Iraq, Syria, southeastern Anatolia, and the Zagros Mountains in western Iran. Most Kurds live in contiguous regions of Iran, Iraq, and Turkey, a loosely defined geographic area

Sari Sari is the capital of the Mazandaran province, located north of the Alborz mountain range and on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. The name of the city comes from Saruyeh, son of Farkhan the Great, king of Tabaristan. The city was a regional capital under the Sassanids. In the 7th century, Farkhan

Semnan The capital of the province of the same name, Semnan, is located at the foot of the Alborz Mountains. The textile and carpet production are the most important industries in the city. Semnan was a stopping point on the Silk Road. The city offers various cultural and recreational activities, historical and religious sites, festivals,

Shahr-e Kord Shahr-e Kord, capital of the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiarí, is the largest city in the province and is 90 km from Isfahan. This city is known for its natural environment, its cold winters, waterfalls and rivers, and especially with 2070 m of altitude, as the «roof of Iran». The town has a

Shahrud It is the largest city in the province of Semnan. To the north, it is surrounded by the Alborz Mountains, while to the south it borders the arid salt deserts. The river Tash, after passing through this city, reaches the southern deserts. The climate in the mountainous areas is cold and quite temperate in

Shiraz, the city of poets in love and Bitter orange blossoms! Shiraz is one of the popular tourist cities in Iran that attracts domestic and foreign tourists yearly. In April, spring orange blossoms with a pleasant fragrance turn the entire city into a paradise. Shiraz is one of Iran’s most valuable tourist areas due to

Susa The Ruins of Susa, one of the oldest cities on Earth, is located in the Khuzestan province, northwest of Ahvaz. It was the capital of Persia for more than 3,000 years from the Elamites to the Achaemenid empire, when it became one of the four capitals and Darius I ordered a palace to be

Tabas Located in the heart of the central desert of Iran, this city is famous for its canyons, rice fields and picturesque oases that appear out of nowhere. Tabas is the capital of the district of the same name, in the province of South Khorasan. This desert city has hot summers and moderate winters. Due

Tabriz A modern city with great industrial potential and a merchandise distribution center. Situated in a valley north of Mount Sahand, it is the capital of the East Azerbaijan province and the fourth most populous city in the country, the majority of which are Azeris. Given its location, it enjoys mild summers, which makes it

Tehran The capital of Iran and also the most dynamic and prosperous city in the country with a population of over 9 million. Tehran presents the bustling atmosphere of any great capital in the world, while revealing itself as the cornerstone of Iran’s contemporary history and offers an extraordinary cultural offer to the traveler, among

Torbat-e Heydarieh Torbat-e Heydarieh is a city and the capital of the district of Torbat-e Heydarieh, in the province of Khorasan Razaví. The name Torbat in Persian means “holy place” or “holy tomb”, in fact it is the burial place of Heydar named after Qotb al-Din Heydar, a Sufi mystic whose tomb is located in

Tuyserkan Capital of the county of Tuyserkan, located about 100 km south of Hamadan, in western Iran. However, he used to be called Rud Avar. This city was ruined by the Mongol invasion and its inhabitants fled to the village of Tuy, later called Tuyserkán because of its proximity to Serkan: a city northwest of

Urmia Orumiyeh or Urmia is a city located in the northwestern part of Iran, dating back to the second millennium BC. according to historians. Its name means city of water in the Assyrian language, due to the existence of Lake Orumiyeh. Azeris make up the majority of its population, while the minority is made up