Welcome to Iran
Background
For thousands of years, Iran was the home of several great civilizations. Iranian civilization is more than 3,500 years old. Probably the best known Iranian civilization is the Persian Empire, which experienced a golden age under the leadership of Darius the Great (522-485 B.C.). The Persians had many achievements in math and architecture. At one point, the Persian Empire was the largest and most powerful in the world. As an important stop along the Silk Roads, Iran helped bring Asian goods and ideas to Europe. Because of its strategic location, Iran has influenced and been influenced by many ethnic groups, including Turks, Mongols, and Arab Muslims. In the seventh century A.D., Islam was introduced into Iran. From the seventh to twentieth centuries, a series of dynasties ruled Iran, ending with the Pahlavi family. After oil was discovered in 1908, many European nations, including Great Britain and Russia, became interested in colonizing Iran to exploit this natural resource. Following World War II, the Allies promised Iran independence, and Iran became a constitutional monarchy. The pro-western shah began a series of economic reforms. However, widespread political corruption and the failure of the government to meet the needs of its people led to the revolution of 1979. Since that time, Iran has been controlled by an Islamic fundamentalist government. The Iranian hostage crisis and American support of Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War have led to strained relations with the U.S.
Iran Today
The Iranian population is made up of people from many different ethnic groups who speak several different languages. Over 50% of the people are Persian, while the rest includes Kurds, Arabs, and others. Although the majority of the people are Muslim, there are Christians and Zoroastrians as well. Iran is a modern, industrialized nation. In 1997, President Khatami promised democratic and social reforms intended to improve Iran’s international standing. The 2005 election of President Ahmadinejad put those plans on hold. In recent months, Iran has been involved in disputes with the United Nations over the development of its nuclear power program. Today Iran is the fourth largest producer of crude oil in the world. It is the world’s eighteenth largest nation, as well as a major power in the Middle East.
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