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	DESTINATION GUIDES Iran Iran

DESTINATION GUIDES

Iran

Among Middle Eastern countries, Iran is unique in many ways. Its official language, Farsi (Persian), is Indo-European.

Iran has played an important role in the Middle East, as an imperial power and as a factor in rivalries between East and West. Its strategic position and its vast resources, including petroleum and natural gas, make it a nation to be reckoned with in the modern world.

Understanding the Geography

City’s of Iran

Abadan
Ahwaz, the capital of Khoozestan province : A warm city in south-west of Iran, Karoon river divides Ahwaz into two parts, there is a famous bridge on Karoon in center of Ahwaz named Pol-e Mo'alagh (Suspended Bridge)
Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan province : A major fishing and commercial port in the middle of the Strait of Hormoz.
Bushehr, the capital of Bushehr province : "Bandar-e Bushehr" is a major fishing and commercial port on the Persian Gulf.
Esfahan's stunning architecture, tree-lined boulevards with relaxed, tree-shaded sidewalks make it the undisputed highlight of Iran cities. The capital of Esfahan province, and once during the rule of the Safavid dynasty in 17th century the country capital. In Iranians folklore the name Esfahan usually gets rhymed with the alias "Nesf-e-Jahan", meaning "Half of the World" for its architectural variety and outstanding beauty.
Hamadan, the Capital of Hamadan Province : Situated on the slopes of Mount Alvand at the elevation of 1800 meters.
Kashan, in the Esfahan province : A oasis-like city on the borders of the desert. It can be accounted as one of the most archaic cities in Iran.
Kerman, the capital of Kerman province : On the edge of Loot desert. Its construction is attributed to Ardashir I of Sassanid.
Kermanshah, the capital of Kermanshahan province : One of the ancient cities of Iran constructed by Bahram of Sassanids in the 4th century CE.
Kish Island, a free trade zone in the Persian Gulf, it is regarded as a consumer's 'paradise', with numerous malls, shopping centres, tourist attractions, and resort hotels. Kish is the home of Dariush Grand Hotel, a magnificent hotel in Iran and one of the top ten best hotels in the Middle East.
Mashhad, the capital of Khorasan province : In Arabic, the name Mashhad means the place of martyrdom, which about this special city is the place where Imam Reza - the eighth Imam of muslims - martyred and so his shrine is placed there
Nowshahr, is a port city in the province of Mazandaran in northern Iran. It is known for its humid climate and immense natural beauty, and is therefore an attractive destination for domestic tourism.
Qazvin, of the Qazvin province. Was a capital city in Ancient Persia. Vibrant city close to Tehran.
Qeshm Island, is Iran's largest and the Persian Gulf's largest island. Qeshm Island is famous for its wide range of eco-tourist attractions such as the Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5% of the world birds and 25% of Iran's native birds annually migrate to Hara forests, which is the first national geo park.
Rafsanjan, a green gold city.
Rasht, the capital of Gilan province : A very important city in the Caspian Sea region.
Shiraz, the capital of Fars province : A city with delicate climate which has always been famous all through the history for two things: First, numerous poets once lived there so it was some sort of capital for Persian literature and second, in Persian literature - specially Hafiz poems - Shiraz is mostly famous for it's red wine.
Tabriz, the capital of Eastern Azarbaijan province : In the ancient time, the name was "Aturpatgan" or "Azargoshnasp" where the Zoroastrian fire temples placed there.
Tehran, the capital of Tehran province and the country capital is a relatively young city which suffers off-limits growth. A very beautiful city in nature, which suffers the horrendous traffic and air pollution nowadays.
Urmia, the capital of Western Azarbaijan province : The name of the city was changed to "Rezayieh" during the Shah era but was restored after the revolution. In Asurian language it means "The place of water". The city is located near a lake called Urmia Lake which is the second saltiest lake in the world. Urmia city itself is surrounded by vast vineyards. You can also reach either of the Turkey or Iraq borders by driving an hour by car.
Yazd, the capital of Yazd province : A city placed in the middle of desert. This circumstances accomplished some kind of special architectural theme which uses water streams in underground rooms in houses and wind-towers to cool down the house in desert hot summer days.
Zahedan, the capital of Sistan va Baluchestan : A city near Pakistan's border with a multi-tribal texture.
Zanjan, the capital of Zanjan province.

Climate Conditions

Mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian Sea coast.

Understanding the Culture

Despite progress in recent years, the pace of liberalisation in Iran remains slow and its legally-enforced Islamic codes of conduct dictate many aspects of public life. Respecting the dozens of unspoken rules and regulations of Iranian life can be a daunting prospect for travellers, but don't be intimidated. As a foreigner you will be given leeway and it doesn't take long to acclimatise yourself.

Perhaps the most visible mark of Iran's Islamic leanings is the conservative dress expected of its citizens. Although normal, Western style clothing is acceptable in private homes, when in public women are required to cover everything but their face, hands and feet.

The most common uniform consists of a head scarf to conceal the head and neck, a formless, knee-length coat known as a roo-poosh and a long dress or pair of pants. In and around holy sites, you will be expected to dress even more modestly in a ch?dor, a full-length swathe of black cloth designed to cloak everything but your face from view.

The dress code can be daunting during your preparation, but roo-saris, roo-pooshes and ch?dors can be bought cheaply in Iran. Watch or ask friendly Iranian women for guidance and marvel at how young women are pushing the boundaries of modesty with colourful head-scarves that cover only a fraction of their hair and figure-hugging roo-pooshes that reveal every curve of their bodies.

Men have a slightly easier time of things. Short-sleeved shirts and t-shirts are acceptable for daily wear, but long sleeved shirts are still required for holy sites and formal occasions. Shorts and three-quarter length pants are only acceptable on the beach.

Iran is a publicly segregated society. Many facilities such as transport and mosques are segregative and extended social interaction between men and women who are not related or married is eyed with suspicion.

Greet people of the same sex with a handshake, three kisses or both, but avoid physical contact with unrelated people of the opposite sex. Place your hand over your heart and bow slightly to greet them instead.

You will struggle to find Iranians happy with the current regime, but be careful of initiating political discussions. Although political freedom has increased in recent years, vocal opposition can be more trouble than it’s worth.

Although no trip to Iran would be complete without a glimpse at the stunning architecture and sombre environments of its mosques or holy shrines, many travellers are daunted by the prospect of walking into the foreign world of a mosque. Don't let these fears stop you; Iranians are welcoming and will understand any unintended breach of protocol.

Some mosques, and most holy shrines, require women to be wearing a ch?dor before entering the complex. If you don't have one, there are sometimes kiosks by the door that lend or hire ch?dors. It is better for men to wear long-sleeved shirts inside a mosque or shrine, though this is not mandatory.

Shoes are not worn within prayer areas of a mosque or shrine. Busier mosques have free shoe repositories where you trade your shoes for a token. Also try to avoid mosques on the holy day of Friday and don't photograph a mosque while prayers are taking place.

Holy shrines, like those in Mashad and Qom, are usually off limits to non-Muslims, although the surrounding complexes are usually OK. Always ask first before you enter a room you are unsure of.