Iran

[ ih-ran, ih-rahn, ahy-ran ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a republic in SW Asia. About 635,000 sq. mi. (1,644,650 sq. km). : Teheran.

Iran.

abbreviation for

Iranian.

Iran

/ ɪˈ��ɑː�� /

noun

a republic in SW Asia, between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf: a monarchy until an Islamic revolution in 1979 headed by the Ayatollah Khomeini when the Shah was obliged to leave the country. Consists chiefly of a high central desert plateau almost completely surrounded by mountains, a semitropical fertile region along the Caspian coast, and a hot and dry area beside the Persian Gulf. Oil is the most important export. Official language: Persian (Iranian or Farsi). Official religion: Muslim majority. Currency: rial. Capital: Tehran. Pop: 79 853 900 (2013 est). Area: 1 647 050 sq km (635 932 sq miles) Former name (until 1935)Persia Official nameIslamic Republic of Iran See also Persian Empire

Iran

Republic in the Middle East , bordered by Armenia , the Caspian Sea , Turkmenistan , and Azerbaijan to the north; Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east; the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south; and Iraq and Turkey to the west. Its capital and largest city is Teheran .

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Notes

In 1979, Iranian militants attacked the U.S. embassy and seized hostages, including sixty-two Americans, who were held until 1981.

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ruled from 1979 until his death in 1989, imposing strict Islamic law.

The United States supported the regime of the shah (king) Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who was forced by popular opposition to leave the country in 1979.

The 1990s saw some moderating elements emerge to challenge the conservative heirs to Khomeini.

The Iranian government was widely believed to have controlled the taking of U. S. hostages in Lebanon . ( See Iran-Contra affair .)

Core of the ancient Persian Empire , Iran was known as Persia until 1935.

Iraq unsuccessfully invaded Iran in 1980.

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Compare Meanings

How does Iran compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Iran vs. Iraq

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The contents of the leaked chat revealed a Trump administration that is internally divided on matters of foreign policy — in particular as it pertains to Iran and its regional proxies, such as the Houthis.

From

It won’t just be China, Russia, and Iran trying to build workarounds to U.S. power — it will also be Europe, Japan, and other long-time partners.

From

As Iran and the United States prepare to hold a second round of high-stakes nuclear talks in Rome, hopes for de-escalation are being tempered by mounting military threats and mixed messages.

From

They added that the two leaders also discussed "the situation in Ukraine, Iran and recent action taken against the Houthis in Yemen".

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"We face that now with China and to some extent Russia, and … rogue states like Iran and North Korea."

From

��á��ǲ�Iran-Contra affair

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