Iranian musical instruments include the Tar, Setar, Oud, Ney, Tonbak, and many others. Learn about them here.
Parts of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, and Georgia.
The center of rose water production in Iran is the city of Kashan, where the best roses grow. Iran exports high-quality rose water to countries such as France and China. Read about the process here.
June and July are the worst months to travel to Iran on the classic route due to the extreme heat. But even then, you can visit places like Ardabil and northwestern Iran, and enjoy cool weather.
Iran's trade relations with European countries started from the Safavid era and the 17th century with the flourishing of Iran's exports.
In addition to Iran, Farsi is spoken in different dialects in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. This language has 32 letters and its written form is Arabic script. Read more here.
Yes, currently Iran is one of the oldest countries with the longest continuous history of an organized government, dating back to around 3200 BCE.
In terms of appearance, the mosque and Imam Zadeh are similar, but one of the descendants of the Shia imams is buried in the place of Imam Zadeh.
You can't use your Visa or Mastercard, but there are debit tourist cards available in local currency. Ask HiPersia for a tourist debit card.
Rial is the official currency and Toman is the unofficial currency of Iran. In order to know how much Tomans a certain amount of Rial is, you must remove a zero from it. Read more here.
If an Iranian person is a Muslim, a non-Iranian person must convert their religion to Islam in order to marry.
Windtower or windcatcher is an invention of Iranians, acting as a cooling system for the houses and buildings especially in desert cities. This structure is like a tower that captures the wind and transfers it inside the main building.
The aqueduct system in Iran is called Qanat, which was invented by Iranians more than 2,500 years ago to direct and supply water from underground canals. The Qanat system is also registered in UNESCO. Read more about it here.
Saffron, rice, turmeric, cinnamon and tomatoes can be mentioned among the important ingredients in Iranian cooking, but Iran's culinary culture differs from area to area. Read about it here.
Burnt City is one of the centers of civilization and urbanization in Iran, dating back to 5000 BC. This city is located in the Sistan and Baluchistan province, in the southeast of Iran. Read more here.
Citizens of the United States, Britain, and Canada are not allowed to visit Iran without an official tour and guide. Read about it here.
In the summer, it is better to visit the western regions of Iran, such as Kurdistan and Kermanshah, and the northwestern cities such as Tabriz, Urmia, and Ardabil.
Considering that Iran is a country of four seasons, it is possible to travel to it all year round. In the winter season, it is recommended to visit the southern regions of Iran, such as Ahwaz, Susa, Bushehr, and the islands of the Persian Gulf. Or you can enjoy skiing in the mountains.
One of the most important exports of Iran is turquoise. The best and most turquoise in the world is found in the Nishabur mines located in the northeast of Iran.
Due to the high expertise of Iranian doctors and the lower price of medical services in Iran, many tourists come to Iran for cosmetic procedures, especially nose job and hair implant. Read about the medical visa here.
Most women are university professors, teachers, nurses, and administrative staff. But in the last few years, many women have become entrepreneurs too.
The working hours of offices in Iran are usually from 8 to 5 or 9 to 6.
According to the Iranian constitution, all men are required to join the military for two years after the age of 18. If they do not attend, they will be deprived of many social services, such as having a passport.
The highest peak in Iran is Damavand, which is located in Tehran province and has a height of 5609 meters. Damavand is the twelfth highest peak in the world. Read about it here.
The diversity of Iran's wildlife is very diverse, among the endemic animals of Iran, we can mention the Iranian leopard, bear, hyena, antelope, deer, cheetah, and crocodile.
Today, most of Iran's tourists are from Iraq, China and Russia.
Bakhtiaris, Qashqais, Shahsavans can be mentioned among Iranian nomads.
Ashura is the 10th day of the month of Muharram in the Arabic calendar, on which day Imam Hussain, the third Shia Imam, was killed along with his family in the battle of Karbala.
Yes, it is possible to ski in cities like Tehran, Ardabil, Shiraz and Tabriz. Read about skiing in Iran here.
Among the natural attractions of Iran, we can mention the Hyrcanian forests, Lut desert, Zagros mountains, and salt lakes.
Yes, due to the large size of Iran and the existence of mountains, seas, deserts, and other geographical phenomena in this country, Iran has a high variety of climates.
Kebab is one of the most popular dishes in Iran, which is cooked with various types of meat like lamb, veal, and chicken in different ways. But it's not all about Kebab, there is a lot to explore.
There has been a subway in Iran for almost thirty years, most of the big cities like Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan and Shiraz have subway lines.
Iran is the largest producer of saffron in the world, and North and South Khorasan provinces are the main places of saffron cultivation. The saffron plant grows better in cold regions. Read about saffron here.
Carpet is one of the most important exports of Iran. The art of carpet weaving started in Iran, and the oldest carpet in the world with more than 2500 years of life belongs to the Persian Empire, which is now kept in Moscow. Read more about Persian Carpet here.
Yes, women can apply for a driver's license after the age of 18, just like men.
There is free insurance for people with low income, and others who have basic insurance can get better services by using supplementary insurance.
Those who are interested should go to a seminary school and study there. After five years of studying and passing the exams, they can reach this position.
Imam Reza, the eighth Imam of Shias
Iran has generally friendly relations with its neighbors in spite of minor differences.
Muslims pray five times a day, before which they must wash some parts of their body and pray towards the Kaaba in Mecca.
Iran's two largest automobile companies are Iran Khodro and Saipa, which account for 10% of the national gross domestic product.
Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. It's one of the five pillars of Islam, and is mandatory for all Muslims who can afford it to do it at least once in their lifetime.
Armenians entered Iran in the 17th century under the order of Shah Abbas Safavid and mostly settled in Isfahan. This was done with the intention of keeping the Armenians safe from the Ottoman Empire back then.
The average age of marriage is 24 years for women and 28 years for men.
The average monthly rent in Tehran is about 500 dollars and buying a house is at least 20 thousand dollars.
In Iran, you can retire after 25 to 30 years of working, the minimum retirement age for women is 55 and for men is 60.
First, each couple should talk to a family counselor, then submit their petition to the court. With the help of a lawyer, the next steps will be carried out, including pregnancy tests, custody of children, and division of property.
There are about 40 islands in the Persian Gulf, all of which belong to Iran, but not all of them are habitable. The largest island is called Qeshm.
The emergence of the Zoroastrian religion dates back to 2000 BC, and the prophet of this religion, Zoroaster, and his book is the Avesta. Currently, there are about 25 thousand Zoroastrians living in Iran.
The Persians of India (Parsis) are a group of Zoroastrians who migrated to India after the Arab invasion of Iran.
Iran has mines of copper, coal, gold, iron and turquoise.
Iran's first railway goes back to the 19th century, now Iran's railway is more than 15,000 kilometers long and has recently been registered as a world heritage by UNESCO.
Iran's passport is ranked 94.
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, they pray more, recite the Quran more, and do acts of charity more. They practice these traditions to strengthen family and community bonds.
Around 50 and 60 percent of Iranian students are girls.
Bam and its cultural landscape, Bistun, Iranian Railway, Tabriz Historical Bazaar, Shrine of Sheikh Safi al-Din in Ardabil, Armenian Monastic Ensembles, Gonbad Kavus, Hegmataneh, The Persian Caravanserai, The Persian Garden, The Persian Qanat, Jame Mosque of Isfahan, Imam Square in Isfahan, Golestan Palace, Pasargadae, Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of the Fars Region, Uramanat Cultural Landscape, Meymand, Persepolis, Shahre Sokhte, Soltaniyeh Dome, Susa, Historical hydraulic system of Shushtar, Takhte Suleyman, Tchoga Zanbil, Historic city of Yazd, Lut Desert, Hyrcanian Forests. Read about them here.
The wars between Iran and the Ottomans started in the 17th century. Iran was the most powerful Shia government, and the Ottoman Empire was the most powerful Sunni government. These wars continued until the 19th century
Jews immigrated to Iran more than 2500 years ago, and now their number in Iran is about 8 thousand people.
March, April, May, September, October, and early November are the busiest travel months in Iran.
Presidential elections are held in Iran every four years and all men and women over the age of 18 can vote.
Avicenna physician, Khwarizmi astronomer, Khayyam the mathematician and physicist, Zakaria Razi physician and philosopher. These are only few names, the list is long.
Iran's nomads are divided into Kurdish, Lur, Laki, Persian, Turk, Turkmen, Arab, Baluch, and Brahui tribes. Iran's tribes and nomads are usually divided into 8 groups in terms of language.
Both Shia and Sunni groups are Muslims, with the difference that Shia believe in twelve imams.
A group of Muslims whose ancestors trace back to the Prophet or imams are called Sayyid in Iran. If a person is a Sayyid, after graduating from the seminary, he uses a black turban, and if he is not a Sayyid, he uses a white turban.
In Iran, the boy's family meets the girl's family during an official meeting and proposes to her. If the girl agrees, the two will be engaged for a while and then have a wedding party. It's worth saying that in every region of Iran, their traditions and ceremonies differ.
Afghanistan has the largest immigrant population in Iran.
Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Malaysia, Oman, Venezuela, Iraq, Dominica, Kazakhstan and,...
Today, Iranian girls continue their studies at least until the bachelor's degree. Most pursue higher education to Masters and Doctorates.
Rhinoplasty is the most popular cosmetic surgery in Iran.
In Islam, immediately after death, the body of a person is completely washed and wrapped naked in a shroud and buried in the same way without using a coffin.
Unfortunately, Americans can't travel alone to Iran, and they must travel in Iran with a tour and the presence of an official tour guide. Ask HiPersia for a tour to Iran.
Nowruz is the Iranian New Year celebration with Zoroastrian roots, which is celebrated on March 21 at the same time as the spring equinox. Read more here
Anyone can get their driver's license at the age of 18.
Yes, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism have their representatives in the Iranian Parliament.
Australia, England, Iraq, America, Canada, Germany, Turkey, Austria, Malaysia, Denmark
These days, Iranian families have between one and two children.
Coconut, Pineapple, Raspberry,
Yes, after getting a diploma and passing the course, women can become firefighters.
After the age of 18, you can vote in Iran
In Iran, to elect a leader, one representative from each province is elected by the people to be a member of the Assembly of Experts, and the elected representatives choose the next leader.
More than 2,500 years ago, the Persian Empire was founded by Cyrus the Great, who ruled almost half of the world. Although Persians are an ethnic group, it's also used as an umbrella term for all Iranian inhabitants. Some of the other ethnic groups are: Azeris, Kurds, Lurs, Talysh, Gilaki, Baloch, etc.
After obtaining a high school diploma and passing an exam, students will enter a public or private university according to their academic record and grades obtained in the exam.
Basic food commodities including chicken, meat, red meat, oilseeds, sugar. Medicines and pharmaceutical supplements, pharmaceutical raw materials and medical equipment.
Iran's Oil, saffron, pistachio, turquoise, caviar, and carpet are the most famous exports.
Yes, women with certain conditions, such as physical and mental health, no criminal background, and having at least a diploma can apply for training in an officer's school.
Iran's army was weakened after the Islamic revolution, and Iraq used this opportunity to attack Iran's oil-rich areas.
A child with an Iranian Father does not need a visa to enter Iran. They can enter Iran with their birth certificates and their father's ID. After coming to Iran, they need to apply for their Iranian Passport and ID.
Iran has a large variety of traditional food, and the variety is so diverse that usually travellers leave the country with an increase in weight. One of the most famous food hubs in Iran is Rasht, which is listed as a creative culinary city by UNESCO.
Passport with empty pages (must have more than 6 months of validity left)
Proof of medical travel insurance
Filling out the information form
Two passport-sized photos
scanned copy of your passport
Pay the visa fee to the government while collecting the visa
Ask HiPersia for your Iran Visa
“I said, ‘What about my eyes?’ God said,‘Keep them on the road.’”
Hafiz