Iran

Iran also known as Persia officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a sovereign state in Western Asia. With 78.4 million inhabitants, Iran is the world's 17th-most-populous country.

Iran reached the pinnacle of its power during the Achaemenid Empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC, which at its greatest extent comprised major portions of the ancient world, stretching from parts of the Balkans and Eastern Europe proper in the west, to the Indus Valley in the east, making it the largest empire the world had yet seen. The empire collapsed in 330 BC following the conquests of Alexander the Great.

Growing dissent against foreign influence and political repression culminated in the 1979 Revolution, which led to the establishment of an Islamic republic on 1 April 1979. Tehran is the country's capital and largest city, as well as its leading cultural and economic center. Iran's rich cultural legacy is reflected in part by its 19 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.