Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in West Asia bordering several nations and bodies of water. With a population of 92 million, it ranks 17th globally in size and population and is the sixth-largest country in Asia. The country is divided into five regions comprising 31 provinces. Tehran serves as its capital, largest city, and financial hub.
Turkey's increasing shift away from Russian gas threatens Russia and Iran's influence in the European energy market. BOTA?'s significant LNG deal signals a move towards diversifying energy sources, impacting the regional energy landscape and balances.
In 1905, the Persian Constitutional Revolution began, leading to the establishment of an Iranian parliament.
In 1911, the Persian Constitutional Revolution concluded, resulting in the establishment of an Iranian parliament.
Following the 1921 coup d'état, the Qajar dynasty was replaced by the Pahlavi dynasty.
In 1925, Reza Shah established the Pahlavi dynasty after ousting the last Qajar Shah.
Since 1925, all male citizens of Iran aged 18 have been required to serve around 14 months in the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces (IRIAF) or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
In 1928, a new Iranian school of fine art was established by Kamal-ol-molk.
The Tehran Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1933.
In August 1941, the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran (Operation Countenance) occurred after Iran rejected demands to expel German residents, securing Iranian oil fields and Allied supply lines.
In 1941, Reza Shah was forced to abdicate due to the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran.
In 1941, the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran occurred, leading to the rise of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
In 1943, the Allied "Big Three" issued the Tehran Declaration at the Tehran Conference to guarantee the post-war independence and boundaries of Iran.
Iran's National Olympic Committee was founded in 1947.
In 1949, Ruhollah Khaleqi founded the country's first national music society and established the School of National Music.
In 1949, Tehran's first modern art gallery, Apadana, was opened by Mahmud Javadipur, Hosein Kazemi, and Hushang Ajudani.
From 1950 to 2002, the urban proportion of Iran's population increased from 27% to 60%.
In 1951, under Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, the Iranian parliament voted to nationalize the British-owned oil industry, leading to the Abadan Crisis.
In 1952, Mosaddegh was removed from power but quickly re-appointed by the shah due to a popular uprising.
In 1952, the Iranian government assumed control of commercial fishing operations.
In August 1953, Mosaddegh forced the shah into a brief exile after a failed military coup.
In 1953, the Anglo-American coup took place following Mohammad Mosaddegh's attempts to nationalize the oil industry.
In 1956 Iran's population was about 19 million.
In 1960, Ali Javan co-invented the first gas laser.
In 1974, Iran became the first country in West Asia to host the Asian Games.
Between 1976 and 2004, Iran saw a rise in fish production from inland waters by both state and private sectors, increasing from 1,100 tons to 110,175 tons.
On 31 March 1979, a referendum was approved by a massive margin to transition Iran from a monarchy to an Islamic republic.
On 4 November 1979, Iranian students seized US embassy personnel, holding 52 hostages.
In December 1979, Khomeini became Supreme Leader after the creation of an assembly to draft the new theocratic constitution.
In 1979, Iran derecognized the state of Israel, leading to strained diplomatic relations.
In 1979, the Iranian Revolution overthrew the monarchy, and the Islamic Republic of Iran was established by Ruhollah Khomeini.
In January 1981, the 52 US hostages held since November 1979 were released after 444 days.
By 1982, Iranian forces had pushed the Iraqi army back into Iraq.
In 1982, Iran began building military forces with a wide network of state and non-state actors, starting with Hezbollah in Lebanon, increasing its regional influence.
Following Khomeini's death on 3 June 1989, Ali Khamenei was named as the next Supreme Leader.
During the 1989 Iranian constitutional referendum, the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) was formed to protect national interests, the revolution, territorial integrity, and national sovereignty.
In 1989, President Akbar Rafsanjani focused on a pro-business policy of rebuilding the economy.
In April 2024, Iran directly attacked Israel for the first time since 1991.
From 1996 through 2004, Iran nearly tenfold its publication output.
In 1997, moderate reformist Mohammad Khatami succeeded Rafsanjani as president.
In 2000, Juan José Linz described the Iranian regime as combining the ideological bent of totalitarianism with the limited pluralism of authoritarianism.
From 2001 to 2011, Iran exported over $20 billion worth of technical and engineering services.
From 1950 to 2002, the urban proportion of Iran's population increased from 27% to 60%.
According to a 2003 estimate, Persians made up 51% of the population, Azerbaijanis 24%, Gilaks and Mazenderanis 8%, Kurds 7%, Arabs 3%, Lurs 2%, Balochis 2%, and Turkmens 2%.
After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Iran took advantage of the instability to build strong alliances and footholds beyond its borders.
Following the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Iran began to shape Iraq's politics and finance militia groups.
The 2003 Bam earthquake was a devastating shallow-focus earthquake in Iran.
Between 1976 and 2004, combined take from inland waters increased from 1,100 tons to 110,175 tons.
From 1996 through 2004, Iran nearly tenfold its publication output.
In 2004, Iran inaugurated its first wind-powered and geothermal plants.
In 2004, the Iranian Space Agency was established.
Since 2004 during Yemen's civil war, Iran provided military support to the Houthis, a Zaydi Shia movement fighting Yemen's Sunni government.
The 2005 presidential election brought conservative populist and nationalist candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power.
In 2006, Iranian scientists successfully cloned a sheep at the Royan Research Centre in Tehran.
In 2006, election results were widely disputed, leading to protests.
Since 2007, the men's national basketball team has won three Asian Championships.
From 2008 to 2009, Iran experienced a significant increase in its annual industrial production growth rate, rising to 28th place from 69th.
In 2008, the Library of Congress issued estimates: 65% Persians (including Gilaks and Mazenderanis), 16% Azerbaijanis, 7% Kurds, 6% Lurs, 2% Arabs, 2% Balochis, and 1% Turkic tribal groups.
From 2008 to 2009, Iran experienced a significant increase in its annual industrial production growth rate, rising to 28th place from 69th.
In 2009, Iran became an orbital-launch-capable nation and placed its domestically built satellite Omid into orbit using its first expendable launch vehicle Safir.
In 2009, Iran's first solar thermal plant commenced operations.
By 2010, the government aimed for 53 GW of installed capacity by adding gas-fired plants, hydropower, and nuclear generation capacity.
In 2010, the Iranian humanoid robot Sorena 2, designed by engineers at the University of Tehran, was unveiled.
In 2010, the "traditional skills of carpet weaving" in Fars Province and Kashan were inscribed to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
In 2010, the economic reform plan was to gradually cut subsidies and replace them with targeted social assistance, moving towards free market prices and increased productivity and social justice.
In Autumn 2010, Iran was the first country to introduce a national basic income.
In 2011, Iran's first nuclear power plant began operations.
In 2011, The World Factbook gave the same population figures as the 2003 estimate.
In 2011, approximately 66 Iranian industrial companies were involved in projects across 27 countries.
The men's national volleyball team won the Asian Men's Volleyball Championship in 2011.
According to a 2012 study by SCImago, Iran would rank fourth in research output by 2018 if the trend persisted.
In 2013, centrist and reformist Hassan Rouhani was elected president.
In 2013, the Setad, a state-owned enterprise under the Rahbar, was valued at $95 billion.
The men's national volleyball team won the Asian Men's Volleyball Championship in 2013.
Following Iraq's struggle against ISIS in 2014, companies linked to the IRGC, such as Khatam al-Anbiya, started building roads, power plants, hotels, and businesses in Iraq, creating an economic corridor.
In 2014, Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani became the first woman and Iranian to receive the Fields Medal, the highest prize in mathematics.
The instability in Yemen from 2014 onward allowed Iran to build strong alliances and footholds beyond its borders.
In 2015, Iran and the P5+1 agreed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, aiming to end economic sanctions in exchange for restrictions on producing enriched uranium.
In 2015, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was reached in Vienna between Iran, the P5+1, and the EU.
As of 2016, the literacy rate among people aged 15 and older in Iran was 86%, with men (90%) more literate than women (81%).
In 2016, approximately 90% of Iranians had health insurance.
The 2017-18 Iranian protests swept across the country in response to the economic and political situation, leading to thousands of arrests.
According to a 2012 study by SCImago, Iran would rank fourth in research output by 2018 if the trend persisted.
By 2018, Iran's population growth rate was approximately 1.39%.
In 2018, the US under President Donald Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and new sanctions were imposed.
In 2018, the US withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action under the Trump administration and reimposed sanctions on Iran.
According to a 2019 study, Iran recorded the highest proportion of retracted publications globally, with 15.52 retractions per 10,000 publications.
In 2019, Iran discovered a southern oil field containing 50 billion barrels of oil.
In 2019, around 25 million people visited museums in Iran.
In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism in Iran had been growing rapidly, reaching nearly 9 million foreign visitors, making it the world's third fastest-growing tourism destination.
In 2019, protests erupted across Iran after the government announced increases in fuel prices of up to 300%. A week-long total Internet shutdown marked one of the most severe Internet blackouts, accompanied by a governmental crackdown on protestors.
In 2019, the Iranian government registered the Vank Cathedral in Isfahan as a World Heritage Site.
On 8 January 2020, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down by the IRGC shortly after takeoff from Tehran, killing all 176 occupants, and leading to protests.
As of 2020, 70 million Iranians were using high-speed mobile internet.
By 2020, Iran announced that it would no longer observe any limit set by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
In 2020, IRGC general Qasem Soleimani was assassinated by the US, heightening tensions.
In 2021, Iran and China signed a 25-year cooperation agreement to strengthen relations between the two countries with "political, strategic and economic" components.
In 2021, Iran's military spending increased for the first time in four years, reaching $24.6 billion, which was 2.3% of the national GDP. Funding for the IRGC accounted for 34% of the total military spending.
In 2021, Iranian tourists spent $33 billion on domestic tourism.
In August 2022, Russia launched the Iranian remote-sensing Khayyam satellite into orbit from Kazakhstan.
In September 2022, protests against the government began after Mahsa Amini died in police custody following her arrest by the Guidance Patrol. The UN described the government crackdown as crimes against humanity.
In 2022, a group of UN experts urged Iran to stop the "systematic persecution" of religious minorities, citing the arrest, barring from universities, and home demolitions of members of the Baháʼí Faith.
In 2022, state subsidies, including foodstuffs and especially petrol, totaled $100 billion for energy alone.
In 2022, the unemployment rate in Iran was 9%.
In 2022, tourism in Iran expanded its share to 5% of the economy.
By February 2023, Iran's population had grown to about 85 million.
As of November 2023, Iran had uranium enriched to up to 60% fissile content, which is close to weapon grade, leading some analysts to regard Iran as a de facto nuclear power.
In November 2023, following Russia's purchase of Iranian drones during the invasion of Ukraine, the IRIAF finalized arrangements to acquire Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters, air defense and missile systems.
As of 2023, Iran produced 4% of the world's crude oil, equivalent to 3.6 million barrels per day, generating US$36 billion in export revenue.
In 2023, Iran built 1.188 million cars, showing a 12% increase from previous years.
In 2023, Iran's tourism experienced a growth of 43%, attracting 6 million foreign tourists. The government ended visa requirements for 60 countries in 2023.
In the first seven months of 2023, the number of travellers visiting Iran from other West Asian countries grew by 31%.
Media reports from 2023 indicate that Iran continues to rank among the countries with the highest retraction rates due to misconduct like plagiarism and data fabrication.
Since 2023, Iran's economic struggles and the weakening of its key allies and proxies have left the Iranian government weakened and isolated.
In January 2024, Iran launched the Soraya satellite into its highest orbit yet (750 km) using the Qaem 100 rocket, and also launched 3 indigenous satellites (Mahda, Kayan, and Hatef) into orbit.
In February 2024, Iran launched its domestically developed imaging satellite, Pars 1, from Russia into orbit.
In April 2024, an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus killed an IRGC commander, leading to retaliatory missile strikes from Iran on Israel.
In April 2024, the NIOC discovered 10 giant shale oil deposits, totaling 2.6 billion barrels.
In May 2024, President Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash.
On 1 October 2024, Iran launched 180 ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for assassinations.
In December 2024, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, a close ally of Iran, was a severe setback for Iran's political influence in the region.
As of 2024, Iran has the world's 19th largest economy (by PPP), characterized by a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures.
As of 2024-2025, Iran suffers from an energy crisis manifested by many power outages.
In 2024, Iran was ranked 158th in electoral democracy according to V-Dem Democracy Indices and classified as an electoral autocracy.
In 2024, Iran was ranked 16th in global car manufacturing, surpassing the UK, Italy, and Russia.
Iran was ranked 64th in the Global Innovation Index in 2024.
As of January 2025, the men's national volleyball team is the 2nd strongest in Asia and 15th in the FIVB World Rankings.
In February 2025, The New York Times reported the existence of two parallel systems in Iran: one ruled by the military and intelligence forces, and another ruled by diplomats and politicians.
As of April 2025, the men's national football team ranks 2nd in Asia and 18th in the FIFA World Rankings.
In May 2025, the Iranian government ordered the mass deportation of an estimated 4 million Afghan migrants and refugees living in Iran.
In June 2025, Israel launched strikes across Iran, resulting in retaliatory missile strikes and a brief direct conflict, followed by US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and an eventual ceasefire on June 24th.
As of 2024-2025, Iran suffers from an energy crisis manifested by many power outages.
As of 2025, Iran was home to an estimated 4 million Afghan migrants and refugees.
In 2025, Israeli strikes on Iran escalated tensions into the Iran-Israel war.
In early 2025, Iran was rapidly advancing its nuclear program, entering negotiations with the US for a new nuclear agreement, and announcing the activation of a new enrichment facility in June.
Iran plans to invest $500 billion in oil by 2025.
Iran projects investment of $32 billion in the tourism sector by 2026.
Studies project that Iran's population growth will slow until it stabilizes at around 105 million by 2050.
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