Iran, formerly Persia, can be considered part of the Middle East or Central Asia; indeed the Persian Empire was the dominant Central Asian power for many centuries.The wellspring of one of the world's great civilizations, Iran is a country of striking natural beauty and gorgeous tiled mosques. Its landscape is incredibly varied. Its history since 1979 has been tumultuous.

Humans have inhabited the area that makes up modern Iran since the Stone Age. There are paintings in Dusheh cave that date back to 15,000 BC.

The ancient Persians arrived about 1500 BC, one branch of the great movement of people that also brought northern India and most of Europe their modern populations. The name Iran is from the same root as "Aryan" which, until Hitler perverted it, was just an ancient name for those arriving peoples.

- Wikivoyage
- Image by @hasanalmasi