Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, also known as Persia, is a country in Western Asia. It is part of the Middle East region. It shares borders with Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. Tehran is the capital and largest city. Iran is the eighteenth largest country in the world. It has more than 84.9 million people. Iran has been a member of the United Nations since 1945. It is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).[12] It is an Islamic republic.
tehran was first chosen as the capital of Iran by Agha Mohammad Khan of the Qajar dynasty in 1786, because of its proximity to Iran's territories in the Caucasus, then separated from Iran in the Russo-Iranian Wars, to avoid the vying factions of the previously ruling Iranian dynasties. The capital has been moved several times throughout history, however, and Tehran became the 32nd capital of Iran. Large-scale construction works began in the 1920s, and Tehran became a destination for mass migrations from all over Iran since the 20th century.[11] Tehran is home to many historical sites, including the World Heritage Site Golestan Palace of Qajar dynasty and Sa'dabad, Niavaran and Marmar Palace of Pahlavi dynasty. Tehran's landmarks include the Azadi Tower, a memorial built in 1971 to mark the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire, the Milad Tower, the world's sixth-tallest self-supporting tower, completed in 2007, another famous landmark in Tehran is the Tabiat Bridge, completed in 2014
The area around Karaj has been inhabited for thousands of years, as shown by the Bronze Age site of Tepe Khurvin and the Iron Age site of Kalak.[12][13] However, the present-day city of Karaj is mostly the result of modern industrial development in the 20th century.[13] Karaj was mostly significant as a stage on the road between Tehran and Qazvin.[13] In Safavid times, a stone bridge was built that served as the main crossing into the town.[13] The large Shah-Abbasi Caravansarai, located at the southeast of Towhid Square, was built in the same era, under the rule of Šāh Esmāil.