2020 Edition

Background

Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces led by Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a religious scholar known as the Supreme Leader, who is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts -- an elected 88-member body of clerics. US-Iran relations became strained when Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979 and held embassy personnel hostage until mid-January 1981. The US cut off diplomatic relations with Iran in April 1980. From 1980 to 1988, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism since 1984. After the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and a reformist Majles (legislature) in 2000, a political reform campaign in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated, but conservative politicians blocked reform measures while increasing repression. Municipal and legislative elections in 2003 and 2004 saw conservatives reestablish control over Iran's elected government institutions, culminating in the 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. His reelection in 2009 sparked nationwide protests over allegations of electoral fraud, and the protests persisted until 2011. In 2013, Iranians elected to the presidency centrist cleric Dr. Hasan Fereidun RUHANI, a longtime senior regime member who promised to reform society and foreign policy. In 2019, Tehran's sudden decision to increase the gasoline price sparked nationwide protests, which the regime violently suppressed. Conservatives won the majority in Majles elections in 2020, and hardline cleric Ebrahim RAISI was elected president in 2021, resulting in a conservative monopoly across the regime's elected and unelected institutions. Iran continues to be subject to a range of international sanctions and export controls because of its involvement in terrorism, weapons proliferation, human rights abuses, and concerns over the nature of its nuclear program. Iran received nuclear-related sanctions relief in exchange for nuclear concessions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action's (JCPOA) Implementation Day beginning in 2016. However, the US reimposed nuclear-related sanctions on Iran after it unilaterally terminated its JCPOA participation in 2018. In October 2023, the EU and the UK also decided to maintain nuclear-proliferation-related measures on Iran, as well as arms and missile embargoes, in response to Iran's non-compliance with its JCPOA commitments. As president, RAISI has concentrated on deepening Iran's foreign relations with anti-US states -- particularly China and Russia -- to weather US sanctions and diplomatic pressure, while supporting negotiations to restore a nuclear deal that began in 2021. RAISI contended with nationwide protests that began in September 2022 and persisted for over three months after the death of a Kurdish Iranian woman, Mahsa AMINI, in morality police custody. Young people and women led the protests, and demands focused on regime change.

Area

land

1,531,595 sq km

total

1,648,195 sq km

water

116,600 sq km

Area - comparative

almost 2.5 times the size of Texas; slightly smaller than Alaska

Climate

mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Coastline

2,440 km

Elevation

highest point

Kuh-e Damavand 5,625 m

lowest point

Caspian Sea -28 m

mean elevation

1,305 m

Geographic coordinates

32 00 N, 53 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz

Irrigated land

79,721 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Afghanistan 921 km; Armenia 44 km; Azerbaijan 689 km; Iraq 1,599 km; Pakistan 959 km; Turkey 534 km; Turkmenistan 1,148 km

total

5,894 km

Land use

agricultural land

29% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.2% (2023 est.)

forest

6.6% (2023 est.)

other

64.4% (2023 est.)

Location

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

Caspian Sea (shared with Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km; Lake Urmia - 5,200 sq km; Lake Namak - 750 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Euphrates (shared with Turkey [s], Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 3,596 km; Tigris (shared with Turkey, Syria, and Iraq [m]) - 1,950 km; Helmand (shared with Afghanistan [s]) - 1,130 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage

(Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

natural prolongation

exclusive economic zone

bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur

Population distribution

population is concentrated in the north, northwest, and west, reflecting the position of the Zagros and Elburz Mountains; the vast, dry areas in the center and eastern parts of the country, around the deserts of the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, have a much lower population density

Terrain

rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Age structure

0-14 years

23.3% (male 10,512,797/female 10,040,282)

15-64 years

69.8% (male 31,413,125/female 30,267,241)

65 years and over

7% (2024 est.) (male 2,869,617/female 3,283,875)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

11.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

4.3% (2017 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

69.6% (2022 est.)

Death rate

4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

12.4 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

8.1 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

42.8 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

30.4 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 94.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 97.7% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 5.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 2.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

2.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

18.8% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen, and Turkic tribes

Gross reproduction rate

0.74 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

5.8% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

19% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

13.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

15.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Persian Farsi (official), Azeri and other Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic

major-language sample(s)

چکیده نامه جهان، منبعی ضروری برای کسب اطلاعات کلی جهان (Persian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.1 years

male

74.3 years

total population

75.6 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

81% (2016 est.)

male

90% (2016 est.)

total population

86% (2016 est.)

Major urban areas - population

9.500 million TEHRAN (capital), 3.368 million Mashhad, 2.258 million Esfahan, 1.721 million Shiraz, 1.661 million Tabriz, 1.594 million Karaj (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

16 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

34.1 years

male

33.6 years

total

35.2 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Iranian

noun

Iranian(s)

Net migration rate

-15.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

25.8% (2016)

Physician density

1.81 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

female

44,079,134

male

45,098,223

total

89,177,357 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.87% (2025 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official) 98.5%, Christian 0.7%, Baha'i 0.3%, agnostic 0.3%, other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Hindu) 0.2% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2020 est.)

male

14 years (2020 est.)

total

14 years (2020 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.87 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

2.8% (2025 est.)

male

23.8% (2025 est.)

total

13.3% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.53 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

77.3% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

31 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Alborz, Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi (West Azerbaijan), Azarbayjan-e Sharqi (East Azerbaijan), Bushehr, Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Jonubi (South Khorasan), Khorasan-e Razavi (Razavi Khorasan), Khorasan-e Shomali (North Khorasan), Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Bowyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Capital

daylight saving time

does not observe daylight savings time

etymology

the name probably means "flat" or "lower," referring to its location in the foothills of the Elburz Mountains

geographic coordinates

35 42 N, 51 25 E

name

Tehran

time difference

UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Iran

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by the supreme leader – after consultation with the Exigency Council – and submitted as an edict to the "Council for Revision of the Constitution," a body consisting of various executive, legislative, judicial, and academic leaders and members; passage requires absolute majority vote in a referendum and approval of the supreme leader; articles including Iran’s political system, its religious basis, and its form of government cannot be amended

history

previous 1906; latest adopted 24 October 1979, effective 3 December 1979

Country name

conventional long form

Islamic Republic of Iran

conventional short form

Iran

etymology

the name derives from the Sanskrit word arya, referring to people living in a mountainous land, from the root word ar-, or "mountain;" the former name, Persia, was originally "Pars" (or the Arabic-influenced variant "Fars") from the Old Persian parsi, meaning "pure"

former

Persia

local long form

Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran

local short form

Iran

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

none; the US Interests Section is located in the Embassy of Switzerland; US Foreign Interests Section, Embassy of Switzerland, Pasdaran, Shahid Mousavi Street (Golestan 5th), Corner of Paydarfard Street, No. 55, Tehran

Diplomatic representation in the US

none  note: Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Embassy of Pakistan, 1250 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073; email:  requests@daftar.org; info@daftarwashington.com; website:  https://daftar.org/

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the supreme leader has some control over appointments to several ministries

chief of state

Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)

election results

2024: first round results - Masoud PEZESHKIAN (independent) 44.4%, Saeed JALILI (Front of Islamic Revolution Stability) 40.4%, Mohammad Baqer QAKIBAF (Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran) 14.3%, other 0.9%; second round results - Masoud PEZESHKIAN elected; Masoud PEZESHKIAN 54.8%, Saeed JALILI 45.2% 2021: Ebrahim RAISI elected president; percent of vote - Ebrahim RAISI (independent) 72.4%, Mohsen REZAI (RFII) 13.8%, Abbdolnaser HEMATI (ECP) 9.8%, Amir-Hosein Qazizadeh-HASHEMI (Islamic Law Party) 4%

election/appointment process

supreme leader appointed for life by Assembly of Experts; president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term and an additional nonconsecutive term)

head of government

President Masoud PEZESHKIAN (since 30 July 2024)

most recent election date

28 June 2024, with runoff held on 5 July 2024

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; centered in the white band is the red national emblem, a stylization of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip (a symbol of martyrdom); ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band meaning: green is the color of Islam and also represents growth, white stands for honesty and peace, and red for bravery and martyrdom

Government type

theocratic republic

Independence

1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed); notable earlier dates: ca. 550 B.C. (Achaemenid or Persian Empire established); A.D. 1501 (Iran reunified under the Safavid dynasty); 1794 (beginning of Qajar dynasty); 12 December 1925 (modern Iran established under the PAHLAVI dynasty)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

BRICS, CICA, CP, D-8, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, SAARC (observer), SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and organized into 42 two-bench branches, each with a justice and a judge)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court president appointed by the head of the High Judicial Council (HJC), a 5-member body to include the Supreme Court chief justice, the prosecutor general, and 3 clergy, in consultation with judges of the Supreme Court; president appointed for a single, renewable 5-year term; other judges appointed by the HJC; judge tenure NA

subordinate courts

Penal Courts I and II; Islamic Revolutionary Courts; Courts of Peace; Special Clerical Court (functions outside the judicial system and handles cases involving clerics); military courts

Legal system

religious system based on secular and Islamic law

Legislative branch

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

February 2028

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Islamic Parliament of Iran (Majles Shoraye Eslami)

most recent election date

3/1/2024 to 5/10/2024

number of seats

290 (all directly elected)

percentage of women in chamber

4.9%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1990

lyrics/music

multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI

title

"Soroud-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran" (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran)

National color(s)

green, white, red

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Persepolis (c); Tchogha Zanbil (c); Bam and its Cultural Landscape (c); Golestan Palace (c); Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System (c); Pasargadae (c); Hyrcanian Forests (n); Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex (c); Meidan Emam, Esfahan (c); Bisotun (c); Takht-e Soleyman (c); Soltaniyeh(c); Bisotun (c); Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran(c); Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil (c); The Persian Garden (c); Gonbad-e Qābus (c); Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan (c); Shahr-i Sokhta (c); Cultural Landscape of Maymand (c); Susa (c); Lut Desert (n);The Persian Qanat (c); Historic City of Yazd (c); Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region (c); Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat (c); Trans-Iranian Railway (c); The Persian Caravanserai (c); Hegmataneh (c); Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley (c)

total World Heritage Sites

29 (27 cultural, 2 natural)

National holiday

Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

National symbol(s)

lion

Political parties

Combatant Clergy Association (an active political group) Executives of Construction Party Front of Islamic Revolutionary Stability Islamic Coalition Party Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran Militant Clerics Society (Majma-e Ruhaniyoun-e Mobarez) or MRM Moderation and Development Party National Trust Party (Hezb-e E'temad-eMelli) or HEM Progress and Justice Society Union of Islamic Iran People's Party (Hezb-e Ettehad-e Iran-e Eslami)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

wheat, sugarcane, milk, sugar beets, rice, tomatoes, barley, potatoes, oranges, apples (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

27.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$90.238 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$60.714 billion (2019 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$6.759 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

traditionally state-controlled economy but reforming state-owned financial entities; strong oil/gas, agricultural, and service sectors; recent massive inflation due to exchange rate depreciation, international sanctions, and investor uncertainty; increasing poverty

Exchange rates

Currency

Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

42,000 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

42,000 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

42,000 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

42,000 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

42,000 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$105.752 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$97.924 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$100.031 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

plastics, iron ore, alcohols, natural gas, refined copper (2023)

Exports - partners

China 35%, Turkey 16%, India 8%, Pakistan 7%, Armenia 5% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

22.9% (2024 est.)

government consumption

12.9% (2024 est.)

household consumption

50.5% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-26.8% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

26.7% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

13.3% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

13% (2024 est.)

industry

36.4% (2024 est.)

services

47.9% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$436.906 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

35.9 (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

28.2% (2023 est.)

lowest 10%

2.8% (2023 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$97.729 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$113.21 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$117.176 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

broadcasting equipment, vehicle parts/accessories, corn, soybeans, vehicle bodies (2023)

Imports - partners

China 34%, UAE 20%, Turkey 11%, Brazil 8%, Germany 4% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

2.8% (2024 est.)

Industries

petroleum, petrochemicals, gas, fertilizer, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and nonferrous metal fabrication, armaments

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

43.5% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

44.6% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

32.5% (2024 est.)

Labor force

28.575 million (2024 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2017

39.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.373 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.442 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.486 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

5% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

3% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$15,300 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$15,900 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$16,200 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

0% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0% of GDP (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

9.1% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

9.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

9.2% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

35.5% (2024 est.)

male

20% (2024 est.)

total

22.8% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

3.032 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

212,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

1.098 million metric tons (2023 est.)

production

2.209 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

1.203 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

335.175 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

5.723 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

3.136 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

86.058 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

37.948 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

94.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

3.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

160.779 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

252.353 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

14.698 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

2.274 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

265.088 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

33.987 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

0.92GW (2025 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

1 (2025)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

1 (2025)

Percent of total electricity production

1.7% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

208.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

2.415 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

4.112 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

12 (2023 est.)

total

10.9 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run broadcast media with no private, independent broadcasters; Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state-run TV broadcaster, operates over 60 television channels, over 50 radio stations, and dozens of newspapers and websites; about 20 foreign Persian-language TV stations broadcasting on satellite TV can be seen in Iran; satellite dishes are illegal and sometimes confiscated; most major international broadcasters transmit to Iran (2023)

Internet country code

.ir

Internet users

percent of population

80% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

32 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

29.02 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

174 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

159 million (2024 est.)

Airports

177 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

EP

Heliports

90 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 32, container ship 28, general cargo 398, oil tanker 86, other 421

total

965 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Abadan, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Khorramshahr

large

0

medium

4

ports with oil terminals

13

small

6

total ports

18 (2024)

very small

8

Railways

broad gauge

94 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge

standard gauge

8,389.5 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (189.5 km electrified)

total

8,483.5 km (2014)

Military - note

the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was formed in May 1979 in the immediate aftermath of Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI’s fall, as leftists, nationalists, and Islamists jockeyed for power; while the interim prime minister controlled the government and state institutions, such as the Army, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI organized counterweights, including the IRGC, to protect the Islamic revolution; the IRGC’s command structure bypassed the elected president and went directly to KHOMEINI; the IRGC played a critical role in helping KHOMEINI consolidate power in the aftermath of the 1979 revolution, and it ensured that KHOMEINI's Islamic revolutionary vision prevailed against domestic challenges from nationalists and leftist factions in the scramble for control after the Shah's departure the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88) transformed the IRGC into more of a conventional fighting force with its own ground, air, naval, and special forces, plus control over Iran’s strategic missile and rocket forces; today, the IRGC is a highly institutionalized and parallel military force to Iran’s regular armed forces (Artesh); it is involved in internal security and has influence in the political and economic spheres of Iranian society, as well as Iran’s foreign policy; on the economic front, it owns factories and corporations and subsidiaries in banking, infrastructure, housing, airlines, tourism and other sectors; its special operations forces, known as the Qods/Quds Force, specialize in foreign missions and have provided advice, funding, guidance, material support, training, and weapons to militants in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, as well as extremist groups, including HAMAS, Hizballah, Kata’ib Hizballah, and Palestine Islamic Jihad; the Qods Force also conducts intelligence and reconnaissance operations; note - both the IRGC and the Qods Force have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the US (see Terrorist Organizations under References) the Supreme Council for National Security (SCNS) is the senior-most body for formulating Iran’s foreign and security policy; it is formally chaired by the president, who also appoints the SCNS secretary; its members include the speaker of the Majles, the head of the judiciary, the chief of the Armed Forces General Staff (chief of defense or CHOD), the commanders of the Artesh (regular forces) and IRGC, and the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, interior, and intelligence; the SCNS reports to the supreme leader; the supreme leader is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces the Iranian Armed Forces are divided between the regular forces (Artesh) and the IRGC; the Artesh primarily focuses on defending Iran’s borders and territorial waters from external threats, while the IRGC has a broader mission to defend the Iranian revolution from any foreign or domestic threat; in 1989, Iran established the Armed Forces General Staff to coordinate military action across both the Artesh and the IRGC; Iran also has a joint military headquarters, the Khatam ol-Anbia Central Headquarters, to command the Artesh and IRGC in wartime (2024)

Military and security forces

the military forces of Iran are divided between the Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC or Sepah): Artesh: Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Air Force, Air Defense Forces IRGC: Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Aerospace Force (controls strategic missile force), Qods Force (aka Quds Force; special operations), Cyber Electronic Command, Basij Paramilitary Forces Ministry of Interior: Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA) Ministry of Intelligence and Security (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; up to 600,000 total active armed forces personnel; estimated 400,000 Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (350,000 Ground Forces; 18,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force/Air Defense Forces); up to estimated 190,000 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (100-150,000 Ground Forces; 20,000 Navy; 15,000 Aerospace Force; 5,000 Qods Force); estimated 90,000 active Basij Paramilitary Forces (2025)

Military deployments

note: Iran maintained a military presence in Syria and recruited, trained, and funded thousands of Syrian and foreign fighters to support the ASAD regime during the Syrian civil war (2011-December 2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Iranian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and foreign equipment largely of Chinese, Russian/Soviet, and US origin (US equipment acquired prior to the Islamic Revolution in 1979); it also has some military equipment from North Korea such as midget submarines and ballistic missiles; in recent years, Iran has received some newer equipment from Russia; Iran has a defense industry with the capacity to develop, produce, support, and sustain air, land, missile, and naval weapons programs (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

2.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

2.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

16 for voluntary military service for men; military service is compulsory for all Iranian men at age 18 or 19 years of age; compulsory service obligation 14-21 months, depending on the location of service; women exempted from conscription but may volunteer (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

421 (2024 est.)

refugees

3,489,257 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 3 — Iran does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Iran remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/iran/

Key space-program milestones

1998 - began development of 2-stage satellite/space launch vehicle (SLV) (Safir) 2006 - first successful launch of a small, domestically produced communications and research satellite (Omid) on the Safir SLV 2010 - began developing a more capable 2-stage orbital SLV (Simorgh; aka Safir-2) 2011 - launched first domestically produced remote sensing (RS) satellite (Rasad) on Safir SLV 2020 - placed RS microsatellite (Noor) in orbit on 3-stage SLV (Qased or Messenger) 2021 - first launch of road-mobile 3-stage SLV (Zuljanah) 2022 - completed suborbital test of new small-lift SLV (Quam-100)

Space agency/agencies

Iranian Space Agency (ISA; created in 2003); Iran Space Research Center (ISRC; established, 2000); Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Aerospace Force (IRGC-ARF) (2024)

Space launch site(s)

Imam Khomeini Space Center (aka Semnan Space Center; Semnan province); Shahroud Space Center (Semnan Province; IRGC-operated); Chabahar Space Center (Sistan and Baluchistan Province; under development) (2025)

Space program overview

has an ambitious civil and military space program focused on satellites and satellite launch vehicles (SLV); designs, builds, and operates satellites, including communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific; manufactures and operates SLVs; researching and developing other space-related capabilities and technologies in areas such as telecommunications, RS, navigation, and space situational awareness; international sanctions against Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program have severely limited Iran’s cooperation with foreign space agencies and commercial space industries; in recent years, however, it has worked with North Korea and Russia, as well as regional and international space organizations such as the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization and the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization; Iran was a founding member of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in 1958; has an active private space industry (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK); al-Qa’ida

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

7.136 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

499.306 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

316.922 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

823.364 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Aras; Qeshm Island; Tabas (2023)

total global geoparks and regional networks

3

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Methane emissions

agriculture

819.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

6,208.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

37.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

832.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

36.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

137 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

86 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

1.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

6.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

17.885 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

16.8% (2022 est.)