Latest news with #CaspianSea
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
A simple visual guide to Iran and its people
Iran has re-emerged at the centre of international attention, following Israeli attacks on the Middle East's second-largest country on June 13. Stretching from the Caspian Sea in the north to the Gulf of Oman in the south, Iran's landscape is as varied as its history, with key access to critical waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world's oil flows. Iran's history spans millennia, making it one of the world's most ancient and culturally rich nations, continuously inhabited and influential throughout history. In this visual explainer, Al Jazeera provides a snapshot of Iran's geography, key cities, population makeup, and ethnic diversity. With a population of 92 million, Iran is the 17th-largest country in the world by population and land area. Iran's nominal gross domestic product (GDP) is $418bn, ranking it 36th in terms of the economy size. It has an unemployment rate of about 7.2 percent. The country's adult literacy rate is 89 percent, with youth literacy nearing 99 percent, though these rates vary between rural and urban areas. The country is rich in oil and gas, ranking as the world's ninth-largest oil producer and third-largest natural gas producer. Located in Western Asia, Iran is the second-largest country in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia and the 17th-largest in the world, covering approximately 1.65 million square kilometres (636,000 square miles). Iran shares land borders with seven countries, the longest being Iraq, followed by Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Turkiye and Armenia. Iran covers about one-sixth the equivalent land area of the United States, nearly as large as the state of Alaska. It is about one-sixth the size of Europe, about one-fifth the size of Australia, roughly half the size of India and about 80 times larger than Israel. Most of Iran's 92 million people live in the western half of the country, where the terrain features rugged mountains alongside fertile valleys and river basins that sustain much of the population. With 9.6 million inhabitants, Tehran has been the capital since 1795 and is the country's largest city. Situated beneath the Alborz Mountains, Tehran's history dates back more than 6,000 years. Mashhad, in the northeast, is Iran's second-largest city with 3.4 million people and a history spanning more than 1,200 years. It is a major religious and cultural centre and is home to the Imam Reza Shrine, which brings in millions of pilgrims from around the world. Isfahan, the third-largest city, is home to some 2.3 million people. More than 2,500 years old, the city was once the capital of the Safavid Empire, which lasted from 1501 to 1722. Isfahan hosts major educational institutions and is a centre for textiles, steel and manufacturing, along with nuclear and aerospace industries. Other populous cities across Iran include: Shiraz (1.7 million), Tabriz (1.7 million), Karaj (1.6 million), Qom (1.4 million) and Ahvaz (1.3 million). Nearly 60 percent of Iran's population is below the age of 39, according to figures from the United Nations Statistics Division. The country's median age is 33-34 years, and about 77 percent of Iranians live in urban areas. The largest age groups in Iran are those aged 30-34 and 35-39, meaning most of the population was born after the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the Pahlavi Shah regime. However, there has been a significant emigration of Iranian professionals in recent years, largely driven by economic hardship. Iran is a highly diverse country, both ethnically and culturally. Persians make up approximately 61 percent of the population, while significant minority groups include Azerbaijanis (16 percent), Kurds (10 percent) and others, such as Lurs (6 percent), Arabs (2 percent), Baloch (2 percent) and Turkic groups (2 percent). Iran is predominantly Shia Muslim, making up about 90 percent of the population, while Sunni Muslims and other Muslim sects account for roughly 9 percent. The remaining 1 percent includes roughly 300,000 Baha'i, 300,000 Christians, 35,000 Zoroastrians, 20,000 Jews, and 10,000 Sabean Mandeans according to the Minority Rights Group. In border regions such as Kurdistan, Khuzestan and Sistan-Baluchestan, ethnic groups play a key role in shaping the country's ethnic and religious diversity as well as its regional politics. While Persian (Farsi) is the official national language, many regions across the country speak a variety of other languages.
Al Jazeera
10 hours ago
- Business
- Al Jazeera
A simple visual guide to Iran and its people
Iran has re-emerged at the centre of international attention, following Israeli attacks on the Middle East's second-largest country on June 13. Stretching from the Caspian Sea in the north to the Gulf of Oman in the south, Iran's landscape is as varied as its history, with key access to critical waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world's oil flows. Iran's history spans millennia, making it one of the world's most ancient and culturally rich nations, continuously inhabited and influential throughout history. In this visual explainer, Al Jazeera provides a snapshot of Iran's geography, key cities, population makeup, and ethnic diversity. With a population of 92 million, Iran is the 17th-largest country in the world by population and land area. Iran's nominal gross domestic product (GDP) is $418bn, ranking it 36th in terms of the economy size. It has an unemployment rate of about 7.2 percent. The country's adult literacy rate is 89 percent, with youth literacy nearing 99 percent, though these rates vary between rural and urban areas. The country is rich in oil and gas, ranking as the world's ninth-largest oil producer and third-largest natural gas in Western Asia, Iran is the second-largest country in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia and the 17th-largest in the world, covering approximately 1.65 million square kilometres (636,000 square miles). Iran shares land borders with seven countries, the longest being Iraq, followed by Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Turkiye and Armenia. Iran covers about one-sixth the equivalent land area of the United States, nearly as large as the state of Alaska. It is about one-sixth the size of Europe, about one-fifth the size of Australia, roughly half the size of India and about 80 times larger than of Iran's 92 million people live in the western half of the country, where the terrain features rugged mountains alongside fertile valleys and river basins that sustain much of the population. With 9.6 million inhabitants, Tehran has been the capital since 1795 and is the country's largest city. Situated beneath the Alborz Mountains, Tehran's history dates back more than 6,000 years. Mashhad, in the northeast, is Iran's second-largest city with 3.4 million people and a history spanning more than 1,200 years. It is a major religious and cultural centre and is home to the Imam Reza Shrine, which brings in millions of pilgrims from around the world. Isfahan, the third-largest city, is home to some 2.3 million people. More than 2,500 years old, the city was once the capital of the Safavid Empire, which lasted from 1501 to 1722. Isfahan hosts major educational institutions and is a centre for textiles, steel and manufacturing, along with nuclear and aerospace industries. Other populous cities across Iran include: Shiraz (1.7 million), Tabriz (1.7 million), Karaj (1.6 million), Qom (1.4 million) and Ahvaz (1.3 million).Nearly 60 percent of Iran's population is below the age of 39, according to figures from the United Nations Statistics Division. The country's median age is 33-34 years, and about 77 percent of Iranians live in urban areas. The largest age groups in Iran are those aged 30-34 and 35-39, meaning most of the population was born after the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the Pahlavi Shah regime. However, there has been a significant emigration of Iranian professionals in recent years, largely driven by economic is a highly diverse country, both ethnically and culturally. Persians make up approximately 61 percent of the population, while significant minority groups include Azerbaijanis (16 percent), Kurds (10 percent) and others, such as Lurs (6 percent), Arabs (2 percent), Baloch (2 percent) and Turkic groups (2 percent). Iran is predominantly Shia Muslim, making up about 90 percent of the population, while Sunni Muslims and other Muslim sects account for roughly 9 percent. The remaining 1 percent includes roughly 300,000 Baha'i, 300,000 Christians, 35,000 Zoroastrians, 20,000 Jews, and 10,000 Sabean Mandeans according to the Minority Rights Group. In border regions such as Kurdistan, Khuzestan and Sistan-Baluchestan, ethnic groups play a key role in shaping the country's ethnic and religious diversity as well as its regional politics. While Persian (Farsi) is the official national language, many regions across the country speak a variety of other languages.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
The Latest: Israeli airstrikes reach into Iranian city of Rasht
Israel and Iran exchanged strikes a week into their war Friday as new diplomatic efforts appeared to be underway. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi appeared headed to Geneva for meetings with the European Union's top diplomat and counterparts from the United Kingdom, France and Germany. A plane with his usual call sign took off from the Turkish city of Van, near the Iranian border, flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed. Iran typically acknowledges his departure hours afterward. The Israeli military said Thursday that Iran used a missile with multiple warheads, posing a new challenge to its defenses. Instead of having to track one warhead, missiles with multiple warheads can pose a more difficult challenge for air defense systems, like Israel's Iron Dome. A week of Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 657 people and wounded 2,037 others, the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists said Friday. Here's the latest: Israeli airstrikes reach into the city of Rasht Israeli airstrikes reached into the Iranian city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early Friday, Iranian media reported. Social media video posted online appeared to show explosions around the city. The semiofficial Fars news agency reported local air defense systems were firing into the night sky against the Israelis. Ahead of the strikes, the Israeli military put out a warning urging the public to flee the area around Rasht's Industrial City, which sits a few kilometers (miles) southwest of the city's downtown. The Israelis did not immediately describe what they sought to destroy in the area. However, with Iran's internet being shut off to the outside world, it was unclear how many people in Iran would be able to see the message. French foreign minister speaks to US secretary of state French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot spoke by phone with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday evening. A French diplomatic official said Barrot detailed the purposes of the Geneva meeting and Rubio 'stressed the U.S. was ready for direct contact with the Iranians at any time.' The official, who was not allowed to speak publicly on the issue, said they 'jointly stressed the threat posed by Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program to Israel, the region and Europe.' Tehran fires anti-aircraft weapons Anti-aircraft batteries began firing Friday morning in Iran's capital, Tehran. It wasn't immediately clear what they were firing at. Khamenei adviser in stable condition A key security adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is now in stable condition, a week after being seriously wounded in an Israeli airstrike, a media outlet close to him reported Friday. Nour News quoted Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani as saying: 'I am alive and ready to give my life away.' Nuclear agency says Israel damages heavy water reactor The International Atomic Energy Agency, in an update Friday, said an Israeli strike at the Arak heavy water reactor also damaged key buildings there, 'including the distillation unit' there. That makes the heavy water at the site. Aircraft transporting Iranian foreign minister to talks An Iranian aircraft bearing a call sign associated with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is now airborne over Turkey. The Airbus A321 of Meraj Airlines took off from the Turkish city of Van, near the Iranian border, flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed. It bore the call sign IRAN05, which Araghchi uses on his official travel. Iran did not immediately acknowledge his departure, though it typically only does so hours later. Araghchi is due for talks with European diplomats in Geneva on Friday, the first face-to-face negotiations he has conducted since the Israeli airstrikes began June 13. German foreign minister says Iran can avoid escalation Germany's foreign minister says there is a chance of avoiding further escalation in the conflict if Tehran shows 'serious and transparent readiness' to refrain from developing nuclear weapons. 'It is our commitment once again to undertake a very intensive attempt to dissuade Iran permanently from pursuing such plans,' Johann Wadephul said in a podcast released by broadcaster MDR Friday. 'If there is serious and transparent readiness by Iran to refrain from this, then there is a real chance of preventing a further escalation of this conflict, and for that every conversation makes sense.' Wadephul plans to meet Iran's foreign minister in Geneva Friday along with his French, British and EU counterparts. Wadephul said U.S. officials support the plan to hold talks, "so I think Iran should now know that it should conduct these talks with a new seriousness and reliability.' Israel says missile systems and radar destroyed The Israeli military said it has destroyed missile systems and radar installations around Isfahan. That corresponds to the sound of anti-aircraft fire heard in the area of Isfahan into Friday morning. Iran has not offered any acknowledgment so far of its military losses in the war. Czech Republic closes its Iran embassy The Czech Republic's Foreign Ministry says it has closed its embassy in Tehran due to security reasons amid the military conflict between Iran and Israel. The measure is in place until further notice. The Slovak Foreign Ministry announced the same step over the escalation of the conflict. It said the remaining diplomats and staffers of the embassy are leaving Iran on Friday Russia dismisses US nuclear claims Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed claims the U.S. might use nuclear weapons in Iran as 'speculation' in comments to state news agency Tass on Friday morning. 'There is a lot of speculation now,' Tass quoted Peskov as saying. 'Such a turn of events would be catastrophic, but there is so much speculation that it is impossible to really comment on it.' Australia closes its embassy in Tehran Australia closed its embassy in Tehran and evacuated staff and their families due to the 'deteriorating security environment,' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday that also urged Australian citizens still in Iran to leave quickly. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and they agreed to work 'closely' to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and to pursue peace. 'There is an opportunity … over the next two weeks for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy,' Wong said from Adelaide on Friday. Britain's foreign secretary says situation in Middle East 'remains perilous' British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the "situation in the Middle East remains perilous,' after meeting Thursday at the White House with his U.S. counterpart, Marco Rubio, and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff. 'We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon,' Lammy wrote in a post on X. 'We discussed how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict. A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution,' he added.
Associated Press
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
The Latest: Israeli airstrikes reach into Iranian city of Rasht
Israel and Iran exchanged strikes a week into their war Friday as new diplomatic efforts appeared to be underway. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi appeared headed to Geneva for meetings with the European Union's top diplomat and counterparts from the United Kingdom, France and Germany. A plane with his usual call sign took off from the Turkish city of Van, near the Iranian border, flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed. Iran typically acknowledges his departure hours afterward. The Israeli military said Thursday that Iran used a missile with multiple warheads, posing a new challenge to its defenses. Instead of having to track one warhead, missiles with multiple warheads can pose a more difficult challenge for air defense systems, like Israel's Iron Dome. A week of Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 657 people and wounded 2,037 others, the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists said Friday. Here's the latest: Israeli airstrikes reach into the city of Rasht Israeli airstrikes reached into the Iranian city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early Friday, Iranian media reported. Social media video posted online appeared to show explosions around the city. The semiofficial Fars news agency reported local air defense systems were firing into the night sky against the Israelis. Ahead of the strikes, the Israeli military put out a warning urging the public to flee the area around Rasht's Industrial City, which sits a few kilometers (miles) southwest of the city's downtown. The Israelis did not immediately describe what they sought to destroy in the area. However, with Iran's internet being shut off to the outside world, it was unclear how many people in Iran would be able to see the message. French foreign minister speaks to US secretary of state French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot spoke by phone with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday evening. A French diplomatic official said Barrot detailed the purposes of the Geneva meeting and Rubio 'stressed the U.S. was ready for direct contact with the Iranians at any time.' The official, who was not allowed to speak publicly on the issue, said they 'jointly stressed the threat posed by Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program to Israel, the region and Europe.' Tehran fires anti-aircraft weapons Anti-aircraft batteries began firing Friday morning in Iran's capital, Tehran. It wasn't immediately clear what they were firing at. Khamenei adviser in stable condition A key security adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is now in stable condition, a week after being seriously wounded in an Israeli airstrike, a media outlet close to him reported Friday. Nour News quoted Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani as saying: 'I am alive and ready to give my life away.' Nuclear agency says Israel damages heavy water reactor The International Atomic Energy Agency, in an update Friday, said an Israeli strike at the Arak heavy water reactor also damaged key buildings there, 'including the distillation unit' there. That makes the heavy water at the site. Aircraft transporting Iranian foreign minister to talks An Iranian aircraft bearing a call sign associated with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is now airborne over Turkey. The Airbus A321 of Meraj Airlines took off from the Turkish city of Van, near the Iranian border, flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed. It bore the call sign IRAN05, which Araghchi uses on his official travel. Iran did not immediately acknowledge his departure, though it typically only does so hours later. Araghchi is due for talks with European diplomats in Geneva on Friday, the first face-to-face negotiations he has conducted since the Israeli airstrikes began June 13. German foreign minister says Iran can avoid escalation Germany's foreign minister says there is a chance of avoiding further escalation in the conflict if Tehran shows 'serious and transparent readiness' to refrain from developing nuclear weapons. 'It is our commitment once again to undertake a very intensive attempt to dissuade Iran permanently from pursuing such plans,' Johann Wadephul said in a podcast released by broadcaster MDR Friday. 'If there is serious and transparent readiness by Iran to refrain from this, then there is a real chance of preventing a further escalation of this conflict, and for that every conversation makes sense.' Wadephul plans to meet Iran's foreign minister in Geneva Friday along with his French, British and EU counterparts. Wadephul said U.S. officials support the plan to hold talks, 'so I think Iran should now know that it should conduct these talks with a new seriousness and reliability.' Israel says missile systems and radar destroyed The Israeli military said it has destroyed missile systems and radar installations around Isfahan. That corresponds to the sound of anti-aircraft fire heard in the area of Isfahan into Friday morning. Iran has not offered any acknowledgment so far of its military losses in the war. Czech Republic closes its Iran embassy The Czech Republic's Foreign Ministry says it has closed its embassy in Tehran due to security reasons amid the military conflict between Iran and Israel. The measure is in place until further notice. The Slovak Foreign Ministry announced the same step over the escalation of the conflict. It said the remaining diplomats and staffers of the embassy are leaving Iran on Friday Russia dismisses US nuclear claims Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed claims the U.S. might use nuclear weapons in Iran as 'speculation' in comments to state news agency Tass on Friday morning. 'There is a lot of speculation now,' Tass quoted Peskov as saying. 'Such a turn of events would be catastrophic, but there is so much speculation that it is impossible to really comment on it.' Australia closes its embassy in Tehran Australia closed its embassy in Tehran and evacuated staff and their families due to the 'deteriorating security environment,' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday that also urged Australian citizens still in Iran to leave quickly. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and they agreed to work 'closely' to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and to pursue peace. 'There is an opportunity … over the next two weeks for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy,' Wong said from Adelaide on Friday. Britain's foreign secretary says situation in Middle East 'remains perilous' British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the 'situation in the Middle East remains perilous,' after meeting Thursday at the White House with his U.S. counterpart, Marco Rubio, and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff. 'We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon,' Lammy wrote in a post on X. 'We discussed how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict. A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution,' he added.
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Canadians fleeing war in Iran face obstacles in absence of diplomatic ties
Canadian physician Panid Borhanjoo woke up on Friday morning in Iran's cottage country to an onslaught of messages from family and friends asking if he was safe. He turned on the news in his relatives' home in Mazandaran, a lush, coastal province on the Caspian Sea. Israeli missiles had destroyed Iranian nuclear facilities and killed high-ranking military personnel in Tehran, about 200 kilometres away. War had erupted. Dr. Borhanjoo and his family packed their belongings and returned to their apartment in Tehran, the Iranian capital. He had visited his home country many times, despite years of travel warnings and sporadic missile strikes. But now, on this visit, he was hearing missiles fly overhead and explode nearby, and watching smoke and flames billow out of a building across the street. He knew he had to leave. Canada, which severed diplomatic relations with Iran more than a decade ago, had announced no plans to stage an evacuation. Dr. Borhanjoo tried calling Canadian embassies in Turkey and Syria but there was no answer. He quickly realized he could not depend on his own government for help. 'If this country wasn't going to provide me with a safe way out, which it didn't seem like, I had to find my own way out,' he said in an interview on Wednesday. Iran's escalating conflict with Israel has prompted Global Affairs Canada to urge Canadians in Iran to leave the country. However, Canadians trying to get out are largely on their own, with Iranian airspace closed and border crossings difficult and dangerous. The Canadian government cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2012 for supporting terrorist regimes and violating human rights. As a result, the ability of Canadian officials to provide assistance in Iran is 'extremely limited,' according to Global Affairs' Iran travel advisory. Canada's relations with Tehran stuck in deep freeze, despite Iranian hopes Evacuation operations require co-ordinating efforts with local authorities, which is not possible in the current climate, said Christian Leuprecht, a military expert and government relations professor at Queen's University and Royal Military College. 'Unless there's a significant change in the political conditions in Iran, nobody's evacuating anybody from Iran,' Prof. Leuprecht added. There are more than 4,000 Canadians in Iran registered with Global Affairs. During emergencies while abroad, Canadians are typically encouraged to go to the Canadian embassy or the U.S. embassy. Iran has neither. The closest Canadian embassy is in Turkey, roughly 2,000 kilometres from Tehran. 'The advice in those situations will usually be that it is the responsibility of citizens,' Prof. Leuprecht said. 'It is your responsibility as a citizen to find your way out of the country and if you can find your way out of the country, then we will help to repatriate you. The problem is there's very few places where Canadians could seek shelter.' The conflict between Israel and Iran is escalating, with the United States now threatening to intervene. Israel and Iran have so far exchanged hundreds of missiles. A timeline of the Israel-Iran conflict and tensions between the two countries 'In terms of Canada being able to co-ordinate … a mass exodus, it's super challenging in a war zone,' said Dennis Horak, Canada's last Head of Mission to Tehran. 'Nobody really has any good options at this point in trying to help people get out.' Canadians have limited escape routes. Theft and kidnapping are not uncommon along the Iranian land borders. Bandits patrol Iran's border with Pakistan and Afghanistan, enduring conflict keeps Iran's border with Iraq closed, and roads leading to Turkey and Azerbaijan are dilapidated. Dr. Borhanjoo did not wait for a response from Canada. He planned his escape route early on Saturday morning. Within hours he had secured a driver and was headed to Turkey, where he made it across the mountainous border at night and caught a flight from Van to Istanbul, and then to Toronto, on Tuesday. 'I think anyone who has the capacity to leave the country should leave,' he said. However, in the few days since Dr. Borhanjoo fled, the roads leaving Tehran have become crowded with vehicles, making it more difficult to get out. He fears for his family sheltering in Iran, who are older and less mobile. Despite living in Canada for 21 years, Dr. Borhanjoo says his heart and soul are still in Iran. But he is unsure when he will be able to return. 'I don't foresee the rest of the country even being safe any more. I don't think Iran in general is a safe place to be,' he said.
