Country in a Box:

Islamic Republic of Iran

Jomhuri-ye Eslmi-ye Irn

Masjed-e Shah Mosque in Isfahan

A Teachers Guide
Compiled by the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies
Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
http://ceres.georgetown.edu
1

Iran in a Box: Table of Contents

Facts at a Glance

3-6

History of Iran

7-9

Timeline of Major Events in Iranian History

10

Culture of Iran

11-13

Folklore: The Magic of Mushkil Gusha

14-15

Additional Resources

16

dancergena

A Mihrab (pointing towards Mecca where the Imam stands to

lead prayer) found in Isfahan

Iran: Facts at a Glance

Text and map taken directly from Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook: Iran
Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html
Country Name: Iran
Capital: Tehran
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 established a
theocratic system of government with ultimate
political authority vested in a learned religious
scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme
Leader who, according to the constitution, is
accountable only to the Assembly of Experts - a
popularly elected 86-member body of clerics.
US-Iranian relations have been strained since a
group of Iranian students seized the US
Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and
held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, 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 between 1987 and 1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for
its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US, UN, and EU
economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and its
nuclear weapons ambitions. Starting with nationwide municipal elections in 2003 and continuing
through Majles elections in 2004, conservatives reestablished control over Iran's elected
government institutions, which culminated with the August 2005 inauguration of hardliner
Mahmud Ahmadinejad as president. His controversial reelection in June 2009 sparked
nationwide protests over allegations of electoral fraud. These protests were quickly suppressed,
and the political opposition that arouse as a consequence of AHMADI-NEJAD's election was
repressed. Deteriorating economic conditions due primarily to government mismanagement and
international sanctions prompted at least two major economically based protests in July and
October 2012, but Iran's internal security situation remained stable. President AHMADINEJAD's independent streak angered regime establishment figures, including the Supreme
Leader, leading to conservative opposition to his agenda for the last year of his presidency, and
an alienation of his political supporters. In June 2013 Iranians elected a moderate conservative
cleric, Dr. Hasan Fereidun RUHANI to the presidency. He is a long-time senior member in the
regime, but has made promises of reforming society and Iran's foreign policy. The UN Security
Council has passed a number of resolutions calling for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment
and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA obligations and responsibilities, but in
November 2013 the five permanent members, plus Germany, (P5+1) signed a joint plan with
Iran to provide the country with incremental relief from international pressure for positive steps
toward transparency of their nuclear program.
3

Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea,
between Iraq and Pakistan
Area: Total: 1,648,195 sq km
Country comparison to the world: 18
Land: 1,531,595 sq km
Water: 116,600 sq km
Area - Comparative: Slightly smaller than Alaska
Terrain: Rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small,
discontinuous plains along both coasts
Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
Highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
Natural Resources: Petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese,
zinc, sulfur
Environment - Current 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 supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste;
urbanization
Population: 80,840,713 (July 2014 est.);
Country comparison to the world: 19
Urbanization: 69.1% of total population (2011)
Life Expectancy at Birth: Total population:
70.89 years
Country comparison to the world: 148
Male: 69.32 years
Female: 72.53 years (2014 est.)

Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red;

the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word
Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red
is centered in the white band; 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; green is the color of Islam and also
represents growth, white symbolizes honesty and peace,
red stands for bravery and martyrdom.

Ethnic Groups: Persian 61%, Azeri 16%, Kurd

10%, Lur 6%, Baloch 2%, Arab 2%, Turkmen
and Turkic tribes 2%, other 1%
Religions: Muslim (official) 99.4% (Shia 9095%, Sunni 5-10%), other (includes Zoroastrian,
Jewish, and Christian) 0.3%, unspecified 0.4%
(2011 est.)
Education Expenditures: 3.7% of GDP (2012)
4

Country comparison to the world: 119

Government Type: Theocratic Republic
Independence: 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed);
Legal System: Based on Sharia law
Executive Branch: Chief of state: chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-Khamenei; Head
of Government: President Hasan Fereidun Ruhani (since 3 August 2013)
Legislative Branch: Unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami
or Majles (290 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court (Qeveh Qazaieh) and the four-member High Council of
the Judiciary have a single head and overlapping responsibilities; together they supervise the
enforcement of all laws and establish judicial and legal policies; lower courts include a special
clerical court, a revolutionary court, and a special administrative court
Political Parties and Leaders: Pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad Front, the National
Trust Party, Islamic Iran Developers Coalition,
United Front of Principality and the Broad
Popular Coalition of Principality
National Anthem: Name: "Soroud-e Melli-e
Jomhouri-e Eslami-e Iran" (National Anthem of
the Islamic Republic of Iran); lyrics/music:
multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI; note: adopted
1990
Economy - Overview: Iran's economy is marked
by statist policies, an inefficient state sector, and
reliance on oil, a major source of government
revenues. Price controls, subsidies, and other
distortions weigh down the economy,
undermining the potential for private-sector-led
growth. Private sector activity is typically limited
to small-scale workshops, farming, some
manufacturing, and services. Significant informal
market activity flourishes and corruption is
widespread. New fiscal and monetary constraints
on Tehran, following the expansion of
international sanctions in 2012 against Iran's
Central Bank and oil exports, significantly
reduced Iran's oil revenue, forced government
spending cuts, and fueled a 60% currency
depreciation. Economic growth turned negative

The Rial: It was introduced as Irans monetary unit in

1932. The Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran
has the exclusive authority to issue banknotes and coins in
Iran. Coins are issued in denominations ranging from 5 to
500 rials. Banknotes are denominated in values from 100
to 20,000 rials. The obverse of the colourful banknotes is
adorned with historical and religious images; these include
the mosque of Yazd (200-rial note), Friday prayers (500rial note), and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (1,000-,
5,000-, and 10,000-rial notes), the Islamic republics
political and religious authority from 1979 until his death
in 1989.

in 2012 and 2013, for the first time in two decades. Iran continues to suffer from double-digit
unemployment and underemployment. Lack of job opportunities has convinced many educated
Iranian youth to seek jobs overseas, resulting in a significant "brain drain." However, the election
of President Hasan RUHANI in June 2013 brought about widespread expectations of economic
improvements and greater international engagement among the Iranian public, and early in
Ruhani's term the country saw a strengthened national currency and a historic boost to market
values at the Tehran Stock Exchange.
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $987.1 billion (2013 est.); country comparison to the world:
19
GDP - Real Growth Rate: -1.5% (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 208
GDP - Per Capita (PPP): $12,800 (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 103
GDP - Composition by Sector: agriculture: 10.6%, industry: 44.9%, services: 44.5% (2013 est.)
Labor Force: 27.72 million; Country comparison to the world: 23
Agriculture - Products: wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, sugar cane, fruits, nuts, cotton;
dairy products, wool; caviar
Industries: Petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles, food processing
(particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and non-ferrous metal
fabrication, armaments
Current Account Balance: -$8.659 billion (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 174
Exports - Commodities: petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts,
carpets
Exports - Partners: China 22.1%, India 11.9%, Turkey 10.6%, South Korea 7.6%, Japan 7.1%
(2012)
Imports Partners: UAE 33.2%, China 13.8%, Turkey 11.8%, South Korea 7.4% (2012)
Debt - External: $15.64 billion (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 87
Exchange Rates: Iranian Rials (IRR) per US dollar -18,517.2 (2013 est.)
Military Service Age and Obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years
of age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15 years of age for Basij
Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript military service obligation is 18 months; women
exempt from military service (2012)
Military expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2006); Country comparison to the world: 59
6

History of Iran
_______
Text taken directly from Library of Congress and PBS Website:
(http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/irtoc.html) and
(http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/middle_east-jan-june10-timeline/)

Pre-Islamic Period.: Small groups of nomadic, horse-riding

peoples speaking Indo-European languages began moving
into the Iranian cultural area from Central Asia near the end
of the second millennium B.C. During the seventh century
B.C., the Persians were led by Hakamanish. He led the
combined forces of the Medes and the Persians to establish
the most extensive empire known in the ancient world,
(Elamite Chogha Zanbil in Iran)
Achaemenid Empire. He besieged and captured Babylon in
Before the Persians: Iran was
539 and released the Jews who had been held captive there,
occupied by peoples with a variety of
cultures. There are numerous artifacts
thus earning his immortalization in the Book of Isaiah.
attesting to settled agriculture, permanent
His successors were less successful. Darius and his
sun-dried- brick dwellings, and potteryson Xerxes suffered overwhelming defeats at the hands of the
making from the sixth millennium B.C.
Greeks. Alexander the Great, defeated the Achaemenid
Empire. After Alexanders death, his empire was divided and
The most advanced area technologically
Seleucus gradually reconquered most of Iran. Under
was ancient Susiana, present-day
Seleucus's son, Antiochus I, many Greeks entered Iran, and
Khuzestan Province. By the fourth
millennium, the inhabitants of Susiana,
Hellenistic motifs in art, architecture, and urban planning
the Elamites, were using semipictographic
became prevalent.
writing, probably learned from the highly
Arsaces, revolted against the Seleucid governor in
advanced civilization of Sumer in
247 B.C. and established the Parthian Empire. In A.D. 224
Mesopotamia (ancient name for much of
Ardeshir overthrew the last Parthian king and established the
the area now known as Iraq), to the west.
Sassanid dynasty, which was to last 400 years. The Sassanids
consciously sought to resuscitate Iranian traditions and to
The Elamites were occupied by, or at least
came under the domination of, two
obliterate Greek cultural influence. Their rule was
Mesopotamian cultures, those of Akkad
characterized by considerable centralization, ambitious urban
and Ur, during the middle of the third
planning, agricultural development, and technological
millennium. By 2000 B.C. the Elamites
improvements. Sassanid rule and the system of social
had become sufficiently unified to destroy
stratification were reinforced by Zoroastrianism, which
the city of Ur. Elamite civilization
became the state religion.
developed rapidly from that point, and, by
the fourteenth century B.C., its art was at
Arrival of Islam: The Bedouin Arabs who toppled the
its most impressive.
Sassanid Empire in 644 A.D. were propelled not only by a
desire for conquest but also by a new religion, Islam. The
Muslim conquerors adopted the Sassanid coinage system and many Sassanid administrative
practices that became a characteristic of administration throughout Muslim lands. Later caliphs
adopted Iranian court ceremonial practices and the trappings of Sassanid monarchy. Men of
Iranian origin served as administrators after the conquest, and Iranians contributed significantly
to all branches of Islamic learning, including philology, literature, history, geography,
jurisprudence, philosophy, medicine, and the sciences.

Shia Islam, which, although it has come to be

identified closely with Iran, was not initially an Iranian
religious movement. It originated with the Arab
Muslims. After the 11th Century, Iran's ruling dynasties
descended from nomadic, Turkic-speaking warriors
who had been moving out of Central Asia. Under the
Seljuks who were led by Malik Shah (1072-92), Iran
enjoyed a cultural and scientific renaissance, largely
attributed to his brilliant Iranian vizier, Nizam al Mulk.
In 1219 Genghis Khan, turned his 700,000
forces west and quickly devastated the region. The
Mongol invasion was disastrous to the Iranians. Later,
Tamerlane, variously described as of Mongol or
Turkic origin, was the next ruler to achieve emperor
status. In 1501 the Safavid dynasty became the first
native Iranian dynasty in almost 1,000 years. The
Safavids declared Shia Islam the state religion and
used proselytizing and force to convert the large
majority of Muslims in Iran to the Shia sect.
Agha Mohammad Qajar made himself master
of the country, beginning the Qajar dynasty that was to
last until 1925. Early in the nineteenth century, the
Qajars began to face pressure from two great world
powers, Russia and Britain. In August, 1906 the Shah
was forced to issue a decree promising a constitution.
The Modern Era: Iran hoped to avoid entanglement
in World War I by declaring its neutrality, but ended
up as a battleground for Russian, Turkish, and British
troops. In February 1921, Persian Cossacks Brigade
officer Reza Khan received the crown. He launched a
broad program of change designed to bring Iran into
the modern world. Many of the Shah's measures were
consciously designed to break the power of the
religious hierarchy. Reza Shah imposed European
dress on the population. He opened the schools to
women and brought them into the work force. In 1936
he forcibly abolished the wearing of the veil. By the
mid-1930s there was considerable dissatisfaction in the
country.
When Hitler invaded the Soviet Union in 1941,
the Allies urgently needed to transport war materiel
across Iran to the Soviet Union. As a result, Britain
and the Soviet Union simultaneously invaded Iran on
August 26, 1941. Resistance quickly collapsed.
In June 1953, the Eisenhower administration
approved a British proposal for a joint Anglo-

Shah Ismail: The beginning of the

Safavid Empire - in a political as well as
religious sense - is usually dated at 1501,
when Ismail I ascended to the leadership
of the order, and proclaimed himself
Shah, or king. Ismail was a sixth
generation descendant of Sheikh Safi, and
he enjoyed widespread support in the
Safavid order. As a child, Ismail had been
tutored by a Shi'ite, the first recorded
instance of a leader of the Safavid order
being exposed to Shi'ism at such an early
age. That may have influenced his
decision to proclaim Shi'ism the official
faith of the Safavid Empire. Before that
happened, however, Ismail engaged in a
number of battles to consolidate his rule,
and to make territorial gains for the
Safavids. In his expansionist endeavours,
Ismail enjoyed the support of the
Qizilbash, Turkish warriors who shared
the territory of present-day Iran with the
Persians. They were called Qizilbash, or
"red-heads" in Turkish, because of the red
hats they wore as representation of their
Shi'ite beliefs. These followers of Ismail
provided him with an army in his battles
with the Aq-Qoyunlu confederation - who
had ruled intermittently since the collapse
of Timurid rule - for control of Persia.
Ismail finally defeated the Aq-Qoyunlu in
1501 and proclaimed Tabriz, in
northwestern Persia, the new Safavid
capital.
(http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/t
utor/islam/empires/safavid/ismail.html)

American operation, code-named Operation Ajax, to overthrow the Iranian government. The
CIA secretly coordinated plans with the Shah and the Iranian military. The Shah returned to the
country. In March 1959, Iran signed a bilateral defense agreement with the United States.
Secular and religious demonstrations against the Shah commenced in October 1977 and
paralyzed the country. The Shah left Iran for exile in mid-January 1979 and the royal regime
collapsed shortly after on February 11. Iran voted by national referendum to become an Islamic
Republic on April 1, 1979 and to approve a new theocratic constitution whereby Khomeini
became Supreme Leader of the country, in December 1979.
November 4th, Islamic students storm the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking hostage 52
American employees and demand that the
shah return from receiving medical
treatment in the United States to face trial in
Iran. Ayatollah Khomeini applauds their
actions.
In September, 1980 Iraq invades
Iran after years of disagreements over
territory, most notably the Shatt al Arab
waterway. August, 1988 Iran accepts
United Nations Security Council Resolution
598, leading to a cease-fire.
In 2000 Pro-reform candidates win
189 of the 290 seats in parliament, setting
the stage for reformers to control the
legislature for the first time since the 1979
Islamic revolution. In his 2002 January
State of the Union speech, American
President George W. Bush refers to Iran as
part of an "axis of evil," saying the country
is actively pursuing weapons of mass
destruction. In 2004 Iranian Conservatives
Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini: As a 70-year-old
grandfather, Khomeini pulled off one of the most daring
reclaim control of Iran's parliament and
revolutions in history and served a crushing blow to
Iran's government says it will consider reAmerica. Under the guidance of his elder brother he learnt
starting its nuclear program. In 2005 Iran
Islamic science, literature, and philosophy, eventually
votes for hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
becoming a leading authority on theological law. In 1962 he
for president.
became politically active and openly protested against the
torturing and imprisonment of the people by the Shah of Iran.
In November 1964 he was arrested for a second time, and
sent into exile, first to Turkey and then to Iraq, where for
fifteen years Khomeini wrote and lectured against the regime
in his homeland. After the Iranian government had been
overthrown by an Islamic revolution in 1979, and the Shah
sent into exile, Khomeini returned to Iran, where millions of
people were waiting enthusiastically to greet him. He became
the Supreme Leader of the new regime.
(http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/ayatolla
h-khomeini.html)

Timeline of Major Events in Iranian History

_______
Text taken directly from BBC News. Timeline: Iran. Available at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/806268.stm
224-651 AD - Sasanian dynasty rules Persia; Zoroastrianism is dominant religion.
636 - Arab invasion brings end of Sasanian dynasty and start of Islamic rule.
9-13th century - Decline of Islamic Caliphate; rise of Seljuk Turk dynasties.
1220 - Invasion by Mongol forces of Genghis Khan.
1501 - Shah Ismail I becomes ruler of Safavid dynasty; Shi'i Islam declared state religion.
1639 - Treaty of Zuhab ends about 150 years of war against Ottoman Empire.
1828 - Iran cedes control of Caucasus to Russia after second Russo-Persian war.
1907 - Introduction of constitution which limits the absolutist powers of rulers.
1914-1918 - Iran declares neutrality but is scene of heavy fighting during World War I.
1935 - Formerly known as Persia, Iran is adopted as the country's official name.
1953 August - Mossadeq is overthrown in a coup engineered by the British and American
intelligence services. General Zahedi is proclaimed as prime minister and the Shah returns.
1979 - The Islamic fundamentalist, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, returns to Iran following 14
years of exile - The Islamic Republic of Iran is proclaimed following a referendum.
1979 - Militants take 52 Americans hostage inside the US embassy in Tehran. They demand the
extradition of the Shah, in the US at the time for medical treatment, to face trial in Iran.
1980 22 September - Start of Iran-Iraq war which lasts for eight years.
2002 January - US President George Bush describes Iran as part of the "axis of evil"
2005 June - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Tehran's ultra-conservative mayor, wins a run-off vote in
presidential elections, defeating cleric and former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
2009 June - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is declared to have won a resounding victory in the 12 June
presidential election. The rival candidates challenge the result, alleging vote-rigging. Their
supporters take to the streets, and at least 30 people are killed and more than 1,000 arrested.

10

2009 September - Iran admits that it is building a uranium enrichment plant near Qom, but
insists it is for peaceful purposes. The country test-fires a series of medium- and longer-range
missiles that put Israel and US bases in the Gulf within potential striking range.
2010 June - UN Security Council imposes fourth round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear
programme, including tighter financial curbs and an expanded arms embargo.
2010 September - Stuxnet - a computer worm which affects industrial systems and which may
have been created by a nation-state - is reportedly detected in staff computers at the Bushehr
nuclear plant.
2011 November/December - Protesters attack the British embassy in Tehran after London
imposes tighter economic sanctions. Britain evacuates its diplomatic staff and expels all Iranian
diplomats, but ties are not severed.
2013 June - Reformist-backed cleric Hassan Rouhani wins presidential election, gaining just
over 50% of the vote.
2014 November - Russia agrees to build up to eight nuclear reactors in Iran, in move that might
ease Iranian demands to have own uranium enrichment.

The Culture of Iran

Iranian Cuisine
Several of Iran's most prominent dishes originated
from the Greeks, Arabs, Turks, and Russians. Greece
invaded present-day Iran in the A.D. 200s, introducing
stuffed grape leaves. The Iranian food rules that
categorize foods into "hot or "cold" is believed to have
been derived from ancient Greek theories of medicine
(See Mealtime Customs ). Dishes made of lamb, dates,
and figs were brought into the Persian diet during the
Arab invasion of the 600s.
The idea of stuffing leaves, vines, fruits, and
Polow
vegetables with various fillings (Turkish dolma ) was
reinforced by the Turks. The kebab (cubes of skewered
meat) is probably the most important introduction by the Turksit has become one of Iran's
national dishes. Once a widely consumed Iranian beverage, it has now fallen behind the
popularity of chy (tea). The strong, dark tea is brewed in an urn called a samovar, a Russian
word. Tea most likely originated in Russia.
The country's cuisine is largely based on berenj (rice). It is relatively inexpensive and
grown locally, making it an affordable and readily available staple in the everyday diet. A typical
Iranian meal is often a heaping plate of chelo (CHEH-loh; plain, cooked rice) topped with
vegetables, fish, or meat. It also provides a cool contrast to spicy meat toppings. The two
national rice dishes are chelo and polo (POH-loh; rice cooked with several ingredients). There
11

are seemingly endless varieties of dishes that can be prepared with rice in Iran generally refered
to in English as Pilaf.1
Dolma (Stuffed Grape Leaves)Grape leaves are sold in jars at most large supermarkets. In many Middle Eastern and
Mediterranean countries, including Iran, cooks prepare a filling of rice and meat to be rolled up
inside the tender grape leaves. The rolls are then simmered in a savory broth, often with tomato
juice.
Kebab Iranians enjoy grilled meat and poultry. Typically the
Iranian Kebab Morgh (Grilled Skewered Chicken)
would include just chicken on the skewer, but here
mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and peppers have been
added.
Music
Persian classical dastgah: Music of Persian-speaking
areas, used as the basis for composition and
improvisation. A dastgh incorporates a scale, a motif,
a group of short pieces, and a recognizable identity.
The Kamancheh
Conceptually and in their musical content, dastghs and
their constituent gshehs are related to the Arabic system of maqmt and the Turkish makams,
and they are almost identical to the mugams of the art music of Azerbaijan. Roughly before
1880, the Persian musical system may have been very close to those of Syria, Egypt, and Iraq;
however, in the course of the 20th century, in part because of political and cultural changes, it
developed a greater degree of independence.
Kamancheh: A stringed instrument of the fiddle family
prominent in Arab and Persian art music. It is a spike fiddle;
i.e., its small, round or cylindrical body appears skewered by
the neck, which forms a foot that the instrument rests on
when played. The musician, who plays while seated, rests
the foot of the instrument on his knee. The kamanj is
played by soloists as well as in ensembles. The Kamancheh
apparently originated in northern Persia and was mentioned
by the 10th-century philosopher and music theorist alFrb.2

1
2

Kebab

http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/Iran.html
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/310453/kamanja

12

Santur: The santur is a three-octave wooden-hammered dulcimer

with seventy-two strings which are arranged on adjustable tuning
pegs in eighteen quadruple sets, nine (bronze) in the low register,
and nine (steel) in the middle register. The Santur can be made
from various kinds of wood (walnut, rosewood, betel palm, etc.)
depending on the desired sound quality. The front and the back of
the instrument are connected by soundposts whose positions play
an important role in the sound quality of the instrument. Although
the santur is very old, it was neither depicted in miniatures, nor
presented in any other medium until the nineteenth century. The
secret of making the trapezoid-shape sound box lies in the quality
and age of the wood, as well as in the arrangement of the
soundposts which connect the table of the instrument to its back.3
Literature:
Iranian culture is perhaps best known for its literature,
which emerged in its current form in the 9th century. The great
masters of the Persian languageFerdows, Nem, fe, Jm,
and Rmcontinue to inspire
Iranian authors in the modern
era, although publication and
distribution of many classical
worksdeemed licentious by
conservative clericshave been
difficult. Persian literature was
deeply influenced by Western
literary and philosophical
traditions in the 19th and 20th
centuries yet remains a vibrant
medium for Iranian culture.
Whether in prose or in poetry, it
also came to serve as a vehicle
of cultural introspection,
political dissent, and personal
The Santur
protest for such influential
Iranian writers as Sadeq
Hedayat, Jalal Al-e Ahmad, and Sadeq-e Chubak and such poets
as Ahmad Shamlu and Forough Farrokhzad. Following the
Islamic revolution of 1979, many Iranian writers went into exile,
and much of the countrys best Persian-language literature was
thereafter written and published abroad. However, the
postrevolutionary era also witnessed the birth of a new feminist
literature by authors such as Shahrnoush Parsipour and Moniru
Ravanipur.4
3
4

Abu Abdollah Jafar ibn

Mohammad Rudaki:
(born c. 859-941), the first poet of
note to compose poems in the New
Persian, written in Arabic
alphabet, widely regarded as the
father of Persian poetry.
A talented singer and
instrumentalist, Rdak served as a
court poet to the Smnid ruler
Nar II (914943) in Bukhara until
he fell out of favour in 937. He
ended his life in wretched poverty.
Approximately 100,000 couplets
are attributed to Rdak, but of that
enormous output, fewer than 1,000
have survived, and these are
scattered among many anthologies
and biographical works. His poems
are written in a simple style,
characterized by optimism and
charm and, toward the end of his
life, by a touching melancholy. In
addition to parts of his divan
(collection of poems), one of his
most important contributions to
literature is his translation from
Arabic to New Persian of Kallah
wa Dimnah, a collection of fables of
Indian origin. Later retellings of
these fables owe much to this lost
translation of Rdak, which further
ensured his fame in Perso-Islamic
literature.
(http://www.britannica.com/EBchec
ked/topic/512104/Rudaki)

http://www.kereshmeh.com/santur.html
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/293359/Iran/230069/Literature

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Folklore: The Magic of Mushkil Gusha

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From: http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/048.html
Once in the royal city of Isfahan, there was an old woodcutter who lived alone with his
young daughter. Every day, the woodcutter went out to the desert to gather camel-thorn bushes,
then sold them in the marketplace as firewood. In this way, he earned barely enough for the two
of them. One morning, the woodcutters daughter said, Father, we always have enough to eat.
But just once, it would be nice to have something special. Do you think you could buy us some
date cakes? I think I could do that, my dear, said the woodcutter. Ill just gather some extra
wood today.
So the woodcutter walked farther that day to gather more thorn bushes. But he took
longer than he meant to. By the time he got back with the wood, darkness had fallen. It was too
late to go to the marketplace. Whats more, when he reached his house, he found that his
daughter had already bolted the front door and gone to bed. Knock as he would, there was no
answer. So he had to sleep outside on the doorstep. Next morning, the woodcutter awoke while it
was still dark. He told himself, I might as well go out right now and get another big load of
wood. Then I can sell twice as much and buy even more date cakes. So he left his load and went
back to the desert to gather more bushes. But again he took longer than he meant to, and when he
got back, it was dark and the door was bolted. So again he had to sleep on the doorstep. He
awoke once more before dawn. Theres no sense wasting a day, he said. Ill go back out for
one more big load. How many date cakes well have then! But yet again he took too long, and
yet again the door was bolted when he got back.
The woodcutter sank to the doorstep and wept. Whats wrong, old man? He looked up
to see a dervish in a long green robe and a tall green cap. Holy sir, for three days I have gone
out to gather thorn bushes, and for three days I have come home too late to get into my house.
And in all that time, Ive had nothing to eat. What night is this, old man? The woodcutter
said, Why, Friday eve, of course. Thats right. Its the eve of our holy day. And thats the
time of Mushkil Gusha. Mushkil Gusha? said the woodcutter. Thats right, old manthe
Remover of Difficulties. The holy man took some roasted chickpeas and raisins from his
pouch and handed them to the woodcutter. Here, share this with me. Thank you, sir!
You may not know it, the dervish went on, but Mushkil Gusha is already helping you.
If you want your good fortune to continue, heres what you must do: Every Friday eve, find
someone in need. Then share what you have, and tell a tale of Mushkil Gusha. That way, you
both will be helped. And with that, the holy man vanished. As the woodcutter stared at the
empty spot, the door to his house swung open. Father, where have you been? Oh, please come
inside! I was so worried! A few days passed, while the woodcutter and his daughter enjoyed the
many date cakes he bought after selling his wood. Then one morning, when the woodcutter had
gone to the desert and his daughter had finished her housework, she decided to go walking in a
public park.

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She was strolling down a broad path when a carriage stopped beside her. What a pretty
little girl! said a royal young lady. I am the daughter of the king. Would you like to be my
handmaiden? Yes, Your Highness, the girl said, blushing. So the woodcutters daughter
became a handmaiden of the princess. With the gifts the princess gave her, she and her father
became quite rich. He bought a nice house, and he didnt have to gather thorn bushes anymore.
But somehow he forgot what the dervish told him.
A month went by. One day, the princess went on a picnic to one of her fathers private
gardens, and she brought along the woodcutters daughter. There was a small lake there, so they
decided to go for a swim. The princess took off her necklace and hung it on a branch overlooking
the water. But when she came out, she forgot all about it. A few days later at the palace, the
princess looked for the necklace but couldnt find it. She turned angrily to the woodcutters
daughter. You stole my necklace! You must have taken it when we went for our swim! No,
Your Highness, I wouldnt do that! Youre a thief and a liar too! Ill show you what happens to
people of your kind! Get out of my sight!
The woodcutters daughter ran home in tears. But an hour later, soldiers came to the door.
They arrested the woodcutter and carried him off to a public square in front of the prison. Then
they locked his feet in the stocks and left him there. The woodcutter had to suffer the taunts and
jeers of the passersby. Some people were kinder, though, and even threw him scraps of food.
Now, that evening was Friday eve. As the sun set, the woodcutter cast his thoughts over all that
had happened to him in the past weeks. All at once, he cried out. Oh, what a foolish, ungrateful
wretch I am! Didnt the dervish say to share what I have each Friday eve and tell of Mushkil
Gusha? Yet I havent done it once!
Just then, a packet of chickpeas and raisins landed by the woodcutter. When he looked
up, he didnt see who had thrown it. But he did see a beggar boy coming by. Young friend!
called the woodcutter. Please share this with me while I tell you a story. The boy sat down and
gratefully took what was offered. As he ate, the woodcutter related everything that had
happened, from when his daughter asked for date cakes, to when he was put in the stocks.
Thank you, sir, said the boy. I needed the food, and the story was good too. I hope it has a
happy ending.
The beggar boy went on his way. But hed only gone a block when a rich merchant
stopped him. My one and only son! Ever since you were stolen at birth, Ive looked for that
birthmark on your left cheek. Now at last Ive found you! But they leave our story here.
The next day, the princess had another picnic in her fathers private garden, and again she
went down to the lake for a swim. She was about to step into the water when she saw the
reflection of her necklace. She looked up into the treeand there was the necklace itself, right
where she had left it. That woodcutters daughter didnt take it at all! By the end of the day,
the woodcutter was free from the stocks, and his daughter was back in the palace. And every
Friday eve after that, the woodcutter always remembered to find someone in need, share what he
had, and tell his tale of Mushkil Gusha.

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Select Bibliography of Sources on Iran

Akram, A. I. The Muslim Conquest of Persia Birmingham England: 2010
Bayandor, Darioush. Iran and the CIA: the fall of Mosaddeq revisited Houndmills, Basingstoke,
Hampshire; New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010
Canby, Sheila R. The golden age of Persian art, 1501-1722 New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2000
During, Jean. The art of Persian music Washington, D.C.: Mage Publishers, 1991
General introduction to Persian literature London; New York: I.B. Tauris; New York:
Distributed in the USA by Palgrave Macmillan, 2009
Guppy, Shusha. The secret of laughter: magical tales from classical Persia London; New York:
I.B. Tauris, 2005
Haugen, David and Susan Musser (ed.) Iran Detroit: Greenhaven Press, c2011
Johnson, Robert. The Iran-Iraq War Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire; New York, NY:
Palgrave Macmillan, 2011
Kuhrt, Amlie. The Persian Empire London; New York: Routledge, 2007
Lentz, Thomas W. Timur and the princely vision: Persian art and culture in the fifteenth century
Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Washington, D.C.: Arthur M. Sackler
Gallery; Smithsonian Institution Press, c1989
Milani, Abbas. The Shah New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011
Mitchell, Colin P. The practice of politics in Safavid Iran: power, religion and rhetoric New
York: Tauris Academic Studies, 2009
Rezaeian, Farzin. Incredible Isfahan: discovering Persia's past Toronto, Canada: Sunrise Visual
Innovations Ltd., c2010
Sprachman, Paul. Language and culture in Persian Costa Mesa, Calif.: Mazda Publishers, 2002
Wearden, Jennifer Mary. Iranian textiles London: V&A Pub., 2010.
Thackston, W. M. (Wheeler McIntosh). A millennium of classical Persian poetry: a guide to the
reading & understanding of Persian poetry Bethesda, Md.: Iranbooks, c1994
Tikku, Girdhari L. A conversation with modern Persian poets Costa Mesa, Calif. : Mazda
Publishers, 2004

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