The counties of Iran, also called shahrestan (Persian: شهرستان shahrestān), are administrative divisions of larger provinces (ostan). The word shahrestan comes from the Persian words shahr ("city, town") and stān ("province, state"). "County", therefore, is a near equivalent of shahrestan.
Iranian counties are divided into one or more bakhsh (بخش), or districts. A typical county includes both cities (شهر shahr) and rural agglomerations (دهستان dehestān), which are groupings of adjacent villages. One city within the county serves as the capital of that county.
Each county is governed by an office known as farmandari, which coordinates different public events and agencies and is headed by a farmandar, the governor of the county and the highest-ranking official in the division.
Among the provinces of Iran, Fars has the highest number of shahrestans (23), while Semnan and South Khorasan have only 4 shahrestans each; Qom uniquely has one, being coextensive with its namesake county. In 2005, Iran had 324 shahrestans.
To better understand these subdivisions, the following table is useful. Assume that province P is divided into two counties: A and B. County A has 3 districts: Central, X, and Y. The Central district is the district that contains City M, the capital of the county. Each district contains one or more cities and/or one or more RAs (rural agglomerations). In our example, the Central district contains City M, City N, and RA T, which is composed of the villages V1, V2, V3, and V4; district X contains City O and RA U; and district Y has no cities and one RA V. The minimal county consists of only one city as the only district, named Central, of course. The county B in the following table is of such type, containing only one city Q.
The counties are listed below, by province:
Eshtehard County
Karaj County
Nazarabad County
Savojbolagh County
Taleghan County
Ardabil County
Bilasavar County
Germi County
Khalkhal County
Kowsar County
Meshginshahr County
Namin County
Nir County
Parsabad County
Sareyn County
Asaluyeh County
Bushehr County
Dashtestan County
Dashti County
Dayyer County
Deylam County
Ganaveh County
Jam County
Kangan County
Tangestan County
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province
Ardal County
Borujen County
Farsan County
Kiaar County
Kuhrang County
Lordegan County
Shahrekord County
Ahar County
Ajabshir County
Azarshahr County
Bonab County
Bostanabad County
Charuymaq County
Heris County
Hashtrud County
Jolfa County
Kalibar County
Khodaafarin County
Malekan County
Maragheh County
Marand County
Mianeh County
Osku County
Sarab County
Shabestar County
Tabriz County
Varzaqan County
Aran-o-Bidgol County
Ardestan County
Borkhar-o-Meymeh County
Chadegan County
Falavarjan County
Fereydan County
Fereydunshahr County
Golpayegan County
Isfahan County
Kashan County
Khansar County
Khomeinishahr County
Lenjan County
Lower Semirom County
Mobarakeh County
Nain County
Najafabad County
Natanz County
Semirom County
Shahreza County
Shahinshahr o Meymeh County
Tiran-o-Korun County
Abadeh County
Arsanjan County
Bavanat County
Darab County
Eqlid County
Estahban County
Farashband County
Fasa County
Firuzabad County
Gerash County
Jahrom County
Kavar County
Kazerun County
Kherameh County
Khonj County
Khorrambid County
Lamerd County
Larestan County
Mamasani County
Marvdasht County
Mehr County
Neyriz County
Pasargad County
Qir-o-Karzin County
Rostam County
Sarvestan County
Sepidan County
Shiraz County
Zarrindasht County
Amlash County
Astara County
Astane-ye-Ashrafiyeh County
Bandar-e-Anzali County
Fuman County
Lahijan County
Langrud County
Masal County
Rasht County
Rezvanshahr County
Rudbar County
Rudsar County
Shaft County
Siahkal County
Some'e-sara County
Talesh County
Aliabad County
Aqqala County
Azadshahr County
Bandar-e-gaz County
Bandar-e-Torkaman County
Galikash County
Gomishan County
Gonbad-e-Kavus County
Gorgan County
Kolaleh County
Kordkuy County
Maravehtapeh County
Minudasht County
Ramian County
Asadabad County
Bahar County
Hamadan County
Kabudrahang County
Malayer County
Nahavand County
Razan County
Tuyserkan County
Abumusa County
Bandar-Abbas County
Bandar-Lengeh County
Bastak County
Gavbandi County
Hajiabad County
Jask County
Khamir County
Minab County
Qeshm County
Rudan County
Abdanan County
Darrehshahr County
Dehloran County
Eyvan County
Ilam County
Malekshahi County
Mehran County
Shirvan-o-Chardavol County
Anar County
Anbarabad County
Arzuiyeh County
Baft County
Bam County
Bardsir County
Fahraj County
Ghaleye-Ganj County
Jiroft County
Kahnuj County
Kerman County
Kuhbonan County
Manujan County
Rabar County
Rafsanjan County
Ravar County
Rigan County
Roudbar-e-Jonub County
Shahr-e-Babak County
Sirjan County
Zarand County
Dalaho County
Gilan-e-gharb County
Harsin County
Islamabad-e-gharb County
Javanrud County
Kangavar County
Kermanshah County
Paveh County
Qasr-e-Shirin County
Ravansar county
Sahneh County
Sarpol-e-Zahab County
Solas-e-Babajani County
Sonqor County
Abadan County
Ahvaz County
Andika County
Andimeshk County
Baghmalek County
Bavi County
Behbahan County
Dasht-e-Azadegan County
Dezful County
Guotvand County
Haftgol County
Hendijan County
Hoveizeh County
Izeh County
Khorramshahr County
Lali County
Mahshahr County
Masjed-Soleyman County
Omidiyeh County
Ramhormoz County
Ramshir County
Shadegan County
Shush County
Shushtar County
Kohgeluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province
Basht County
Bahmai County
Boyer-Ahmad County
Charam County
Dena County
Gachsaran County
Kohgeluyeh County
Baneh County
Bijar County
Dehgolan County
Divandarreh County
Kamyaran County
Marivan County
Qorveh County
Sannandaj County
Saqqez County
Sarvabad County
Aligudarz County
Azna County
Borujerd County
Delfan County
Dorud County
Doureh County
Khorramabad County
Kuhdasht County
Poldokhtar County
Selseleh County
Ashtian County
Arak County
Delijan County
Khomein County
Khondab County
Komeijan County
Mahallat County
Saveh County
Shazand County
Tafresh County
Zarandieh County
Mazandaran Province
Amol County
Babol County
Babolsar County
Behshahr County
Chalus County
Galugah County
Juybar County
Mahmudabad County
Miandorud County
Neka County
Noshahr County
Nur County
Qaemshahr County
Ramsar County
Sari County
Savadkuh County
Tonekabon County
Abbasabad County
Bojnurd County
Esfarayen County
Faroj County
Germeh County
Jajrom County
Maneh-o-Samalqan County
Shirvan County
Abyek County
Alborz County
Buin-Zahra County
Qazvin County
Takestan County
Qom County
Bajestan County
Bardaskan County
Chenaran County
Dargaz County
Davarzan County
Fariman County
Firuzeh County
Gonabad County
Jowayin County
Joghatai County
Kalat County
Kashmar County
Khaf County
Khalilabad County
Khoshab County
Mahvelat County
Mashhad County
Nishapur County
Quchan County
Rashtkhar County
Sabzevar County
Sarakhs County
Takht-e-Jolgeh County
Taybad County
Torghabe-o-Shandiz County
Torbat-e-Jam County
Torbat-e-Heydarieh County
Zave County
Aradan County
Damghan County
Garmsar County
Mehdishahr County
Meyami County
Semnan County
Shahrud County or *Shahrood County
Sorkheh County
Sistan and Baluchestan Province
Chabahar County
Dalgan County
Hirmand County
Iranshahr County
Khash County
Konarak County
Mehrestan County
Nikshahr County
Saravan County
Sarbaz County
Sib o Soran County
Zabol County
Zahedan County
Zehak County
Birjand County
Boshruyeh County
Darmian County
Ferdows County
Khusf County
Nehbandan County
Qaen County
Sarayan County
Sarbisheh County
Tabas County
Zirkouh County
Damavand County
Firuzkuh County
Islamshahr County
Malard County
Pakdasht County
Pishva County
Robat-Karim County
Rey County
Shemiranat County
Shahriar County
Shahr-e Qods County
Tehran County
Varamin County
Bukan County
Chaldoran County
Chaypareh County
Khoy County
Mahabad County
Maku County
Miandoab County
Naqadeh County
Oshnaviyeh County
Piranshahr County
Poldasht County
Salmas County
Sardasht County
Shahindej County
Showt County
Takab County
Urmia County
Abarkuh County
Ardekan County
Bafq County
Bahabad County
Khatam County
Mehriz County
Meybud County
Sadugh County
Taft County
Yazd County
Abhar County
Eejrud County
Khodabandeh County
Khorramdarreh County
Mahneshan County
Tarom County
Zanjan County
