Regions of Iran

Updated on Sep 19, 2024

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Historically and geographically Iran has been divided into a number of different regions. In 2014, Iran was administratively divided into five regions.

Background

In 1937 the territory of Iran was divided into 10 administrative regions: Region 1, Region 2, Region 10, etc.^(fa) For example, Region 7 or "Seventh Province" corresponded to present-day Fars Province per the "Territorial Subdivision Act of 1316 Š./1937 (Qānūn-e taqsīmāt-e kešvar)."

Administrative regions

Iran's thirty-one provinces were divided into five regions on 22 June 2014, based on a decision of Ministry of Interior. In the division, the adjacency, geographical location and similarities of the provinces were considered.

The Constitution of Iran does not provide for regions and they are not the constituent units of the country, but exist purely for the convenience of governmental administration.

Roles and purpose

According to Javad Naserian, Ministry of Interior's Management Development and Human Resources Vice-Minister, the purpose of this division of provinces was creation of synergy, transfer of experience, information exchange, and regional development. Also, it now provides an intermediate level where provinces can discuss their problems among themselves, instead of going immediately to Tehran.

Function

The intention was for each region to have regularly scheduled meetings of the constituent provinces' Governors-general, rotating the meeting place through the provincial capitals. The host province would provide the chairman of each meeting. A regional secretariat would be established in the capital city of the main province of each region, with a coordinating bureau in the Ministry of Interior headquarters in Tehran.

Historical and geographical regions

Histories, travel books and economic analyses often refer to less formal, more historical or geographical, Iranian regions. The borders of these are not fixed and often have changed over time, and even overlapped at the same time.

Alamut - in the Alborz mountain range of northern Iran;

Abadeh region - the area of the Qashqai people and their Abadeh rugs, northern Fars Province centered around Abadeh County and usually including parts of far southern Isfahan Province, used both ethnographically and geographically;

Central Iran: Known as Iraq-i Ajam (Persian Iraq)

Baluchistan (Southeastern Iran) - sometimes just Sistan and Baluchestan Province and sometimes all of Baluchistan;

Caspian Iran (Northern Iran, Tabaristan or "Mardi and Hyrcania") - Gilan Province, Mazandaran Province, and Golestan Province, and historically sometimes northern Semnan

Iranian Azerbaijan - approximately the current provinces of Region 3, but often excluding Kurdistan Province and often excluding the Caspian province of Gilan;

Iranian Kurdistan - including Kurdistan Province, Kermanshah Province and parts of Ilam Province and parts of West Azerbaijan Province;

Khorasan - consisting of North Khorasan Province, Razavi Khorasan Province, South Khorasan Province, and sometimes eastern Semnan Province

Quhistan - southern Khorasan;

Persian Gulf Iran (Persian Gulf region of Iran, Southern Iran) - Fars, Kohgiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad, Hormozgan and Bushehr provinces;

Southeastern Iran (Carmania) - mostly Kerman Province, but often extending to the coast;

Western Iran (Khuzestan, Elam) - the 'birthplace of Iran', similar to Region 4 (Hamadan Province, Ilam Province, Kermanshah Province, Khuzestan Province, Lorestan Province, Markazi Province), but often including all of or some of Qazvin Province, Kurdistan Province, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province;

References

Regions of Iran Wikipedia

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