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Where I found this information.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Iran/Sports-and-recreation

https://www.persiansarenotarabs.com/persian-dance/

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Dance (Raghs) has been a big part of Persian culture and identity for many years. Dancing had a significant role in religious rituals specifically in the faith of Zoroastrianism. At the time of Persian Empire and during Achaemenids, Parthians and Sassanids dynasties, dancing was a well-developed and respected art form.
The Iranian National Ballet Company was the best and the most respected of all ballet companies in the Middle East.
(PERSIAN DANCE)

What is Dance?

Dance is a series of body movements in a rhythmic way to a piece of music.
The purpose of dancing is usually expressing a particular emotion for example happiness!
Dance is categorized by its choreography, repertoire of movements or its historical period or place of origin. First archeological proof of dance comes from the 9 thousand year old cave paintings in India. One of the earliest uses of structured dance was introduced in religious ceremonies that told the stories of ancient myths and gods

Persian Dance

Dance (Raghs) has been a big part of Persian culture and identity for many years. Dancing had a significant role in religious rituals specifically in the faith of Zoroastrianism.

At the time of Persian Empire and during Achaemenids, Parthians and Sassanids dynasties, dancing was a well-developed and respected art form. Ritual dance was adapted into religious and other type of ceremonies in the Persian Emperor's court. These dances incorporated high aesthetic and cultural values.

Dance types in Iran differ massively based on culture differences and areas.
And since Iran consists of many ethnicities, one can find a large variation of dance types ranging from folk dances to complicated dance routines.

However, researches show that the oldest known Persian dance is a rhythmic routine that depicts the worship of Mithra. This type of Persian dance was related to Mithrakana or Mehrgan ceremonies. In these ceremonies even the Persian Emperors did dance to the music and participated in worshiping.
The purpose of this dance was believed to be restoring vigour and energy in one's life, and the dance included slaughtering a bull as sacrifice.

After the brief periods in which Iran was seized by different powers such as the Arabs or the Greeks, the dance lineage was a little bit lost due to political unbalance and insecurity.

But one of the massive changes in Persian dance happened when the Persian Empire crumbled.

In that time, the Persian females were forced into sexual labour and slavery by the new oppressors that ruled over Iran.

These females were forced into performing erotic and sensual dances for the rulers. This situation went on for a time until Islam took over and banned dance entirely.

Since this prohibition was not taken very seriously from time to time, dance still lived on in the Persian culture.
But the finality of it came with the Islamic Revolution of the year 1979, in which dance was fully prohibited due to the fact that sometimes it required mixing the two sexes together for routines.

One of the most important dance companies in Iran, " The Iranian National Ballet Company ", was forced to disperse due to this prohibition.

The Iranian National Ballet Company was the best and the most respected of all ballet companies in the Middle East. It became most known among companies of Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Egypt and other Middle Eastern and Central Asian companies. Membership of the company became popular and attractive among talented dancers of Europe and the United States. Many foreign ballet stars and prima ballerinas, for instance from the Bolshoi Ballet, were invited to dance at the premieres.

The main reason for the banning of dance was said to be that in accordance with the Cultural Revolution, dancing was thought of as a sin and a corruption of the soul.

Traditional Persian Dance

Persian traditional or classical dance was performed base on the traditional Persian modal music, Dastgah (system).

The movements demonstrated flexibility, grace, and dominance of the upper body moves and also included facial expressions. The dance is nonsexual and feminine and shows a sense of pride. Traditional Persian dance usually uses Persian myth, literary and poetry with historical themes.

Persian Dance in 1960s

Robert de Warren, a British ballet dancer and director was invited by the Ministry of Culture in the 1960's to train Persian dancers in Ballet and to invite foreign Ballet dancers to perform in Ballet productions. Warren was intrigued by Persian native dancers and eventually decided to interpret Persian dance and created choreography in that style. He also recorded folk dances of various regions. Unfortunately these precious recordings were destroyed during the Islamic revolution of Iran. After revolution he had to leave Iran.

Persian Dance Types

To simplify, Iran has four different fields of dance:

Solo dance

These routines are basically remakes of the dances that came to existence in the reign of the Safavid and Qajar dynasties.
These court dances were mostly improvised.

The form is very tender, graceful and elegant and it consists of many small subtle movements throughout the body such as the wrist circles or arm circles.

War dances & Combat dances

Fairly different from the Solo dance, this genre relies on power to shine. as the name clearly tells us, the core of the movements in this type of dance imitate a battle.

Chain dances & Line dances

This genre includes a massive variety of dance types since it refers to ethnic regions. Some of these types are Kurdish, Azerbaijani, Lori, and so on.

Ritual dances & Spiritual dances

Also known as Zikr, these types of dances usually are performed for things like healing practices.

These dances require music, special movement and trance. A very popular example would be the Le'b Guati, the anti-possession dance of the Baluchi natives of Iran.
This dance is basically a rhythmic, musical exorcism.
The following is a list of some Persian dance styles:

● Shamshir-bazi: It literally means sword dance.

● Pay-bazi: It literally means foot-dance.

● Raghs-e-Baluchi: Baluchistani dance.

Raghse Pa (foot)

Dance to be based on movements of feet.

This dance is seen mostly in zourkhaneh (Persian ancient gymnasium). Zourkahneh means the House of Power in Persian language. Therefore, this is a dance that conveys strength.

Raghse Do-Pa

Do Pa is a kind of Kurdish and Lorestani dance.

Raghse Se-Pa

Se Pa is a kind of Kurdish and Lorestani dance.

Raghse Kurdi

Kurds are the third largest ethnic group in Iran so definitely they have their own special dance.

In Kurdish dance, the participants stand in line and hold on to the little fingers. One of the dancers wags a handkerchief and sets the rhythm. The other dancers follow him with small steps. The musical instruments used are Dozal, Tombak, Sorna and Daf which set the rhythm.

Raghse Jalajel

Dance with tightening the jingles around the hands or the feet of dancer.

Raghse Charpareh or Raghs e Chalpareh

Another kind of Persian dance.

Raghse Chep-chep

Dance with chalap: Chalap is a kind of cymbal that is played in mourning ceremonies. Its smaller size is played in festive ceremonies. Other names of Chalap are Chalab, Senj, Zang, and Tal. Tal is Indo-Persian name of cymbal.

Raghse shamshiri

Raghs-e shamshir or dance with swords originates from Ancient Persia as early as three thousand years ago. Dance with swords was a traditional entertainment in the province of Baluchistan and Sistan. The dance consists of two men with swords and shields. Base on the rhythm of the drum, Shamshiri dancers show battle movements. The participants show movement of attacking and defending themselves like those in the war and as the music gradually progresses, the movements get faster and more furious.

Raghs e chubi or Raghs e chupi

Dance with sticks is called " choob bazi or raghs-e choob "!

This is an aggressive and active sports dance, and only men take part in the dance. It is a kind of dancing consist of at least two dancers that they beat wooden sticks to mark the rhythm. This kind of dancing can be found in Romania also. This is a kind of duel between two men with sticks. During the dance, one of the dancers attack and the other one defends. The attacker circles around the opponent during the dance and tries to catch him by surprise and hit his legs. The opponent must fight back with a stick.

Raghse Sama

Sama literally means a joyful song and comes from the Arabic word, sam that means to listen, but Sama' at whole means song (avaz), ecstasy (vajd) and dance (pay-kubi and dast-afshani) with its special rules and orders. Sama-o-raghs means the Sufism dance.

Raghse Qashghayi:

Qashghayies are Turkic tribes in the province of Fars, Isfahan, and Khuzestan. The people have several national dances: Raghse haft dastmal (dance with seven shawls), Raghse dastmal (dance with shawls), Buir Ahmadi and Ashrafi. In qashghayi the dance women wear bright colored skirts and they hold bright scarves in their hands. The female dancers make a circle and jump in small steps and because of this motion, their beautiful and colorful skirts mover synchronously.

Raghs e Halat

Dance of Sufis.

Raghs e Arefan

Dance of Sufis.

Raghs e Ammi

This is the opposite of Raghse Arefan. It is a kind of dance that has not a sophisticated aim.

Raghs e Ghasemabadi

This is a kind of Persian folk dance of Ghasemabad region to be located in North of Iran, Gilan province, showing the weeding of farmers.

Raghs e Razif

Razif is a kind of sword dance, which was popular among the sailors of the Persian Gulf. They were dancing to relieve tension. Now Razif is a popular dance at weddings.

Raghse Bandari

In Persian, bandari means " harbor". This famous Iranian folk dance is from the Persian Gulf. The movement of performers and the way they wave their hands that resembles the cooperation of a group of fishermen at the sea

Raghs e Kachul:

It is a kind of dance to be mentioned in Persian literature.

Raghs Khaneh:

Place for dancing. Khaneh literally means house and home.

Raghs e Darvishan

Dance of Dervishes.

Raghs e Shateri

Famous popular dance to be based on movements of bakers while they are cooking bread in bakeries.

Raghs e Shotori:

Dance to be based on movements of camel.

Raghs e Torki:

It means Turkish dance.

The most known derivation of this style would be the Lezgi dance.

Another beautiful type would be the Diringi, which is slightly less known.

The Diringi is somewhat a similar type as the Persian Reng, as it is light and rhythmic. The Diringi differs in the tempo according to the feel of the dance routine.

Raghse Shekam

Raghse Shekam is a kind of dancing very popular in Egypt. It is called belly dance and in Iran it is called Arabic dance.

Raghse Sheikhi

Raghse Sheikhi is a kind of Persian folk dance in suburb of Iranshahr city.

Raghse Baba Karam:

This is type of humorous Iranian dance which is actually a playful imitation of the machismo style of dance done by working class men of South Tehran.

Famous Iranian Dancers

There have been few famous dancers recorded in the history of Persian dance. In fact, there is little recorded information on Persian dance in general.

Farzaeh Kaboli

Farzaneh Kaboli is a famous Iranian dancer. She is the leader in the Iranian Folkloric and National Dance Art and actress in cinema and theater. She is also a master of choreography in Iranian theaters. Prior to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, she was one of the soloists in Mr. Warren's dance company and performed with the National Dance Company both within Iran and internationally at many prestigious venues.

Kaboli studied in the " Iranian National and Folkloric Dance Academy " for three years. Despite of 1979's Islamic revolution, Kaboli is allowed to hold concerts for female audience.

Haydeh Changizian

Farzaneh Kaboli is a famous Iranian dancer. She is the leader in the Iranian Folkloric and National Dance Art and actress in cinema and theater. She is also a master of choreography in Iranian theaters.

Prior to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, she was one of the soloists in Mr. Warren's dance company and performed with the National Dance Company both within Iran and internationally at many prestigious venues.

Kaboli studied in the "Iranian National and Folkloric Dance Academy" for three years. Despite of 1979's Islamic revolution, Kaboli is allowed to hold concerts for female audience.

Jamileh

Fatemeh Sadeghi known as Jamileh is an Iranian dancer and actress. Jamileh was born in 1946 in Iran.

She is the most famous female dancer in Iran. Among different styles of dances, she is a great belly dancer.

Mohammad Khordadian

Mohammad Khordadian is an Iranian dancer, choreographer and entertainer. He is one of the most famous male Iranian dancers. Khordadian was born in 1957 in Sabzevar, Iran. After Islamic revolution, he left Iran and started making Workout and Dance instruction videos which soon became popular in Iran. He now lives in California.

Shahrokh Moshkin Ghalam

Shahrokh Moshkin Ghalam is an Iranian modern dancer and choreographer. He was born in Iran but now lives in Paris. Shahrokh's choreography style is usually based on Persian classical music, Persian myths, and poetry which he brings together with Persian dance masterfully. He is the first Iranian to be part of the prestigious Comédie-Française troupe. Moshkin Ghalam is also the founder and former artistic director of Nakissa Art Company.

Below are some of the famous dancers of Iran, particularly in the Qajar reign:

Arus

Arus was a specialist is raghs-e-chep-chep.

Akhtar-zangi

Akhtar was a brilliant dancer. Her nickname says that she was skillful in raghs-e-ba-zang.

Zahra-ye-Ahad:

She was a good dancer and specialist in using zang-e-riz (small zang).

Galin:

Galin was a talented singer and dancer and the conductor of a group.
Some of her students are: Malus, Jalis, Turan and Sedigheh.

Gohar:

She was a fine dancer and sister of Mashallah who was male dancer and kamancheh (Persian spike fiddle) player.

Munes:

Munes was a great dancer and her sister, Anis, was a good tasnifkhan and dayereh (Persian frame drum) player.

Ghazal and Maral:

They were both good dancers.

Ghamar-e-Saleki:

She was a good dancer and tasnifkhan.

Heshmat:

Heshmat was a specialist in acrobatic movements such as Mo'allagh-zadan.

Monavvar-e-Shirazi:

She was a specialist in raghs-e-ard.

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Persian Dance * The Most Beautiful Form of Art + (different types) | PANA

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Dance (Raghs) has been a big part of Persian culture and identity for many years. Dancing had a significant role in religious rituals specifically in the faith of Zoroastrianism. At the time of Persian Empire and during Achaemenids, Parthians and Sassanids dynasties, dancing was a well-developed and respected art form.

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Some recreational events of Iran consist of sports and dances and other events.
Wrestling, horse racing, and ritualistic bodybuilding are the traditional sports of the country. Team sports were introduced from the West in the 20th century, the most popular being rugby football and volleyball.
Some dances would include four categories of dance: chain or line dances, solo improvisational dance, war or combat dances and ritual or spiritual dances. Chain or Line dances are often named for the region or the ethnic groups with which they are associated.
Parties in iran

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Iran’s economy is characterized by its hydrocarbon, agricultural, and service sectors, as well as a noticeable state presence in the manufacturing and financial services. Iran ranks second in the world for natural gas reserves and fourth for proven crude oil reserves and, while relatively diversified for an oil exporting country, economic activity and government revenues still rely on oil revenues and have, therefore, been volatile.
If were talking about basic necessities then Iran needs of course what they consume and where they live, also they have to stick to their beliefs.

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Here's more information on the necessities of Iran.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652604000435

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/iran/overview#1

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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to underscore the necessity for implementing a cleaner production strategy in order to achieve sustainable development for Iran's industries. While reviewing the reasons for the need to adopt the strategy of cleaner production for the industries of developing countries, the special features of Iranian society which makes the use of cleaner production necessary were also studied.

It is important to develop a model or method for developing a priority for industrialists to work with in initiating cleaner production activities. This was done in Iran using the "multiple criteria decision making method" (MCDM). This included, among other things, interviewing the relevant experts and directors, for each industrial group. A relative ranking score was developed and based upon it, the priority of each group was determined. Within this process, the industrial groups of "textiles, apparel and leather industries" were given the highest priority and the industrial group of "manufacture of wood and wood products, including furniture" were given the lowest priority.

View full text

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Cleaner production in Iran: necessities and priorities

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The purpose of this paper is to underscore the necessity for implementing a cleaner production strategy in order to achieve sustainable development for Iran's industries. While reviewing the reasons for the need to adopt the strategy of cleaner production for the industries of developing countries, the special features of Iranian society which makes the use of cleaner production necessary were also studied.

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To further educate yourself on the art of Iran.

https://www.britannica.com/place/Iran/The-arts
https://www.iranchamber.com/index/art_culture.php

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From Timur's tent in Samarqand to Shah 'Abbas's palace in Isfahan and Humayun's tomb in Delhi, the pavilion has been an integral part of Persianate gardens since the ...

>See the book

The Islamic Republic of Iran has entered its fourth decade, and the values and legacy of the Revolution it was founded upon continue to have profound and contradictory consequences for ...

>See the book

Jalalu'l-Din Rumi was one of the greatest of the Persian mystical poets. In his writings he explored the profound themes of the nature of truth, of beauty, and of our spiritual ...

>See the book

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Iran Chamber Society: Art & Culture of Iran

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From Timur's tent in Samarqand to Shah 'Abbas's palace in Isfahan and Humayun's tomb in Delhi, the pavilion has been an integral part of Persianate gardens since the ... >See the book The Islamic Republic of Iran has entered its fourth decade, and the values and legacy of the Revolution it was founded upon continue to have profound and contradictory consequences for ...

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The arts of Iran are one of the richest art heritages in world history and encompasses many traditional disciplines including architecture, painting, literature, music, weaving, pottery, calligraphy, metalworking and stonemasonry.
The quintessential characteristic of Persian art and architecture is its eclectic nature, combining elements of Median, Assyrian, and Asiatic Greek styles .

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These links are where I found my information.
https://irandataportal.syr.edu/political-institutions

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/tehran/inside/govt.html

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This section contains data on political institutions of Iran.

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These are some of Iran's institutions or so called Political Parties.

Supreme Leader.

Guardian Council.

President.

Local councils.

Islamic Consultative Assembly.

Assembly of Experts.

Political pressure groups and dissidents.

Budget.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_the_Islamic_Republic_of_Iran

https://2017-2021.state.gov/the-islamic-republic-of-iran-a-dangerous-regime/index.html

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Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran - Wikipedia

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For public finance and fiscal policy, including budget and public debt, see Politics of Iran.

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this is how the Irainian alphabet translates to English lettering 

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this is how the Irainian alphabet translates to English lettering 

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it is believed in Iran that women should cover their heads  

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it is believed in Iran that women should cover their heads  

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The vast majority of Iranians are Muslims of the Ithnā ʿAsharī, or Twelver, Shiʿi branch, which is the official state religion. The Kurds and Turkmen are predominantly Sunni Muslims, but Iran's Arabs are both Sunni and Shiʿi. Small communities of Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians are also found throughout the country.

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The vast majority of Iranians are Muslims of the Ithnā ʿAsharī, or Twelver, Shiʿi branch, which is the official state religion. The Kurds and Turkmen are predominantly Sunni Muslims, but Iran's Arabs are both Sunni and Shiʿi. Small communities of Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians are also found throughout the country.

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Iranian culture is one of the oldest in the region, and it has influenced cultures like Italy, Macedonia, Greece, Russia, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of Asia. Islam is practiced by the majority of Iranians and governs their personal, political, economic and legal lives.D

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Iranian culture is one of the oldest in the region, and it has influenced cultures like Italy, Macedonia, Greece, Russia, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of Asia. Islam is practiced by the majority of Iranians and governs their personal, political, economic and legal lives.D

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Irans government consists of various forms such as:
-Theocracy
-Islamic Republic
-Parliamentary System
-Unitary State
-Presidential System
I will say that its main form is Islamic Republic.

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cannot shake hands with right hand.

mostly a Sunni Muslim country

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https://www.britannica.com/place/Iran/Economy

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Overview

The most formidable hurdle facing Iran's economy remains its continuing isolation from the international community. This isolation has hampered the short- and long-term growth of its markets, restricted the country's access to high technology, and impeded foreign investment. Iran's isolation is a product both of the xenophobia of its more conservative politicians-who fear postimperial entanglements-and sanctions imposed by the international community, particularly the United States, which accuses Iran of supporting international terrorism. The Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996 expanded an existing U.S. embargo on the import of Iranian petroleum products to encompass extensive bans on investment both by U.S. and non-U.S. companies in Iran. These prohibitions included bans on foreign speculation in Iranian petroleum development, the export of high technology to Iran, and the import of a wide variety of Iranian products into the United States. Overtures by reform-minded Iranian politicians to open their country to foreign investment have met with limited success, but in the early 21st century U.S. sanctions remained in place.

Iran's long-term objectives since the 1979 revolution have been economic independence, full employment, and a comfortable standard of living for its citizens, but at the end of the 20th century the country's economic future was lined with obstacles. Iran's population more than doubled in that period, and its population grew increasingly young. In a country that has traditionally been both rural and agrarian, agricultural production has fallen consistently since the 1960s (by the late 1990s Iran was a major food importer), and economic hardship in the countryside has driven vast numbers of people to migrate to the largest cities. The rates of both literacy and life expectancy in Iran are high for the region, but so, too, is the unemployment rate, and inflation is regularly in the range of 20 percent annually. Iran remains highly dependent on its one major industry, the extraction of petroleum and natural gas for export, and the government faces increasing difficulty in providing opportunities for a younger, better-educated workforce, which has led to a growing sense of frustration among lower- and middle-class Iranians.

Still, the government has tried to develop the country's communication, transportation, manufacturing, and energy infrastructures (including its prospective nuclear power facilities) and has begun the process of integrating its communication and transportation systems with those of neighbouring states.

State planning

The national constitution divides the economy into three sectors: public, which includes major industries, banks, insurance companies, utilities, communications, foreign trade, and mass transportation; cooperative, which includes production and distribution of goods and services; and private, which consists of all activities that supplement the first two sectors. The constitution also establishes specific guidelines for the administration of the nation's economic and financial resources, and after the revolution the government declared null and void any law, or section of a law, that violated Islamic principles. This prohibition restricts individuals or institutions from charging interest on loans, an action considered illegal under Islamic law, and also places limits on certain types of financial speculation. These restrictions have heretofore made Iran's participation in the international economic community problematic, which has led to harsh financial conditions and a strong reliance on local markets.

From the first years of the revolution, two different factions have sought to impose their own interpretation of Islamic economics on the government. Islamic leftists have called for extensive nationalization and expansion of a welfare state. Conservatives within the religious establishment, who have maintained strong ties to the merchant community, have defended the rights of property owners and insisted on maintaining privatization. Both factions, however, have generally supported the government's restriction on Western banking practices. Although Iran's first postrevolutionary leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, refused to takes sides in the leftist-conservative debate, the effects of the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88) prompted increased state intervention in the economy. The government gained a virtual monopoly over income-producing activities by nationalizing private banks and insurance companies and increasing state control of foreign trade.

Reform

The economy continued to lag despite Iran's move away from public control of the financial system after the end of the war in 1990. The election of Mohammad Khatami as president in 1997 promised social and economic reform, and a number of key government positions were filled by reformist clergy and technocrats. Nonetheless, no steps have been taken on numerous proposed plans to reduce state control of the economy and encourage privatization, and the government's economic policies have remained unclear. U.S. sanctions have also continued to hamstring Iran's economy by restricting access to Western technology, despite the willingness of some European and East Asian companies to ignore these measures. Conservatives within Iran's government have been willing, in limited instances, to ease the restriction on interest-bearing transactions but have continued to block reformists' plans to introduce large amounts of foreign capital into the country, particularly investments from the United States. Foreign investment has remained a contentious issue because of the adverse social and political effects of foreign economic entanglements in Iran's past.

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Iran - Iran - Economy: The most formidable hurdle facing Iran's economy remains its continuing isolation from the international community. This isolation has hampered the short- and long-term growth of its markets, restricted the country's access to high technology, and impeded foreign investment.

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Iran has a mixed economy with a large state owned sector.

60% of Irans economy is centrally planned.

Oil creates the most profit for the Irainian economy.

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Iran is an Islamic state where close to 98% of the population identifies as being Muslim. The nation's constitution is largely based on Islamic law. The dominant religious group in Iran is the Shia Muslims. Sunni Muslims are the second largest religious group. The division between Shia and Sunni Muslims started after the death of Prophet Mohamed in 632 AD. Shia Muslims believe that Ali, Prophet Mohamed's cousin and son-in-law, was to inherit the powerful political and religious position after the Prophet's death. Contrary to this belief, Sunnis insist that Abu Bakr, Prophet Mohamed's friend and father-in-law, was the rightful heir to the throne after the Prophet's death. The other religious minorities recognized by the State are Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian Iranians. The constitution allows for religious freedom as long as it is within the provisions of the law.

Shia Islam

Shia Muslims make up the largest religious group in Iran, comprising an estimated 93% share of the population. Shia Islam was established as the state religion during the Safavid dynasty of 1501. In that period, Sunni Muslims were forced to convert to Shia Muslims in a nationwide campaign. Shia Islam has three main divisions which are Zaidis, Ismailis and Ithna Asharis (Twelvers or Imamis). The Twelvers are the largest group of Shia Muslims. They believe that the 12 th Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, did not die and that he will return to proclaim justice on earth. Although Shia Muslims are the largest religious group in Iran, they are a minority group in the Muslim faith. The world's Muslim population is made up of approximately 80% Sunni Muslims and close to 20% Shia Muslims.

Sunni and Other Muslims

All other types of Islam combine to make up 6% of the total population in the country. Sunni Muslims are the second largest religious group in Iran. They are concentrated in the mountainous region of Larestan in Iran. The Sunnis are said to be indigenous Iranians who escaped conversion to Shia Muslims during the time of Safavid dynasty. Sunni Muslims put much emphasis on the Sunnah, in contrast to Shia Muslims. Sunnis heavily rely on the Prophet Mohamed's actions and teachings. They view Shia Muslims as heretics. Sunnis dogmatic beliefs are seen as the reason for emergence of extremist sects in Islam.

Non-Muslims

All other non-Muslim religions combined constitute 1% of the country's population. The religious minority groups in Iran include Christians, Baha'is, Jews, Zoroastrians, and Mandaeans. The largest Non-Muslim religious group in Iran are its Christians. Christians in Iran date back to the early years of Christianity in the First Century AD. Iran has numerous churches. Christianity is the fastest growing religion in Iran currently.

Zoroastrianism was the predominant religion in Iran before the Islamic conquest in 640 AD. After the conquest, Islam became the predominant religion. Currently a few Iranians still practice Zoroastrianism. The religion is recognized by the state. Zoroastrian believers enjoy representation in the Iranian government. Judaism is among the oldest religion in Iran. It dates back to the old biblical times. Jews in Iran are recognized by the state as a minority religious group. Baha'i is another significant religious minority in Iran. Baha'is are said to have emerged from the Shia Islamic group. The group is not recognized by Iranian Government. They do not have any representation in government. Baha'i followers have suffered discrimination in access to higher education and employment in Iran. They are an oppressed religious minority group.

The Reality of Religious Discrimination

Iran is a Muslim nation that is guided by Islamic law, and its leaders must adhere to Islamic teachings. Nonetheless, the constitution allows non-Muslim minorities to practice their religion. The constitution prohibits investigation of an individual's beliefs. Despite these constitutional provisions, some religious minorities suffer discrimination and political oppression. Groups such as the Baha'i have been victims of oppression in Iran due to their faith. Conversion from Islam to other religions is forbidden.

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Iran is an Islamic state where close to 98% of the population identifies as being Muslim. The nation's constitution is largely based on Islamic law. The dominant religious group in Iran is the Shia Muslims. Sunni Muslims are the second largest religious group.