Iran
The Islamic Republic of Iran became a theocracy following the 1979 revolution and the removal of the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The country borders Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea to the North, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to the East, the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman to the South, and Iraq and Türkiye to the West. The population is estimated to be 88.39 million. The official language is Persian Farsi, although substantial portions of the population also speak Azerbaijani, Armenian, and various Turkic dialects. Almost the entire population is Shiia Muslim.
Since 1980, Iran has been under a regime of international sanctions and export controls because of its involvement in international terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and because of its failure to respect human rights. These factors explain Iran’s complex relation with the West, including Italy, despite the fact that the economic interchange between the two countries amounts to 753 million euros (2023). With other countries Iran has stronger ties, as well as with the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China. This is also confirmed by Iran’s access to the BRICS in 2024.
Following the result of Iran’s presidential election, Med-Or asked five experts in international politics and the Middle East some questions about the possible domestic and international consequences of the vote.
From Iran’s assertiveness to tensions between actors in the Horn of Africa, via piracy and terrorism: the role of the strategic straits in the new instability of the Gulf-Red Sea quadrant.
The conflict in Gaza could lead to a redefinition of regional balances. Iran seems to benefit in the short term, but the Axis of Resistance emerges as the main loser. An analysis by Giorgia Perletta
| Head of state | Ali Khamenei |
| Head of Government | Masoud Pezeshkian |
| Institutional Form | Theocratic republic |
| Capital | Tehran |
| Legislative Power | Unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami or Majles (290 seats) |
| Judicial Power | Supreme Judicial Council |
| Ambassador to Italy | Mohammad Reza Sabouri |
| Total Area kmq | 1.648.195 km2 |
| Land | 1.531.595 km2 |
| Weather | Mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast |
| Natural resources | Petroleum, natural gas, manganese, zinc, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, sulfur |
| Economic summary | Iran has been traditionally a state-controlled economy, based on oil/gas sectors, agriculture and services. Recently it experienced increasing poverty and massive inflation due to exchange rate depreciation, international sanctions, and investor uncertainty. |
| GDP | €241 billion (2023) |
| Pro-capite GDP (Purchasing power parity) | $3.068 (2023) |
| Exports | €90,70 billion |
| Export partner | China, Türkiye, Kuwait, Pakistan, India (2022) |
| Imports | €68,10 |
| Import partner | China, UAE, Brazil, Türkiye, India (2022) |
| Trade With Italy | €751 mln (2023) |
| Population | 88 million (2024) |
| Population Growth | 0,88% (2024 est.) |
| Ethnicities | Persian, Azerbaijanis, Kurd, Turkmen, Baloch, Turkic, Lur, and Arab tribes |
| Languages | Persian Farsi (official), Azerbaijanis and other Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic |
| Religions | Shia Muslim (official) 98.5%, Christian 0.7%, Baha'i 0.3%, agnostic 0.3%, other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Hindu) 0.2% (2020 est.) |
| Urbanization | 77% (2022) |
| Literacy | 89% (2022) |
The Islamic Republic of Iran became a theocracy following the 1979 revolution and the removal of the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The country borders Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea to the North, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to the East, the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman to the South, and Iraq and Türkiye to the West. The population is estimated to be 88.39 million. The official language is Persian Farsi, although substantial portions of the population also speak Azerbaijani, Armenian, and various Turkic dialects. Almost the entire population is Shiia Muslim.
Since 1980, Iran has been under a regime of international sanctions and export controls because of its involvement in international terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and because of its failure to respect human rights. These factors explain Iran’s complex relation with the West, including Italy, despite the fact that the economic interchange between the two countries amounts to 753 million euros (2023). With other countries Iran has stronger ties, as well as with the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China. This is also confirmed by Iran’s access to the BRICS in 2024.
