Iran is situated at the crossroads of Central Asia, South Asia and the Arab states of the Middle East. Her neighbours are Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Armenia to the north, Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east, and Turkey and Iraq to the west (Figure 1). The country’s strategic position and its access to the Persian Gulf in the south have made Iran an important country throughout its history. Tehran is the capital of the country. Located in the north-western part of Iran, Tehran is the country’s largest city as well as the political, cultural, commercial and industrial center of the nation.