113-610: The Abraham Accords are bilateral agreements on Arab–Israeli normalization signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain on September 15, 2020. Mediated by the United States , the announcement of August 13, 2020, concerned Israel and the Emirates before the subsequent announcement of an agreement between Israel and Bahrain on September 11, 2020. On September 15, 2020,
226-422: A 25-year cooperation agreement that will strengthen the relations between the two countries and would include "political, strategic and economic" components. Iran-China relations dates back to at least 200 BC and possibly earlier. Iran is one of the few countries in the world that has a good relationship with both North and South Korea . Iran is a member of dozens of international organizations, including
339-635: A $ 60 million joint investment with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office. Together with OurCrowd, in November 2022, fintech company Liquidity Group opened an office as part of a $ 545 million government incentive program. A host of Israeli and Emirati law enterprises including law firms and healthcare providers announced collaborations. Lishot, an Israeli water quality testing company was among the first Israeli firms making direct deliveries to Dubai. A number of kosher restaurants were opened in
452-915: A bill to aid the State Department in developing an appropriate strategy "to strengthen and expand the Abraham Accords and other related normalization agreements with Israel." The normalization agreements were criticized by citizens of the four Arab states that signed the accords as well as many citizens of other Arab countries, especially because they failed to make progress resolving the Palestinian conflict. The criticism increased in May 2021 after violent protests erupted in Jerusalem, Hamas fired rockets into Israel, and Israel retaliated with airstrikes on Gaza. A Fatah Central Committee member said
565-480: A ceremonial body without any real power. The political system is based on the country's constitution . Iran ranked 154th in the 2022 The Economist Democracy Index . Juan José Linz wrote in 2000 that "the Iranian regime combines the ideological bent of totalitarianism with the limited pluralism of authoritarianism ". The President is head of government and the second highest-ranking authority, after
678-590: A close economic and military alliance, and are subject to heavy sanctions by Western nations. Iran is the only country in Western Asia that has been invited to join the CSTO , the Russia-based international treaty organization that parallels NATO . Relations between Iran and China are strong economically; they have developed a friendly, economic and strategic relationship. In 2021, Iran and China signed
791-665: A component of the deal, the United States agreed to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara . The documents related to the Abraham Accords are as follows: After Trump left office, in February 2021, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that "the United States will continue to urge other countries to normalize relations with Israel" and that normalization is "not a substitute for Israeli-Palestinian peace... We hope that Israel and other countries in
904-542: A distinct political and cultural entity. The Muslim conquest of Persia (632–654) ended the Sasanian Empire and marked a turning point in Iranian history, leading to the Islamization of Iran from the eighth to tenth centuries and the decline of Zoroastrianism . However, the achievements of prior Persian civilizations were absorbed into the new Islamic polity. Iran suffered invasions by nomadic tribes during
1017-698: A leading world power, though by the 19th century, it had lost significant territory through conflicts with the Russian Empire . The early 20th century saw the Persian Constitutional Revolution and the establishment of the Pahlavi dynasty . Attempts by Mohammad Mosaddegh to nationalize the oil industry led to an Anglo-American coup in 1953 . After the Iranian Revolution , the monarchy was overthrown in 1979 and
1130-454: A meeting with Israel President Reuven Rivlin . In January 2021, a collaborative event was organized by Tel Aviv International Salon , Sharaka , and OurCrowd to attain the 'business of peace' between Persian Gulf countries and the state of Israel. From March 23–25, 2021, a virtual hackathon event was organized by Israel-is , which gathered participants from the Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, as well as Israel. Then on 27 March 2021, an event
1243-503: A moderate position internationally. In 1997, Rafsanjani was succeeded by moderate reformist Mohammad Khatami , whose government advocated freedom of expression , constructive diplomatic relations with Asia and the European Union , and an economic policy that supported a free market and foreign investment. The 2005 presidential election brought conservative populist and nationalist candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power. He
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#17327648952191356-471: A strong response from Iran, based on their historical and cultural background. Iran has full-control over the islands. Kish island , as a free trade zone , is touted as a consumer's paradise, with malls, shopping centres, tourist attractions, and luxury hotels. Qeshm is the largest island in Iran, and a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2016. Its salt cave, Namakdan, is the largest in the world, and one of
1469-418: Is a major regional power , due to its large reserves of fossil fuels , including the world's second largest natural gas supply , third largest proven oil reserves , its geopolitically significant location, military capabilities , cultural hegemony , regional influence, and role as the world's focal point of Shia Islam . The Iranian economy is the world's 23rd-largest by PPP . Iran is a founding member of
1582-452: Is accountable only to the Rahbar. The Court's rulings are final and cannot be appealed. The Assembly of Experts, which meets for one week annually, comprises 86 "virtuous and learned" clerics elected by adult suffrage for 8-year terms. Iran is subdivided into thirty-one provinces ( Persian : استان ostân ), each governed from a local centre, usually the largest local city, which is called
1695-478: Is four times that of Europe's. There are over 200 protected areas to preserve biodiversity and wildlife, with over 30 being national parks . Iran's living fauna includes 34 bat species, Indian grey mongoose , small Indian mongoose , golden jackal , Indian wolf , foxes , striped hyena , leopard , Eurasian lynx , brown bear and Asian black bear . Ungulate species include wild boar , urial , Armenian mouflon , red deer , and goitered gazelle . One of
1808-559: Is in a seismically active area. On average, an earthquake of magnitude seven on the Richter scale occurs once every ten years. Most earthquakes are shallow-focus and can be very devastating, such as the 2003 Bam earthquake . Iran consists of the Iranian Plateau . It is one of the world's most mountainous countries; its landscape is dominated by rugged mountain ranges that separate basins or plateaus . The populous west part
1921-543: Is the sixth-largest country entirely in Asia and one of the world's most mountainous countries. Officially an Islamic republic , Iran has a Muslim-majority population . The country is divided into five regions with 31 provinces . Tehran is the nation's capital , largest city and financial center . A cradle of civilization , Iran has been inhabited since the Lower Palaeolithic . The large part of Iran
2034-551: Is the highest judge of the Supreme Court of Iran . The Chief Justice nominates candidates to serve as minister of justice, and the President selects one. The Chief Justice can serve for two five-year terms. The Special Clerical Court handles crimes allegedly committed by clerics , although it has taken on cases involving laypeople . The Special Clerical Court functions independently of the regular judicial framework and
2147-635: Is the most mountainous, with ranges such as the Caucasus , Zagros , and Alborz , the last containing Mount Damavand , Iran's highest point, at 5,610 m (18,406 ft), which is the highest volcano in Asia. Iran's mountains have impacted its politics and economics for centuries. The north part is covered by the lush lowland Caspian Hyrcanian forests , near the southern shores of the Caspian Sea. The east part consists mostly of desert basins, such as
2260-537: Is widely opposed in Sudan, and fighting between rival military factions has delayed the signing. On December 10, 2020, President Trump announced that Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco had agreed to establish full diplomatic relations. The agreement was negotiated by Trump senior adviser Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Avi Berkowitz and marked Kushner and Berkowitz's fourth normalization agreement in as many months. As
2373-542: The Oxford English Dictionary as / ɪ ˈ r ɑː n / and / ɪ ˈ r æ n / , while American English dictionaries provide pronunciations which map to / ɪ ˈ r ɑː n , - ˈ r æ n , aɪ ˈ r æ n / , or / ɪ ˈ r æ n , ɪ ˈ r ɑː n , aɪ ˈ r æ n / . The Cambridge Dictionary lists / ɪ ˈ r ɑː n / as the British pronunciation and / ɪ ˈ r æ n / as
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#17327648952192486-527: The 2018 Judo Grand Slam Abu Dhabi . Two Israeli judokas won gold medals, and Israel's national anthem was played during the award ceremonies, a first at Gulf state sporting events. In August 2019, Israel's foreign minister announced military cooperation with the Emirates amidst rising tensions with Iran. The February 2019 Warsaw Conference was proposed by the US with the intent to build up a coalition against Iran . Due to West European states opposing withdrawal from
2599-639: The Arab–Israeli conflict and also specifically the Israeli–Palestinian conflict . Over the years, numerous Arab League countries have signed peace and normalization treaties with Israel , beginning with the Egypt–Israel peace treaty (1979). Despite the failure to implement the Israeli–Lebanese peace accords (1983), more treaties continued with the Israeli–Palestinian peace process (1991–present),
2712-489: The Army , the head of Supreme National Security Council , and has the power to declare a state of emergency after passage by the parliament. The President is responsible for the implementation of the constitution, and for the exercise of executive powers in implementing the decrees and general policies as outlined by the Rahbar, except for matters directly related to the Rahbar, who has the final say. The President functions as
2825-620: The Caucasus to the Russian Empire following the Russo-Persian Wars . Iran remained a monarchy until the 1979 Iranian Revolution , when it officially became an Islamic republic on 1 April 1979. Since then, Iran has experienced significant political, social, and economic changes. The establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran led to the restructuring of its political system, with Ayatollah Khomeini as
2938-625: The G-15 , G-24 , G-77 , IAEA , IBRD , IDA , NAM , IDB , IFC , ILO , IMF , IMO , Interpol , OIC , OPEC , WHO , and the UN , and currently has observer status at the WTO . The military is organized under a unified structure, the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces , comprising the Islamic Republic of Iran Army , which includes the Ground Forces , Air Defence Force , Air Force , and Navy ;
3051-575: The Iran nuclear deal and resumption of economic sanctions against Iran, host Poland played down the anti-Iranian aspects of the two-day conference , and the closing Polish-US statement did not mention Iran. Among the representatives of the 70 nations in attendance were a number of Arab officials, creating the first situation since the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991 where an Israeli leader and senior Arab officials were all in attendance at
3164-639: The Islamic Golden Age . A series of Iranian Muslim dynasties ended Arab rule, revived the Persian language and ruled the country until the Seljuk and Mongol conquests of the 11th to 14th centuries. In the 16th century, the native Safavids re-established a unified Iranian state with Twelver Shi'ism as the official religion . During the Afsharid Empire in the 18th century, Iran was
3277-756: The Islamic Republic of Iran ( IRI ), also known as Persia , is a country in West Asia . It borders Turkey to the northwest and Iraq to the west, Azerbaijan , Armenia , the Caspian Sea , and Turkmenistan to the north, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south. With a multi-ethnic population of almost 90 million in an area of 1,648,195 km (636,372 sq mi), Iran ranks 17th globally in both geographic size and population . It
3390-766: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps , which consists of the Ground Forces , Aerospace Force , Navy , Quds Force , and Basij ; and the Law Enforcement Command (Faraja), which serves an analogous function to a gendarme . While the IRIAF protects the country's sovereignty in a traditional capacity, the IRGC is mandated to ensure the integrity of the Republic, against foreign interference, coups, and internal riots. Since 1925 , it
3503-680: The Israel–Jordan peace treaty (1994), the Abraham Accords normalizing relations between Israel– United Arab Emirates and Israel– Bahrain (2020), the Israel–Sudan normalization agreement (2020) and the Israel–Morocco normalization agreement (2020). Moreover, numerous Arab League members established semi-official relations with Israel. The Arab–Israeli alliance against Iran emerged by November 2017, upon warming ties between Israel and
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3616-775: The Kassites , Mannaeans , and Gutians . Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel called the Persians the "first Historical People". The Iranian Empire began in the Iron Age with the rise of the Medes , who unified Iran as a nation and empire in 625 BC. The Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BC), founded by Cyrus the Great , was the largest empire the world had seen, spanning from the Balkans to North Africa and Central Asia . They were succeeded by
3729-763: The Kavir Desert , which is the country's largest desert, and the Lut Desert , as well as salt lakes . The Lut Desert is the hottest recorded spot on the Earth's surface, with 70.7 °C recorded in 2005. The only large plains are found along the coast of the Caspian and at the north end of the Persian Gulf, where the country borders the mouth of the Arvand river . Smaller, discontinuous plains are found along
3842-623: The Late Middle Ages and early modern period , negatively impacting the region. Iran was reunified as an independent state in 1501 by the Safavid dynasty , which established Shia Islam as the empire's official religion, marking another turning point in the history of Islam . Iran functioned again as a leading world power, especially in rivalry with the Ottoman Empire . In the 19th century, Iran lost significant territories in
3955-478: The Republic of Azerbaijan (611 km or 380 mi); to the north by the Caspian Sea ; to the northeast by Turkmenistan (992 km or 616 mi); to the east by Afghanistan (936 km or 582 mi) and Pakistan (909 km or 565 mi); to the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman ; and to the west by Iraq (1,458 km or 906 mi) and Turkey (499 km or 310 mi). Iran
4068-650: The Seleucid , Parthian , and Sasanian Empires , who governed Iran for almost 1,000 years, making Iran a leading power once again. Persia's arch-rival during this time was the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine Empire . Iran endured invasions by the Macedonians , Arabs , Turks , and Mongols . Despite these invasions, Iran continually reasserted its national identity and developed as
4181-560: The South Caucasus . However, they have shared common interests, such as the issue of Kurdish separatism and the Qatar diplomatic crisis . Iran has a close and strong relationship with Tajikistan . Iran has deep economic relations and alliance with Iraq , Lebanon and Syria, with Syria often described as Iran's "closest ally". Russia is a key trading partner, especially in regard to its excess oil reserves. Both share
4294-545: The US presidential election on November 3, 2020. In February 2021, Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said that Oman would keep their level of "relations and dialogue" with Israel, involving the "appropriate channels of communication", and that Oman was "committed to peace between Israel and the Palestinians based on a two-state solution." In June 2023, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Israel that rising tensions with
4407-666: The United Nations , OIC , OPEC , and ECO as well as a current member of the NAM , SCO , and BRICS . Iran is home to 28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites , the 10th highest in the world, and ranks 5th in Intangible Cultural Heritage , or human treasures. The term Iran ' the land of the Aryans ' derives from Middle Persian Ērān , first attested in a 3rd-century inscription at Naqsh-e Rostam , with
4520-552: The World Bank . Sudan agreed to pay US$ 335 million in compensation to American victims of terror, but denied any wrongdoing. On January 6, 2021, the government of Sudan signed the "Abraham Accords Declaration" in Khartoum . On February 2, 2023, Israel and Sudan announced they had finalized an agreement to normalize relations, with the signing to take place after the establishment of a civilian government in Sudan. Normalization
4633-418: The parliament . The Rahbar is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces , controls military intelligence and security operations, and has sole power to declare war or peace. The heads of the judiciary, state radio and television networks, commanders of the police and military, and the members of the Guardian Council are all appointed by the Rahbar. The Assembly of Experts is responsible for electing
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4746-540: The 2010s due to their shared fear of Shiite Iran and its nuclear program . By 2017, unofficial cooperation with Saudi Arabia had been ongoing for at least 5 years, with intelligence services from both countries assisting each other and officials regularly sharing intelligence. By 2016, summits and conferences between high-ranking Israeli—Palestinian and Israeli—Arab politicians and direct contacts between their security and intelligence services had not only become routine but were openly discussed in major Arab media. In 2018,
4859-806: The 2nd-most powerful person in Iran, was assassinated by the US , heightening tensions between them . Iran retaliated against US airbases in Iraq , the largest ballistic missile attack ever on Americans; 110 sustained brain injuries . Hardliner Ebrahim Raisi ran for president again in 2021 , succeeding Hassan Rouhani . During Raisi's term, Iran intensified uranium enrichment , hindered international inspections, joined SCO and BRICS, supported Russia in its invasion of Ukraine and restored diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia. In April 2024, Israel's airstrike on an Iranian consulate , killed an IRGC commander. Iran retaliated with UAVs , cruise and ballistic missiles ; 9 hit Israel. Western and Jordanian military helped Israel down some Iranian drones. It
4972-418: The Abraham Accords, were "one of the reasons" for the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel . In August 2020, the Emirates for the first time established telephone links to Israel by unblocking direct dialing to Israel's +972 country code. As the war in Gaza was escalating, the Emiratis were beginning to get frustrated with the accords. Many had been afraid to speak publicly due to lack of free speech in
5085-399: The American pronunciation. Voice of America 's pronunciation guide provides / ɪ ˈ r ɑː n / . Iran is home to one of the world's oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 4000 BC. The western part of the Iranian plateau participated in the traditional ancient Near East with Elam (3200–539 BC), and later with other peoples such as
5198-419: The Emirates marked the first instance of Israel establishing diplomatic relations with an Arab country since 1994, when the Israel–Jordan peace treaty came into effect . The agreements were named "Abraham Accords" to highlight the common belief of Judaism and Islam in the prophet Abraham . On October 23, 2020, Israel and Sudan agreed to normalize ties ; the agreement is unratified as of 2024. As part of
5311-647: The Emirates to cater to Jewish visitors. Abu Dhabi Investment Office opened its first overseas branch in Israel. Emirati businesses and individuals began acquiring stakes in Israeli assets, such as Beitar Jerusalem football team , Haifa Port Company , and Israir Airlines . According to Israel's Ministry of Defense , the value of Israeli defense exports to countries with which it normalized relations in 2020 reached $ 791 million. Trump's envoy Jared Kushner, his treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin, and his ambassador to Israel David Friedman, now have ownership stakes in funds receiving billions of dollars of investments directly from
5424-430: The Emirates. However, the Dubai deputy police chief, Dhahi Khalfan said that Israel "proved that its intentions are evil" and that the Gulf leaders must "reconsider the issue of dealing with Israel". However, the Emirati officials didn't express any intentions to cut ties with Israel. In August 2021, the agreement was cited by Algeria as one of the reasons for unilaterally cutting relations with Morocco. In November 2021,
5537-473: The Guardian Council is not needed. The Leader can revert the decisions of the Guardian Council. The constitution gives the council three mandates: veto power over legislation passed by the parliament , supervision of elections and approving or disqualifying candidates seeking to run in local, parliamentary, presidential, or Assembly of Experts elections. The council can nullify a law based on two accounts: being against Sharia (Islamic law), or being against
5650-444: The Guardian Council, and serves as an advisory body to the Supreme Leader, making it one of the most powerful governing bodies in Iran. The Parliament has 207 constituencies, including the 5 reserved seats for religious minorities. The remaining 202 are territorial, each covering one or more of Iran's counties . Iran uses a form of Sharia law as its legal system, with elements of European Civil law . The Supreme Leader appoints
5763-424: The Gulf States and received broad media attention in light of the February 2019 Warsaw Conference . The coordination is taking place in light of the mutual regional security interests of Israel and Sunni Arab States led by Saudi Arabia , and their standoff against Iranian interests across the Middle East: the Iran–Israel proxy conflict and the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict . The Arab states participating in
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#17327648952195876-515: The Islamic Republic of Iran was established by Ruhollah Khomeini , who became the country's first Supreme Leader . In 1980, Iraq invaded Iran , sparking the eight-year-long Iran–Iraq War , which ended in stalemate. Iran is officially governed as a unitary Islamic republic with a presidential system , with ultimate authority vested in a Supreme Leader. The government is authoritarian and has attracted widespread criticism for its significant violations of human rights and civil liberties. Iran
5989-411: The Israeli ambassador had left Bahrain. Israel said that its relations with Bahrain were stable. On October 23, 2020, Israel and Sudan agreed to normalize ties in an agreement mediated by Trump administration officials. As part of the agreement, the US removed Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and gave it a US$ 1.2 billion loan to help the Sudanese government clear the country's debts to
6102-448: The Israeli minister of defense, Benny Gantz , signed a joint security understandings agreement with Moroccan defense minister Abdellatif Loudiyi , the first time that Israel openly signed such an agreement openly with an Arab state. The agreement formalized the defense ties between the two countries, allowing for smoother cooperation between their defense establishments. Oman postponed a decision to normalize ties with Israel until after
6215-493: The Israeli public that was published on the front page of Yedioth Ahronoth . He warned that Israel's planned annexation of West Bank territory would put a stop to any normalization of relations with the Emirates and other Arab states. At the end of June, Al Otaiba told Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner , and his assistant, Avi Berkowitz , that the Emirates "would agree to normalization with Israel in return for an Israeli announcement that West Bank annexation
6328-410: The Omani foreign minister visited Jerusalem, and Netanyahu, accompanied by his national security advisor and the head of Mossad , visited Oman in October "to advance the peace process in the Middle East as well as several matters of joint interest regarding the achievement of peace and stability in the Middle East", according to a joint statement. Also in October 2018, the Israeli sports minister attended
6441-414: The Palestinians, including through advancing settlement activity, threatened the expansion of normalization agreements with Arab nations, particularly Saudi Arabia. Speaking alongside Blinken earlier in June, the Saudi Foreign Minister had stated that "without finding a pathway to peace for the Palestinian people ... any normalization will have limited benefits." The Abraham Fund was a program established by
6554-407: The Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman have mild winters, and very humid and hot summers. The annual precipitation ranges from 135 to 355 mm (5.3 to 14.0 in). More than one-tenth of the country is forested . About 120 million hectares of forests and fields are government-owned for national exploitation. Iran's forests can be divided into five vegetation regions: Hyrcanian region which forms
6667-419: The Rahbar, and has the power to dismiss him on the basis of qualifications and popular esteem. To date, the Assembly of Experts has not challenged any of the Rahbar's decisions nor attempted to dismiss him. The previous head of the judicial system, Sadeq Larijani , appointed by the Rahbar, said that it is illegal for the Assembly of Experts to supervise the Rahbar. Many believe the Assembly of Experts has become
6780-450: The Revolution or Supreme Leadership Authority, is the head of state and responsible for supervision of policy. The president has limited power compared to the Rahbar. Key ministers are selected with the Rahbar's agreement and they have the ultimate say on foreign policy. The Rahbar is directly involved in ministerial appointments for Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs, as well as other top ministries after submission of candidates from
6893-413: The Saudi foreign minister had stated that "without finding a pathway to peace for the Palestinian people ... any normalization will have limited benefits". In August 2023, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen revealed that he had attended a secret meeting in Rome with Libyan Foreign Minister Najla El Mangoush organized by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani , to discuss normalizing relations between
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#17327648952197006-468: The Supreme Leader. Iran's foreign relations have been shaped by the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988), ongoing tensions with the United States, and its nuclear program, which has been a point of contention in international diplomacy. In 1989, Akbar Rafsanjani concentrated on a pro-business policy of rebuilding the economy without breaking with the ideology of the revolution. He supported a free market domestically, favoring privatization of state industries and
7119-402: The Supreme Leader. The President is elected by universal suffrage for 4 years. Before elections , nominees to become a presidential candidate must be approved by the Guardian Council . The Council's members are chosen by the Leader, with the Leader having the power to dismiss the president. The President can only be re-elected for one term. The president is the deputy commander-in-chief of
7232-431: The Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn of the White House . The elaborate ceremony was staged to suggest the grandeur of significant treaties of the past. According to the Washington Post , Trump's political backers saw the staging as a way to bolster Trump's "standing as a statesman". On November 2, 2023, in view of the ongoing Israel–Hamas war , Bahrain said that it had recalled its ambassador to Israel and that
7345-471: The US Government that was supposed to raise $ 3 billion to boost trade and agriculture in the region, facilitate access to clean water and affordable electricity, and "enable strategic infrastructure projects". The fund was set up as an arm of the newly-formed U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and to be overseen by the DFC's chief executive officer Adam Boehler , who had been Kushner's college roommate. Its first projects were reported to be
7458-456: The accompanying Parthian inscription using Aryān , in reference to the Iranians . Ērān and Aryān are oblique plural forms of gentilic nouns ēr- (Middle Persian) and ary- (Parthian), deriving from Proto-Iranian language *arya- (meaning ' Aryan ', i.e. of the Iranians), recognised as a derivative of Proto-Indo-European language *ar-yo- , meaning ' one who assembles (skilfully) ' . According to Iranian mythology ,
7571-399: The accord opened the door to a much wider range of economic cooperation, including formal investments. In November 2021, OurCrowd Arabia became the first Israeli venture capital firm to receive a license from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), and in November 2022, OurCrowd launched Integrated Data Intelligence Ltd. (IDI), offering artificial intelligence for business, in Abu Dhabi as part of
7684-476: The agreement, the US removed Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and gave them a US$ 1.2 billion loan. On January 6, 2021, the government of Sudan signed the "Abraham Accords Declaration" in Khartoum . On December 22, 2020, the Israel–Morocco normalization agreement was signed. In exchange for Morocco's recognition of Israeli sovereignty, the United States recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara . The Israeli–Palestinian peace process
7797-574: The capital (Persian: مرکز , markaz ) of that province. The provincial authority is headed by a governor-general ( استاندار ostândâr ), who is appointed by the Minister of the Interior subject to approval of the cabinet . Iran maintains diplomatic relations with 165 countries , but not the United States and Israel —a state which Iran derecognised in 1979. Iran has an adversarial relationship with Saudi Arabia due to different political and ideologies. Iran and Turkey have been involved in modern proxy conflicts such as in Syria , Libya , and
7910-451: The concerns detailed by Al Otaiba's op-ed and planning with Kushner and Berkowitz helped bring vested parties to the negotiating table to identify an alternative solution that ultimately resulted in a normalization agreement reached in August 2020. As a result of the deal, annexation was postponed. Hours after the August 13 announcement of the agreement between Israel and the Emirates, senior Bahraini officials called Kushner and Berkowitz with
8023-432: The constitution. The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) is at the top of the foreign policy decisions process. The council was formed during the 1989 Iranian constitutional referendum for the protection and support of national interests, the revolution, territorial integrity and national sovereignty. It is mandated by Article 176 of the Constitution to be presided over by the President . The Leader selects
8136-694: The coordination group are the core of the Gulf Cooperation Council . Those include Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Oman . In 2018, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu led a delegation to Oman and met with Sultan Qaboos and other senior Omani officials. In February 2020, Netanyahu and the chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan , met in Uganda, where they both agreed to normalize
8249-509: The country, which was succeeded by the Sasanian Empire in the third century AD. Ancient Iran saw some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanisation, religion and central government. Muslims conquered the region in the seventh century AD, leading to Iran's Islamization . The blossoming literature , philosophy , mathematics , medicine , astronomy and art became major elements for Iranian civilization during
8362-440: The entire country as Persia , until 1935, when Reza Shah requested the international community to use its native and original name, Iran ; Iranians called their nation Iran since at least 1000 BC. Today, both Iran and Persia are used culturally, while Iran remains mandatory in official use. The Persian pronunciation of Iran is [ʔiːˈɾɒːn] . Commonwealth English pronunciations of Iran are listed in
8475-586: The executive of affairs such as signing treaties and other international agreements, and administering national planning, budget, and state employment affairs, all as approved by the Rahbar. The President appoints ministers, subject to the approval of the Parliament, and the Rahbar, who can dismiss or reinstate any minister. The President supervises the Council of Ministers , coordinates government decisions, and selects government policies to be placed before
8588-610: The governments of Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and Qatar, raising complaints about conflicts of interest. On 14 August 2021, the Associated Press reported that a secret oil deal between Israel and the Emirates struck in 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords, has turned the Israeli resort town of Eilat into a waypoint for Emirati oil headed for Western markets. It was expected to endanger the Red Sea reefs, which host some of
8701-399: The greatest coral diversity on the planet. As Jordan , Egypt , and Saudi Arabia also share the gulf's waters, an ecological disaster was likely to impact their ecosystems. In mid-December 2020, a delegation from the Emirates and Bahrain visited Israel, the occupied Golan Heights and Jerusalem with the aim of cultural exchange as part of the normalization process. The delegations held
8814-509: The green belt of the north side of the country; the Turan region, which are mainly scattered in the center of Iran; Zagros region , which mainly contains oak forests in the west; the Persian Gulf region , which is scattered in the southern coastal belt; the Arasbarani region , which contains rare and unique species. More than 8,200 plant species are grown. The land covered by natural flora
8927-516: The head of the Supreme Court and chief public prosecutor. There are several types of courts, including public courts that deal with civil and criminal cases, and revolutionary courts which deal with certain offences, such as crimes against national security . The decisions of the revolutionary courts are final and cannot be appealed. The Chief Justice is the head of the judicial system and responsible for its administration and supervision. He
9040-551: The legislature. Eight Vice Presidents serve under the President, as well as a cabinet of 22 ministers, all appointed by the president. Presidential and parliamentary candidates must be approved by the 12-member Guardian Council (all members of which are appointed by the Leader) or the Leader, before running to ensure their allegiance. The Leader rarely does the vetting, but has the power to do so, in which case additional approval of
9153-565: The message "We want to be next." Over the next 29 days, Kushner and Berkowitz negotiated with and traveled to Bahrain before closing the deal on September 11, 2020, in a call between Trump, Netanyahu, and the king of Bahrain . Israeli prime minister Netanyahu, Emirati foreign minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan , and Bahraini foreign minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani signed the agreements on September 15, 2020, on
9266-673: The middle of an impeachment trial working in tandem with Mr. Netanyahu, a prime minister under criminal indictment who is about to face his third election in a year". When Netanyahu took office in May 2020, he hinted that his cabinet would begin discussing annexation of parts of the West Bank, as envisioned in the Trump peace plan, in July. On June 12, 2020, Emirati ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba authored an op-ed addressed to
9379-584: The military or used for wildlife protection, and entry is prohibited or requires a permit. Iran took control of Bumusa , and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs in 1971, in the Strait of Hormuz between the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Despite the islands being small and having little natural resources or population, they are highly valuable for their strategic location. Although the United Arab Emirates claims sovereignty, it has consistently been met with
9492-441: The most famous animals is the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah , which survives only in Iran. Iran lost all its Asiatic lions and the extinct Caspian tigers by the early 20th century. Domestic ungulates are represented by sheep , goat , cattle , horse , water buffalo , donkey and camel . Bird species like pheasant , partridge , stork , eagles and falcons are native. The Supreme Leader , "Rahbar", Leader of
9605-744: The name comes from Iraj , a legendary king. Iran was referred to as Persia by the West , due to Greek historians who referred to all of Iran as Persís , meaning 'the land of the Persians '. Persia is the Fars province in southwest Iran, the 4th largest province, also known as Pârs . The Persian Fârs (فارس), derived from the earlier form Pârs (پارس), which is in turn derived from Pârsâ ( Old Persian : 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿). Due to Fars' historical importance, Persia originated from this territory through Greek in around 550 BC, and Westerners referred to
9718-623: The national budget. All parliamentary candidates and legislation from the assembly must be approved by the Guardian Council . The Guardian Council can and has dismissed elected members of the parliament. The parliament has no legal status without the Guardian Council, and the Council holds absolute veto power over legislation. The Expediency Discernment Council has the authority to mediate disputes between Parliament and
9831-644: The one with Sudan , as well as others with Bahrain and Morocco . On 31 May 2022, Israel and the United Arab Emirates signed a free trade agreement, the first of its kind between Israel and an Arab state. In June 2023, US secretary of state Antony Blinken warned Israel that rising tensions with the Palestinians , including through advancing settlement activity , threatened the expansion of normalization agreements with Arab nations, and particularly Saudi Arabia. Speaking alongside Blinken earlier in June,
9944-862: The ongoing war. On 8 November, Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih said that normalisation talks remain on the table. In October 2023, during the Israel–Hamas war , King Abdullah condemned Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip and the "collective punishment" of Palestinians in Gaza. On 1 November 2023, Jordan recalled its ambassador to Israel, accusing the country of creating an “unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe” and “killing innocent people in Gaza”. Jordan also declared that Israel's ambassador, who had departed Amman following Hamas ' attack, would not be permitted to return. Iran Iran , officially
10057-421: The poll conducted by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy between 14 November and 6 December 2023, 96% of Saudi participants believed that Arab nations should cut ties with Israel, and only 16% of Saudis said Hamas should accept a two-state solution . Arab%E2%80%93Israeli normalization Since the 1970s, there has been a parallel effort made to find terms upon which peace can be agreed to in
10170-529: The president. Regional policy is directly controlled by the Rahbar, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' task limited to protocol and ceremonial occasions. Ambassadors to Arab countries, for example, are chosen by the Quds Force , which directly reports to the Rahbar. The Rahbar can order laws to be amended. Setad was estimated at $ 95 billion in 2013 by Reuters, accounts of which are secret even to
10283-522: The principal Jewish settlements in the West Bank , amounting to annexation of roughly 30% of the territory. The Palestinians would get some desert areas near the Egyptian border, limited sovereignty, and a non-contiguous state with numerous Israeli enclaves. The New York Times wrote that "[r]ather than viewing it as a serious blueprint for peace, analysts called it a political document by a president in
10396-539: The region join together in a common effort to build bridges and... contribute to tangible progress towards the goal of advancing a negotiated peace between Israelis and Palestinians." Axios reported in March 2021 that the Biden administration supports widening the normalization process to other countries and that it prefers the term "normalization process" to "Abraham Accords". In March 2021, a group of 18 US senators introduced
10509-706: The remaining coast of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz , and Gulf of Oman. Iranian islands are mainly located in the Persian Gulf. Iran has 102 islands in Urmia Lake , 427 in Aras River , several in Anzali Lagoon , Ashurade Island in the Caspian Sea , Sheytan Island in the Oman Sea and other inland islands. Iran has an uninhabited island at the far end of the Gulf of Oman , near Pakistan. A few islands can be visited by tourists. Most are owned by
10622-548: The resignation of its Trump-appointed manager, the future of the fund was thrown into question. In November 2021, Israel, the Emirates, and Jordan signed a letter of intent for the sale of 600 MW of electricity to Israel annually, produced by solar farms in Jordan to be built by the UAE government-owned Masdar , while Israel would sell 200 million cubic meters of desalinated water to Jordan each year. A renewed memorandum of understanding
10735-838: The same international conference focused on the Middle East. The Madrid Conference at the time set the stage for the Oslo Accords . Among those with whom Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu met was the Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah—whose country he had visited in October 2018. Two days after Netanyahu's visit at the time, bin Alawi suggested while at a conference in Bahrain that it
10848-619: The secretary of the Supreme Council, and the decisions of the council are effective after the confirmation by the Leader. The SNSC formulates nuclear policy, and would become effective if they are confirmed by the Leader. The legislature , known as the Islamic Consultative Assembly (ICA), Iranian Parliament or "Majles", is a unicameral body comprising 290 members elected for four-years. It drafts legislation, ratifies international treaties , and approves
10961-532: The signing of the agreements was hosted by US president Trump on the Truman Balcony of the White House amid elaborate staging intended to evoke the signings of historic formal peace treaties in prior administrations. As part of the two agreements, both the Emirates and Bahrain recognized Israel's sovereignty , enabling the establishment of full diplomatic relations. Israel's initial agreement with
11074-539: The ties between the two countries. Later that month, Israeli planes were allowed to fly over Sudan. This was followed by the Abraham Accords, signed by Israel and the United Arab Emirates in August 2020, which normalized relations between the two countries . Concurrently, Israel agreed to suspend plans for the annexation of the Jordan Valley . This normalization agreement was followed by official confirmation of
11187-457: The two countries. The news triggered mass protests in Libya, leading to Mangoush's dismissal. The Israel–Hamas war had a significant impact on diplomatic efforts. On 14 October 2023, Saudi Arabia suspended talks on the possible normalization of relations with Israel. While Qatar and the UAE desire to maintain relations with Israel, the governments also faced widespread protests against Israel on
11300-543: The upgrading of checkpoints between Israel and Palestinian territories and a gas pipeline to be built between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Despite numerous visits by Kushner and US secretary of the treasury Steven Mnuchin with rulers in the region in the last months of the Trump presidency, the fund never received any money, and no projects were ever begun. Following the transition to the Biden administration and
11413-573: The west part. The UN Resident Coordinator for Iran, has said that " Water scarcity poses the most severe human security challenge in Iran today". To the west, settlements in the Zagros basin experience lower temperatures, severe winters with freezing average daily temperatures and heavy snowfall. The east and central basins are arid, with less than 200 mm (7.9 in) of rain and have occasional deserts. Average summer temperatures rarely exceed 38 °C (100.4 °F). The southern coastal plains of
11526-451: The world's longest caves. Iran's climate is diverse, ranging from arid and semi-arid , to subtropical along the Caspian coast and northern forests. On the north edge of the country, temperatures rarely fall below freezing and the area remains humid. Summer temperatures rarely exceed 29 °C (84.2 °F). Annual precipitation is 680 mm (26.8 in) in the east part of the plain and more than 1,700 mm (66.9 in) in
11639-611: Was advanced with the Oslo Accords in 1993 and 1995 but later collapsed with the start of the Second Intifada and the ending of committed peace broker Bill Clinton 's term as US president. Israel increased settlement construction in the West Bank and withdrew from Gaza in 2005. After Hamas came to power in Gaza in the 2006 election, Israel began to tighten the Gaza blockade , with Egypt's assistance from 2008 onward. A rapprochement between Israel and Sunni Arab states took place in
11752-511: Was elected to office. Iran has an area of 1,648,195 km (636,372 sq mi). It is the sixth-largest country entirely in Asia and the second-largest in West Asia. It lies between latitudes 24° and 40° N , and longitudes 44° and 64° E . It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia (35 km or 22 mi), the Azeri exclave of Nakhchivan (179 km or 111 mi), and
11865-569: Was filmed for " Finding Abraham ", a film that was premiered at the UN on the anniversary of the signing of the Abraham Accords in September 2021. Surveys show that in Arab countries that have signed normalization agreements with Israel, the majority of citizens view the Abraham Accords negatively. In November 2022, 76% of Saudi respondents said they had negative views of the Abraham Accords. According to
11978-550: Was first unified as a political entity by the Medes under Cyaxares in the seventh century BC, and reached its territorial height in the sixth century BC, when Cyrus the Great founded the Achaemenid Empire , one of the largest in ancient history . Alexander the Great conquered the empire in the fourth century BC. An Iranian rebellion established the Parthian Empire in the third century BC and liberated
12091-600: Was known for his hardline views, nuclearisation, and hostility towards Israel , Saudi Arabia , the UK , the US and other states. He was the first president to be summoned by the parliament to answer questions regarding his presidency. In 2013, centrist and reformist Hassan Rouhani was elected president. In domestic policy, he encouraged personal freedom, free access to information, and improved women's rights. He improved Iran's diplomatic relations through exchanging conciliatory letters. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)
12204-400: Was off the table". The White House also had reservations about annexation, which Berkowitz had discussed with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu over three days of meetings in June 2020. Berkowitz then told Netanyahu of Al Otaiba's offer of the UAE alternative to annexation. On July 2, 2020, Al Otaiba met with Berkowitz to further discuss the plan. Along with a mutual opposition to Iran,
12317-503: Was organized to commemorate International Holocaust Memorial Day , which again saw participation from the Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, as well as Saudi Arabia. March 2021 also saw the Israeli and Emirati national rugby teams play their first-ever match, in honor of the Abraham Accords. In June 2021, influencers from UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Egypt visited Magen David Adom , Israel's ambulance service, focused on Magen David Adom's "lifesaving work and its technological expertise". The visit
12430-658: Was reached in Vienna in 2015, between Iran, the P5+1 ( UN Security Council + Germany) and the EU. The negotiations centered around ending the economic sanctions in exchange for Iran's restriction in producing enriched uranium . In 2018, however, the US under Trump Administration withdrew from the deal and new sanctions were imposed. This nulled the economic provisions, left the agreement in jeopardy, and brought Iran to nuclear threshold status . In 2020, IRGC general, Qasem Soleimani ,
12543-513: Was signed in November 2022. The purchase agreements were scheduled to be signed in November 2023 at the COP28 climate change conference in Dubai but were removed from the agenda because of the Israel–Hamas war . While Israel and the Emirates had long-maintained de facto recognition in areas of business including the diamond trade, and high tech industries including artificial intelligence and defense,
12656-532: Was the largest drone strike in history, biggest missile attack in Iranian history, its first ever direct attack on Israel and the first time since 1991 , Israel was directly attacked by a state force. This occurred during heightened tensions amid the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip . In May 2024, President Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash , and Iran held a presidential election in June, when reformist and former Minister of Health , Masoud Pezeshkian ,
12769-463: Was time for Israel to be treated like the other states in the Middle East, and the officials of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia did not disagree. In January 2020, Trump announced the Trump peace plan for the Middle East in a joint press conference with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu . The plan provided for a unified Jerusalem as Israel's capital and Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and
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