http://iranstravel.

com/cultural-tours-to-iran

http://www.foodrepublic.com/2014/10/29/persian-food-primer-10-essential-iranian-dishes/
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/

Khomeini was an Iranian religious and political leader, who in 1979 made Iran the world's
first Islamic republic.

Ruhollah Khomeini was born in Kohmeyn in central Iran. He became a religious scholar
and in the early 1920s rose to become an 'ayatollah', a term for a leading Shia scholar.

He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolutionthat
saw the overthrow of the Pahlavi monarchy and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran.

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi came to power during World War II after an Anglo-Soviet invasion forced
the abdication of his father, Reza Shah.
 Kebabs come in many kinds: beef, chicken, lamb liver, among them.

A visit to Iran yields a stunning variety of culinary delights. Between the

familiar kebab and the decidedly outr grilled lambs testicles, theres a vast
spectrum of foods: caviar, pickle, and smoked fish in the north; samosas,
falafel and hot and sour shrimp in the south; noodles, flatbread and
rosewater-scented ice cream across the country.

Take a look at Irans place on the map and its easy to understand why the
scope of native foods is so wide. Once the center of the Persian Empire, Iran
neighbors the former Soviet Union countries, as well as Afghanistan, Pakistan,
the Arab states and Turkey. Although Iran is part of the Middle East, it has
close ties to Europe, the Far East and Africa, owing to its central place on the
Silk Road trade route.

Whats more, the ancient warrior-king of Greece, Alexander the Great,

conquered the Persian Empire back in the 4th century, and later it was
invaded by Arabs, Turks, Mongols and Uzbeks. While Iranians already had a
well-developed food identity before these invasions, they assimilated what the
outsiders brought in. Think Russian-style borscht with cumin and cilantro and
Chinese noodles in a soup of beans, herbs and sour fermented whey.

Many coveted ingredients are native to Iran, including pistachios, almonds,

walnuts, saffron, mint, oranges, pomegranates and grapes. Iran has a variable
climate with four distinct seasons, and unlike other parts of the Middle East,
where the dry terrain limited what food could be grown, the ancient Persians
transformed vast stretches of arid land into fertile oases via underground
aquifers that drew melted snow water into the desert. A bright, sensuous,
fruit-and-herb filled cuisine was born.

A core curriculum of classic Persian favorites can be found on most Persian-

American restaurant menus. Here are 10 to try. Noosh-e jan! (Yes, thats Farsi
for bon apptit.)
1. Fesenjan (Pomegranate Walnut Stew)

This iconic stew, an essential part of every Persian wedding menu, pairs tart
pomegranate with chicken or duck. Ground walnuts, pomegranate paste and
onions are slowly simmered to make a thick sauce. At the ruins of Persepolis,
the ancient ritual capital of the Persian Empire, archaeologists found inscribed
stone tablets from as far back as 515 B.C., which listed pantry staples of the
early Iranians. They included walnuts, poultry and pomegranate preserves, the
key ingredients in fesenjan.

A simple rice dish, Baghali Polo is made with saffron, green dill and fava beans. (Photo: Louisa Shafia)

3. Baghali Polo (Rice With Dill And Fava Beans)

In Iranian cooking, rice can be prepared simply with butter and saffron, known
as chelo. But just as often, its cooked with other ingredients and called polo.
Polo can be made with herbs, vegetables, beans, nuts, dried fruit, meat and even
noodles, and acts as the centerpiece of the meal. This polo is particularly good in
the spring, when fava beans are young and tender and dill is in season. The dish
is flecked with green dill and favas, and is often cooked with very tender chunks
of lamb. Alternately, it may be served alongside lamb on the bone. The rice
should have a mild saffron flavor, with the saffron mixed into the rice just before
serving.

4. Zereshk Polo (Barberry Rice)

Iranians love sour flavors. Like cranberries, barberries have a vibrant red color,
but theyre even more sour. This classic rice dish is studded with the red berries,
which are dried and then rehydrated before cooking. The rice is cooked with
plenty of butter, which helps to soften the intensity of the berries. Quince,
rhubarb, green plums, sour oranges, lemons, limes, dried limes, sour cherries,
tamarind, sumac and pomegranate are all used in Persian cooking to make food
more tart.

7. Tahdig (Crunchy Fried Rice)

 Tahdig is the soul food of Persian cooking. Its the crisp, golden layer of fried
rice at the bottom of the rice pot, and it tastes like a combination of popcorn and
potato chips, but with the delicate flavor of basmati ice. (Tahdig is usually not
printed on the menu, so you may have to ask for it.) At Iranian family
gatherings, there are always plenty of leftovers, but the one dish that disappears
completely is tahdig. Its eaten as a side dish, and its forgivable to pick it up and
eat it with your fingers.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Iran

http://www.iranreview.org/content/Documents/Naghshe_Jahan_Square.htm
Most of foods in Iran often use the material of their own country for cooking such as
meat and a lot of spice in their country. They use a lot of beans to make foods. They do
not use pork to cook because Iran people are Muslim, So they do not eat pork.
Early modern era

The Mosque of Imam

 The richness of this mosques blue-tiled mosaic designs and its
perfectly proportioned Safavid-era architecture form a visually
stunning monument to the imagination of Shah Abbas I and the ability
of his architect.
 Although the portal was built to face the square, the mosque is
oriented towards Mecca and a short, angled corridor neatly connects
the square and the inner courtyard, with its pool for ritual ablutions
and four imposing iwans. The walls of the courtyard contain the most
exquisite sunken porches, framed by haft rangi (painted tiles) of deep
blue and yellow. Each iwan leads into a vaulted sanctuary. The east
and west sanctuaries are covered with particularly fine floral motifs on
a blue background.
The main sanctuary provides wonderful views back to the two
turquoise minarets above the entrance portal. Each is encircled by
projecting balconies and white geometric calligraphy in which the
names of Mohammed and Ali are picked out over and over again.

To the east and west of the main sanctuary are the courtyards of two
madrasehs. Both provide good views of the main dome with its
glorious profusion of turquoise-shaded tiles.

Naghshe Jahan Square

situated at the center of Isfahan city, Iran. It is an important historical site and one
of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.
The Imam Mosque is situated on the south side of this square. On the west
side you can find Ali Qapu Palace. Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque is situated on the
eastern side of this square and the northern side opens into the Isfahan Grand
Bazaar. Today, Namaaz-e Jom'eh (the Muslim Friday prayer) is held in this square
in front of the Imam Mosque.

It was Shah Abbas the Great who made Isfahan his capital and then decreed that
the square should be extended to its present size, and lovely buildings set around it.
Iran or Persia has officially registered and known as the Islamic Republic of Iran,
with 27 states and a population of 79.2 million making them the largest country
with the highest number of population in the middle east. Located in the middle
east above the UAE, Qatar and Oman. Iran has altogether 15 languages to be
spoken but the most common and official is Persian. The country was pretty much
hot in all seasons contains , people gave them name as the land of eastern sun.
Esfahan
>mostly dry
>7-20 celsius