Western Iran

Western Iran is a large section of the country, to the west of Iranian cities like Tehran and Qom. Most of the region is co-located with Zagros Mountains starting from Turkey and Iran and ending in Persian Gulf.

Provinces

• 1 Alborz
• 2 Lorestan
• Central Western Iran:
  • 3 Hamadan
  • 4 Ilam
  • 5 Kermanshah
  • 6 Kurdistan
  • 7 Markazi
  • 8 Qazvin
• Southwestern Iran:
  • 9 Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari
  • 10 Khuzestan
  • 11 Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad

Cities

• 1 Ahvaz — a city with a history dating back to the Achaemenid period, on the banks of the Karoun River
• 2 Arak — an industrial city with a number of historical sites and museums
• 3 Borujerd — many historical sites and monuments are located in and around the city
• 4 Hamadan — one of the oldest cities in Western Iran
• 5 Ilam — a largely Kurdish city with many traditional buildings
• 6 Kermanshah — its climate is mild and it has many natural and historical sights
• 7 Khorram Abad — provincial capital with a tall citadel called Falak-ol-Aflak (the Heaven of Heavens), a relic of the Sassanid era, now a museum
• 8 Qazvin — a base for visiting the mountains of Alborz or the remains of Hasan-e-Sabah's castle Alamut
• 9 Sanandaj — its old bazaar is noted as a place to buy Kurdish handicrafts
• Seqqez - the city has a history dating back to the seventh millennium BC, and it is famous for its art and culture
• 10 Yasouj — an industrial city in the Zagros Mountains

Other destinations

• 1 Alamut - castle of legendary Assassins . Headseat of State of Assassins.

Understand

Many Iranian ethnic minorities, such as Kurds, Lors and Bakhtiaris, live in Western provinces of Iran.

Talk

The official language is Persian. Minority languages such as Kurdish, Luri and Laki are frequently used. Khuzestan Province is home to an Arab minority who speak the Iraqi dialect of Arabic.

Get in

Ahvaz and Kermanshah have international airports with flights to the Persian Gulf countries and Iraq. Other provincial capitals have airports with domestic flights mostly to Tehran and Mashhad. To go to most cities of the region, you can use buses from Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz and other major Iranian cities.

The national railway connects Theran to Persian Gulf and is mostly preferred by travellers to Khuzestan.

The Persian Gulf Highway connects Markazi, Lorestan and Khuzestan provinces to Tehran. Hamedan and Kermanshah can be accessed through this road or through Tehran - Saveh Freeway.

See

• Gahar Lake in Oshtorankuh Mountain in Lorestan.
• Susa, one of the oldest cities of Iran in Khuzestan
• Ali Sadr Cave in Hamadan Province