Tehran

Tehran is in the historical Media region of (Old Persian: 𐎶𐎠𐎭 Māda) in northwestern Iran. By the time of the Median Empire, part of present-day Tehran was a suburb of the prominent Median city of Rhages (Old Persian: 𐎼𐎥𐎠 Ragā). In the Avesta's Videvdat (i, 15), Rhages is mentioned as the 12th sacred place created by Ohrmazd.[21] In Old Persian inscriptions, Rhages appears as a province (Bistun 2, 10–18). From Rhages, Darius I sent reinforcements to his father Hystaspes, who was putting down a rebellion in Parthia (Bistun 3, 1–10).[21] Some Middle Persian texts give Rhages as the birthplace of Zoroaster,[22] although modern historians generally place the birth of Zoroaster in Khorasan Province.

Mount Damavand, the highest peak of Iran, which is located near Tehran, is an important location in Ferdowsi's Šāhnāme,[23] an Iranian epic poem based on the ancient legends of Iran. It appears in the epics as the homeland of the protoplast Keyumars, the birthplace of King Manuchehr, the place where King Fereydun bound the dragon fiend Aždahāk (Bivarasp), and the place where Arash shot his arrow.[23]

In 641, during the reign of the Sasanian Empire, Yazdgerd III issued his last appeal to the nation from Rhages, before fleeing to Khorasan.[21] Rhages was dominated by the Parthian House of Mihran, and Siyavakhsh—the son of Mehran, the son of Bahram Chobin—who resisted the seventh-century Muslim invasion of Iran.[21] Because of this resistance, when the Arabs captured Rhages, they ordered the town destroyed and rebuilt anew by traitor aristocrat Farrukhzad.[21]

In the ninth century, Tehran was a well-known village, but less so than the city of Rhages, flourishing nearby. Rhages was described in detail by tenth-century Muslim geographers.[21] Despite the interest that Arabian Baghdad displayed in Rhages, the number of Arabs in the city remained insignificant and the population mainly consisted of Iranians of all classes.[21][24]

The Oghuz Turks invaded Rhages in 1035 and again in 1042, but the city was recovered under the Seljuks and the Khwarezmians.[21] Medieval writer Najm od Din Razi declared the population of Rhages about 500,000 before the Mongol invasion. In the 13th century, the Mongols invaded Rhages, laid the city to ruins, and massacred many of its inhabitants.[21] Others escaped to Tehran.

In July 1404, Castilian ambassador Ruy González de Clavijo visited Tehran on a journey to Samarkand, the capital of Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur, the ruler of Iran at the time. He described it in his diary as an unwalled region.

Italian traveler Pietro della Valle passed through Tehran overnight in 1618, and in his memoirs called the city Taheran. English traveler Thomas Herbert entered Tehran in 1627, and mentioned it as Tyroan. Herbert stated that the city had about 3,000 houses.[25]

A portrait of Qajar ruler Agha Mohammad Khan, at London's V&A Museum

In the early 18th century, Karim Khan of the Zand dynasty ordered a palace and a government office built in Tehran, possibly to declare the city his capital; but he later moved his government to Shiraz. Eventually, Qajar king Agha Mohammad Khan chose Tehran as the capital of Iran in 1786.[26]

Agha Mohammad Khan's choice of his capital was based on a similar concern for the control of both northern and southern Iran.[26] He was aware of the loyalties of the inhabitants of former capitals Isfahan and Shiraz to the Safavid and Zand dynasties respectively, and was wary of the power of the local notables in these cities.[26] Thus, he probably viewed Tehran's lack of a substantial urban structure as a blessing, because it minimized the chances of resistance to his rule by the notables and by the general public.[26] Moreover, he had to remain within close reach of Azerbaijan and Iran's integral northern and southern Caucasian territories[26]—at that time not yet irrevocably lost per the treaties of Golestan and Turkmenchay to the neighboring Russian Empire—which would follow in the course of the 19th century.[27]

Map of Tehran in 1857

After 50 years of Qajar rule, the city still barely had more than 80,000 inhabitants.[26] Up until the 1870s, Tehran consisted of a walled citadel, a roofed bazaar, and the three main neighborhoods of Udlajan, Chale-Meydan, and Sangelaj, where the majority resided.

The first development plan of Tehran in 1855 emphasized traditional spatial structure. The second, under the supervision of Dar ol Fonun in 1878, included new city walls, in the form of a perfect octagon with an area of 19 square kilometers, mimicking the Renaissance cities of Europe.[28] Tehran was 19.79 square kilometers, and had expanded more than fourfold.[29]

The Parade Square in the mid-19th century, depicting the imperial army with its absolute monarch in the centre

The Triumph of Tehran: Sardar Asad II and Sepahsalar e Tonekaboni conquering Tehran in July 1909

Growing awareness of civil rights resulted in the Constitutional Revolution and the first constitution of Iran in 1906. On 2 June 1907, the parliament passed a law on local governance known as the Baladie (municipal law), providing a detailed outline of issues such as the role of councils within the city, the members' qualifications, the election process, and the requirements to be entitled to vote. The then-Qajar monarch Mohammad Ali Shah abolished the constitution and bombarded the parliament with the help of the Russian-controlled Cossack Brigade on 23 June 1908. That was followed by the capture of the city by the revolutionary forces of Ali-Qoli Khan (Sardar Asad II) and Mohammad Vali Khan (Sepahsalar e Tonekaboni) on 13 July 1909. As a result, the monarch was exiled and replaced by his son Ahmad, and the parliament was re-established.

Aerial view of Tehran in 1925

After World War I, the constituent assembly elected Reza Shah of the Pahlavi dynasty as the new monarch, who immediately suspended the Baladie law of 1907, replacing the decentralized and autonomous city councils with centralist approaches to governance and planning.[28]

From the 1920s to the 1930s, under the rule of Reza Shah, the city was essentially rebuilt from scratch. Several old buildings, including parts of the Golestan Palace, Tekye Dowlat, and Tupkhane Square, were replaced with modern buildings influenced by classical Iranian architecture, particularly the buildings of the National Bank, the police headquarters, the telegraph office, and the military academy.

Changes to the urban fabric began with the street-widening act of 1933, which served as a framework for changes in all other cities. The Grand Bazaar was divided in half and many historic buildings were demolished and replaced by wide straight avenues,[30] and the traditional texture of the city was replaced with intersecting cruciform streets that created large roundabouts in major public spaces such as the bazaar.

As an attempt to create a network for easy transportation within the city, the old citadel and city walls were demolished in 1937, replaced by wide streets cutting through the urban fabric. The new city map of Tehran in 1937 was heavily influenced by modernist planning patterns of zoning and gridiron networks.[28]

During World War II, Soviet and British troops entered the city. In 1943, Tehran was the site of the Tehran Conference, attended by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

• 
  Tupkhane Square in 1911
• 
  Jalili Square (Khaiyam) street in Tehran in 1930
• 
  University of Tehran's Faculty of Law in 1939
• 
  National Bank of Iran, Sabze-Meydan, in the 1940s
• 
  The Tehran Conference in 1943
• 
  The former Parliament Building in 1956
• 
  Ferdowsi Avenue in 1960
• 
  Keshavarz Boulevard in 1970
• 
  Karimkhan Street in 1977

Expressways in Tehran

The establishment of the planning organization of Iran in 1948 resulted in the first socioeconomic development plan to cover from 1949 to 1955. These plans not only failed to slow the unbalanced growth of Tehran but with the 1962 land reforms that Reza Shah's son and successor Mohammad Reza Shah named the White Revolution, Tehran's chaotic growth was further accentuated.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Tehran developed rapidly under Mohammad Reza Shah. Modern buildings altered the face of Tehran and ambitious projects were planned for the following decades. To resolve the problem of social exclusion, the first comprehensive plan was approved in 1968. The consortium of Iranian architect Abd-ol-Aziz Farmanfarmaian and the American firm of Victor Gruen Associates identified the main problems blighting the city as high-density suburbs, air and water pollution, inefficient infrastructure, unemployment, and rural-urban migration. Eventually, the whole plan was marginalized by the 1979 Revolution and the subsequent Iran–Iraq War.[28]

The Azadi Tower was built in 1971.

Tehran's most famous landmark, the Azadi Tower, was built by the order of the Shah in 1971. It was designed by Hossein Amanat, an architect whose design won a competition, combining elements of classical Sassanian architecture with post-classical Iranian architecture. Formerly known as the Shahyad Tower, it was built to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary of the Imperial State of Iran.

During the Iran–Iraq War in 1980 to 1988, Tehran was repeatedly targeted by airstrikes and Scud missile attacks.

The 435-meter-high Milad Tower, one of the proposed development projects of pre-revolutionary Iran,[31] was completed in 2007, and has become a famous landmark of Tehran. Tabiat Bridge a 270-meter pedestrian overpass,[9] designed by award-winning architect Leila Araghian, was completed in 2014.

Districts of Tehran

The metropolis of Tehran is divided into 22 municipal districts, each with its own administrative center. Of the 22 municipal districts, 20 are located in Tehran County's Central District, while districts 1 and 20 are respectively located in the counties of Shemiranat and Ray. Although administratively separate, the cities of Ray and Shemiran are often considered part of Greater Tehran.

Sulqan RD

Kan District

Aftab District

Aftab RD

Khalazir RD

Central District

Siyahrud RD

Tehran

D-1
(Shemiranat County)

D-2

D-3

D-4

D-5

D-6

D-7

D-8

D-9

D-10

D-11

D-12

D-13

D-14

D-15

D-16

D-17

D-18

D-19

D-20
(Ray County)

D-21

D-22

Municipal districts of Tehran

Name Persian Name County Number of Municipal Regions Area Population Population Density Location within Tehran District 1 منطقه ۱ – Mantaqe ye Yek Shemiranat County 10 64.0 km² 487,508 10,533/km² District 2 منطقه ۲ – Mantaqe ye Do Tehran County 9 64.0 km² 701,303 14,964/km² District 3 منطقه ۳ – Mantaqe ye Se Tehran County 6 31.2 km² 330,649 10,156/km² District 4 منطقه ۴ – Mantaqe ye Chahār Tehran County 9 61.4 km² 919,001 14,943/km² District 5 منطقه ۵ – Mantaqe ye Panj Tehran County 7 52.9 km² 858,346 18,320/km² District 6 منطقه ۶ – Mantaqe ye Šeŝ Tehran County 6 21.4 km² 251,384 13,763/km² District 7 منطقه ۷ – Mantaqe ye Haft Tehran County 5 15.4 km² 312,194 20,140/km² District 8 منطقه ۸ – Mantaqe ye Haŝt Tehran County 3 13.4 km² 425,197 31,984/km² District 9 منطقه ۹ – Mantaqe ye Noh Tehran County 3 19.6 km² 174,239 6,387/km² District 10 منطقه ۱۰ – Mantaqe ye Dah Tehran County 3 8.2 km² 327,115 40,029/km² District 11 منطقه ۱۱ – Mantaqe ye Yāzdah Tehran County 4 12.6 km² 307,940 25,743/km² District 12 منطقه ۱۲ – Mantaqe ye Davāzdah Tehran County 6 16.9 km² 241,831 15,150/km² District 13 منطقه ۱۳ – Mantaqe ye Sizdah Tehran County 4 12.8 km² 248,952 14,726/km² District 14 منطقه ۱۴ – Mantaqe ye Ĉahārdah Tehran County 6 24.3 km² 515,795 21,370/km² District 15 منطقه ۱۵ – Mantaqe ye Pānzdah Tehran County 6 35.4 km² 641,279 23,186/km² District 16 منطقه ۱۶ – Mantaqe ye Ŝānzdah Tehran County 6 18.1 km² 268,406 16,238/km² District 17 منطقه ۱۷ – Mantaqe ye Hefdah Tehran County 3 8.2 km² 273,231 33,276/km² District 18 منطقه ۱۸ – Mantaqe ye Heĵdah Tehran County 5 37.5 km² 419,882 11,029/km² District 19 منطقه ۱۹ – Mantaqe ye Nuzdah Tehran County 3 20.3 km² 261,027 12,809/km² District 20 منطقه ۲۰ – Mantaqe ye Bist Ray County 5 23.0 km² 365,259 16,365/km² District 21 منطقه ۲۱ – Mantaqe ye Bist-o-Yek Tehran County 3 51.6 km² 186,821 3,646/km² District 22 منطقه ۲۲ – Mantaqe ye Bist-o-Do Tehran County 4 54.0 km² 176,347 3,025/km²

• 
  Tehran and Mount Tochal in the winter of 2006
• 
  View of Tehran from Tajrish
• 
  Elahieh, an upper-class residential and commercial district in northern Tehran
• 
  Ekhtiarieh, an old residential area in northern Tehran
• 
  Tehran from Gheytarieh
• 
  Bucharest Street in Abbas Abad, north-central Tehran
• 
  Resalat Tunnel in Tehran
• 
  Sattarkhan street in Tehran
• 
  Jordan view
• 
  Kamranieh alley
• 
  Velenjak north-western Tehran
• 
  Pasdaran Street

Northern Tehran is the wealthiest part of the city,[32] consisting of various districts such as Zafaraniyeh, Jordan, Elahiyeh, Pasdaran, Kamranieh, Ajodanieh, Farmanieh, Darrous, Niavaran, Jamaran, Aghdasieh, Mahmoodieh, Velenjak, Qeytarieh, Ozgol and Ekhtiarieh.[33][34] While the center of the city houses government ministries and headquarters, commercial centers are located further north.

Urban sustainability analysis of the metropolitan area of Tehran, using the 'Circles of Sustainability' method of the UN Global Compact Cities Programme

Mellat Park in autumn

The northern area of Tehran has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa), with a cold semi-arid climate (BSk) elsewhere, with hot dry summers and cool rainy winters. Tehran's climate is largely defined by its geographic location, with the towering Alborz mountains to its north and the country's central desert to the south. It can be generally described as mild in spring and autumn, hot and dry in summer, and cold and wet in winter.

As the city has a large area, with significant differences in elevation among various districts, the weather is often cooler in the hilly north than in the flat southern part of Tehran. For instance, the 17.3 km (10.7 mi) Valiasr Street runs from Tehran's railway station at 1,117 m (3,665 ft) elevation above sea level in the south of the city to Tajrish Square at 1712.6 m (5612.3 ft) elevation above sea level in the north.[35] However, the elevation can even rise up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) at the end of Velenjak in northern Tehran. The sparse texture, the existence of old gardens, orchards, green spaces along the highways and the lack of industrial activities in the north of the city have helped the air in the northern areas to be 2 to 3 degrees Celsius cooler than the southern areas of the city.[36]

The main direction of the prevailing wind in Tehran is northwest to southeast.[37] Other air currents that blow in the area of Tehran are:

1. Tochal breeze: With the rapid cooling of the Alborz mountain range at night, a local high-pressure center is formed on Mount Tochal, and this cold current flows down the mountain due to its weight and high pressure; Thus, a gentle breeze blows into the city from the north at night.[36]
2. Southern and southeastern regional winds: these winds blow from the desert plains in the hot months of the year.[36]
3. Western winds: These winds are among the planetary winds that affect the city of Tehran more or less throughout the year and can be called the prevailing wind.[36]

Air currents have a great effect on Tehran's weather. The prevailing wind blowing from the west causes the west of the city to always be exposed to fresh air; Although this wind brings smoke and pollution from the western industrial areas, its strong wind can take the polluted air out of the city of Tehran.[36]

In most years, winter provides half of Tehran's total annual rainfall. March is the rainiest month of the year and about one-fifth of the annual rainfall occurs in it. Summer is also the least rainy season and September is the driest month of the year in Tehran. The average annual rainfall of the city is sometimes very different in the north and south regions.[36] There are between 205 and 213 days of clear to partly cloudy weather in Tehran.[38]

One of the most intense rains in Tehran happened on 21 April 1962 and this rain lasted for 10 hours. Meteorology also announced that the amount of rainfall on that one day in Tehran was equivalent to six years.[39]

Summer is hot and dry with little rain, but relative humidity is generally low, making the heat tolerable. Average high temperatures are between 31 °C (88 °F) and 38 °C (100 °F) during summer months, and it can sometimes rise up to 40 °C (104 °F) during heat waves. Average low temperatures in summer are between 18 °C (64 °F) and 25 °C (77 °F), and it can occasionally drop to below 14 °C (57 °F)  in the mountainous north of the city at night.

Winter is cold and occasionally snowy, with an average of 12.3 snow days annually in central Tehran and more than 23.7 snow days annually in northern Tehran. During the winter months, average high temperatures are between 3 °C (37 °F) and 11 °C (52 °F) and average low temperatures are between −5 °C (23 °F) and 1 °C (34 °F), and it can occasionally drop to below −10 °C (14 °F)  during cold waves.

Most of the annual precipitation occurs from late autumn to mid-spring. March is the wettest month with an average precipitation of 39.6 millimetres (1.56 in). The hottest month is July, with a mean minimum temperature of 24 °C (75 °F) and a mean maximum temperature of 36.7 °C (98.1 °F), and the coldest is January, with a mean minimum temperature of −0.4 °C (31.3 °F) and a mean maximum temperature of 7.9 °C (46.2 °F).[40]

The highest recorded temperature was 43 °C (109 °F) on 3 July 1958 and the lowest recorded temperature was −15 °C (5 °F) on 8 January 1969.

In February 2005, heavy snow covered all parts of the city. Snow depth was recorded as 15 cm (6 in) in the southern part of the city and 100 cm (39 in) in the northern part of city. One newspaper reported that it had been the worst weather in 34 years. Ten thousand bulldozers and 13,000 municipal workers were deployed to keep the main roads open.[52][53]

On 5 and 6 January 2008, a wave of heavy snow and low temperatures covered the city in a thick layer of snow and ice, forcing the Council of Ministers to officially declare a state of emergency and close down the capital from 6 January through 7 January.[54]

On 3 February 2014, Tehran received heavy snowfall, specifically in the northern parts of the city, with a depth of 2 metres (6.6 ft). In one week of successive snowfalls, roads were made impassable in some areas, with the temperature ranging from −8 °C (18 °F)  to  −16 °C (3 °F).[55]

On 3 June 2014, a severe thunderstorm with powerful microbursts created a haboob, engulfing the city in sand and dust and causing five deaths, with more than 57 injured. This event also knocked down numerous trees and power lines. It struck between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m., dropping temperatures from 33 °C (91 °F)  to 19 °C (66 °F)  within an hour. The dramatic temperature drop was accompanied by wind gusts reaching nearly 118 kilometres per hour (73 mph) .[56]

Heavy air pollution in Tehran

A plan to move the capital has been discussed many times in prior years, due mainly to the environmental issues of the region. Tehran is one of the world's most polluted cities and is also located near two major fault lines.

The city suffers from severe air pollution, 80% of it due to cars.[57] The remaining 20% is due to industrial pollution. Other estimates suggest that motorcycles alone account for 30% of air and 50% of noise pollution in Tehran.[58] Tehran is also considered one of the strongest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the Middle East. Enhanced concentration of carbon dioxide over the city (that are likely originated from the anthropogenic urban sources in the city) is easily detectable from satellite observations throughout the year.[59]

In 2010, the government announced that "for security and administrative reasons, the plan to move the capital from Tehran has been finalized."[60] There are plans to relocate 163 state firms and several universities from Tehran to avoid damages from a potential earthquake.[60][61]

The officials are engaged in a battle to reduce air pollution. It has, for instance, encouraged taxis and buses to convert from petrol engines to engines that run on compressed natural gas. Furthermore, the government has set up a "Traffic Zone" covering the city centre during peak traffic hours. Entering and driving inside this zone is only allowed with a special permit.

There have also been plans to raise people's awareness of the hazards of pollution. One method that is being employed is the installation of Pollution Indicator Boards all around the city to monitor the level of particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ozone (O₃), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and carbon monoxide (CO).

The majority of Tehranis are officially Twelver Shia Muslims, which has also been the state religion since the 16th-century Safavid conversion. Other religious communities in the city include followers of the Sunni and Mystic branches of Islam, various Christian denominations, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, and the Baháʼí Faith.

As per a 2003 survey, 60% of Tehranis consider religion to be "very important", 25% "important" and 13% "not important", while 41% of Tehranis identify as "very pious", 41% as "pious" and 16% as "not pious."[70] A 2016 survey found out that, among Tehranis, 53.5% consider religion to be "very important / important", 31.1% to be "rather important", 10.5% to be "not very important" and 4.8% to be "not at all important."[71]

There are many religious centres scattered around the city, from old to newly built centres, including mosques, churches, synagogues, and Zoroastrian fire temples. The city also has a very small third-generation Indian Sikh community with a local gurdwara that was visited by the Indian Prime Minister in 2012.[72]

• 
  Tehran's Shah Mosque
• 
  Tehran's Greek Orthodox Church of Virgin Mary
• 
  Saint Mary Armenian Apostolic Church, Tehran
• 
  St. Joseph Assyrian Catholic (Chaldean Catholic) Church, Tehran
• 
  Assyrian Church of the East of Mar Sarkis, Tehran
• 
  Tehran's Yusef Abad Synagogue
• 
  Adrian Fire Temple, Tehran

Tehran has a wide range of shopping centers, and is home to over 60 modern shopping malls.[77] The city has a number of commercial districts, including those located at Valiasr, Davudie, and Zaferanie. The largest old bazaars of Tehran are the Grand Bazaar and the Bazaar of Tajrish. Iran Mall is the largest mall in the world in area.[78]

Most of the international branded stores and upper-class shops are in the northern and western parts of the city. Tehran's retail business is growing with several newly built malls and shopping centres.[77]

• 
  Iran Mall
• 
  Tiraje Mall in western Tehran
• 
  Kourosh Mall in Shahid Sattari Expressway
• 
  Tehran's Old Grand Bazaar
• 
  OPAL Shopping Cente
• 
  Hyperstar, Tehran's subsidiary of Carrefour

List of modern and most-visited Shopping Malls in Tehran Province:[79]

Tehran, as one of the main tourist destinations in Iran, has a wealth of cultural attractions. It is home to royal complexes of Golestan, Saadabad and Niavaran, which were built under the reign of the country's last two monarchies.

There are several historic, artistic, and scientific museums in Tehran, including the

• National Museum
• Malek Museum
• Cinema Museum at Ferdows Garden
• Abgineh Museum
• Museum of the Qasr Prison
• Carpet Museum
• Reverse Glass Painting Museum (vitray art)
• Safir Office Machines Museum

Also the Museum of Contemporary Art, which hosts works of famous artists such as Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and Andy Warhol. The Iranian Imperial Crown Jewels, one of the largest jewel collections in the world, are also on display at Tehran's National Jewelry Museum.

A number of cultural and trade exhibitions take place in Tehran, which are mainly operated by the country's International Exhibitions Company. Tehran's annual International Book Fair is known to the international publishing world as one of the most important publishing events in Asia.[80]

• 
  Tabiat Bridge
• 
  Golestan Palace
• 
  Niavaran Complex
• 
  Sa'dabad Complex
• 
  Masoudie, Baharestan
• 
  National Museum of Iran
• 
  Museum of Contemporary Art
• 
  Carpet Museum of Iran
• 
  Museum of the Qasr Prison
• 
  Abgineh Museum

Hotel

• 
  Espinas Palace Hotel
• 
  Parsian Esteghlal International Hotel
• 
  Ferdowsi Grand Hotel
• 
  Homa Hotel
• 
  Laleh International Hotel
• 
  Parsian Azadi Hotel

Following the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the political system changed from constitutional monarchy to Islamic republic. Then the construction of political power in the country needed to change so that new spectrums of political power decision-making centers emerged in Iran. Motives, desires and actions of these new political power decision-making centers in Iran, made them rename streets and public places throughout the country, especially Tehran. For example Shahyad square changed to Azadi square and Pahlavi street changed to Valiasr street.[81]

The metropolis of Tehran is equipped with a large network of highways and interchanges.

• 
  Valiasr Street
• 
  Hemmat Expressway
• 
  Modarres Expressway
• 
  Kordestan Expressway interchange with Resalat and Hakim expressways

The left image shows Tehran on a day-off during the Nowruz holidays, and the right one shows it on a working day.

A number of streets in Tehran are named after international figures, including:

• Henri Corbin Street, central Tehran
• Simon Bolivar Boulevard, northwestern Tehran
• Edward Browne Street, near the University of Tehran
• Gandhi Street, northern Tehran
• Mohammad Ali Jenah Expressway, western Tehran
• Iqbal Lahori Street, eastern Tehran
• Patrice Lumumba Street, western Tehran
• Nelson Mandela Boulevard, northern Tehran
• Bobby Sands Street, western side of the British Embassy

Tehran's taxi (2019)

According to the head of Tehran Municipality's Environment and Sustainable Development Office, Tehran was designed to have a capacity of about 300,000 cars, but more than five million cars are on the roads.[82] The automotive industry has recently developed, but international sanctions influence the production processes periodically.[83]

According to local media, Tehran has more than 200,000 taxis plying the roads daily,[84] with several types of taxi available in the city. Airport taxis have a higher cost per kilometer as opposed to regular green and yellow taxis in the city.

Tehran's bus rapid transit

Buses have served the city since the 1920s. Tehran's transport system includes conventional buses, trolleybuses, and bus rapid transit (BRT). The city's four major bus stations include the South Terminal, the East Terminal, the West Terminal, and the northcentral Beyhaghi Terminal.

The trolleybus system was opened in 1992, using a fleet of 65 articulated trolleybuses built by Czech Republic's Škoda.[85] This was the first trolleybus system in Iran.[85] In 2005, trolleybuses were operating on five routes, all starting at Imam Hossein Square.[86] Two routes running northeastwards operated almost entirely in a segregated busway located in the middle of the wide carriageway along Damavand Street, stopping only at purpose-built stops located about every 500 metres along the routes, effectively making these routes trolleybus-BRT (but they were not called such). The other three trolleybus routes ran south and operated in mixed traffic. Both route sections were served by limited-stop services and local (making all stops) services.[86] A 3.2-kilometer extension from Shoosh Square to Rah Ahan Square was opened in March 2010.[87] Visitors in 2014 found that the trolleybus system had closed, apparently sometime in 2013.[88] However, it reopened in March 2016, operating on a single 1.8-km route between Meydan-e-Khorasan (Khorasan Square) and Bozorgrah-e-Be'sat.[89][90] Around 30 vehicles had been refurbished and returned to service.[89][90] Extensions were planned.[90]

Tehran's bus rapid transit (BRT) was officially inaugurated in 2008. It has 10 lines with some 215 stations in different areas of the city. As of 2011, the BRT system had a network of 100 kilometres (62 miles), transporting 1.8 million passengers on a daily basis.

A BDOOD station in Tehran

Bdood is a dockless bike-sharing company in Iran. Founded in 2017, it is available in the central and northwest regions of the capital city of Tehran. The company has plans to expand across the city in the future.

In the first phase, the application covers the flat areas of Tehran and they would be out of use in poor weather conditions.

Riders can use 29 parking lots for the bikes across Enqelab Avenue, Keshavarz Boulevard, Beheshti Street and Motahhari Avenue in which the bikes are available 24/7 for riders.

Tehran's railway station

Meydan-e San'at Metro Station

Tehran has a central railway station that connects services round the clock to various cities in the country, along with a Tehran–Europe train line also running.

The feasibility study and conceptual planning of the construction of Tehran's subway system were started in the 1970s. The first two of the eight projected metro lines were opened in 2001.

Entrance of the Imam Khomeini Airport in 2018

Tehran is served by the international airports of Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini. Mehrabad Airport, an old airport in western Tehran that doubles as a military base, is mainly used for domestic and charter flights. Imam Khomeini Airport, located 50 kilometres (31 miles) south of the city, handles the main international flights.

City Park, March 2008

Water and Fire park at night, February 2010

There are over 2,100 parks within the metropolis of Tehran,[102] with one of the oldest being Jamshidie Park, which was first established as a private garden for Qajar prince Jamshid Davallu, and was then dedicated to the last empress of Iran, Farah Pahlavi. The total green space within Tehran stretches over 12,600 hectares, covering over 20 percent of the city's area. The Parks and Green Spaces Organization of Tehran was established in 1960, and is responsible for the protection of the urban nature present in the city.[103]

Tehran's Birds Garden is the largest bird park in Iran. There is also a zoo located on the Tehran–Karaj Expressway, housing over 290 species within an area of about five hectares.[104]

In 2009, the Ab-o-Atash Park ("Water and Fire park") was founded. Its main features are an open water fountain area for cooling in the hot climate, fire towers, and an amphitheatre.[105]

Greater Tehran with its population of more than 13 million is supplied by surface water from the Lar dam on the Lar River in the Northeast of the city, the Latyan dam on the Jajrood River in the North, the Karaj River in the Northwest, as well as by groundwater in the vicinity of the city.

Solar panels have been installed in Tehran's Pardisan Park for green electricity production, said Masoumeh Ebtekar, head of the Department of Environment.

According to the national energy roadmap, the government plans to promote green technology to increase the nominal capacity of power plants from 74 gigawatts to over 120 gigawatts by the end of 2025.[106]

The oldest surviving architectural monuments of Tehran are from the Qajar and Pahlavi eras. In Greater Tehran, monuments dating back to the Seljuk era remain as well; notably the Toqrol Tower in Ray. Rashkan Castle, dating back to the ancient Parthian Empire, of which some artifacts are housed at the National Museum;[107] and the Bahram fire temple, which remains since the Sassanian Empire.

Tehran only had a small population until the late 18th century but began to take a more considerable role in Iranian society after it was chosen as the capital city. Despite the regular occurrence of earthquakes during the Qajar period and after, some historic buildings remain from that era.[108]

Tehran is Iran's primate city, and is considered to have the most modernized infrastructure in the country. However, the gentrification of old neighbourhoods and the demolition of buildings of cultural significance have caused concerns.[109]

• 
  Hasanabad Square
• 
  A view of the building of the City Theater of Tehran
• 
  The Courthouse of Tehran
• 
  Police House,
  the National Garden
• 
  Cossack House,
  the National Garden

Qeytarie skyline in February 2010

Previously a low-rise city due to seismic activity in the region, modern high-rise developments in Tehran have been built in recent decades in order to service its growing population. There have been no major quakes in Tehran since 1830.[110]

Tehran International Tower is the tallest skyscraper in Iran. It is 54-stories tall and located in the northern district of Yusef Abad.

The Azadi Tower, a memorial built under the reign of the Pahlavi dynasty, has long been the most famous symbol of Tehran. Originally constructed in commemoration of the 2,500th year of the foundation of the Imperial State of Iran, it combines elements of the architecture of the Achaemenid and Sassanid eras with post-classical Iranian architecture. The Milad Tower, which is the sixth tallest tower[111] and the 24th-tallest freestanding structure in the world,[112] is the city's other famous landmark tower. Leila Araghian's Tabiat Bridge, the largest pedestrian overpass in Tehran, was completed in 2014 and is also considered a landmark.[9]

The Roudaki Hall, Tehran

Under the reign of the Qajars, Tehran was home to the royal theatre of Tekye Dowlat, located to the southeast of the Golestan Palace, in which traditional and religious performances were observed. It was eventually demolished and replaced with a bank building in 1947, following the reforms during the reign of Reza Shah.

Before the 1979 Revolution, the Iranian national stage had become the most famous performing scene for known international artists and troupes in the Middle East,[113] with the Roudaki Hall of Tehran constructed to function as the national stage for opera and ballet. The hall was inaugurated in October 1967 and named after prominent Persian poet Rudaki. It is home to the Tehran Symphony Orchestra, the Tehran Opera Orchestra, and the Iranian National Ballet Company.

The City Theater of Tehran, one of Iran's biggest theatre complexes, which contains several performance halls, was opened in 1972. It was built at the initiative and presidency of empress Farah Pahlavi, and was designed by architect Ali Sardar Afkhami, constructed within five years.

The annual events of Fajr Theater Festival and Tehran Puppet Theater Festival take place in Tehran.

Azadi Cinema Complex

Ferdows Garden houses Iran's Cinema Museum.

The first movie theater in Tehran was established by Mirza Ebrahim Khan in 1904.[114] Until the early 1930s, there were 15 theaters in Tehran Province and 11 in other provinces.[115]

In present-day Tehran, most of the movie theatres are located downtown. The complexes of Kourosh Cinema, Mellat Gallery and Cineplex, Azadi Cinema, and Cinema Farhang are among the most popular cinema complexes in Tehran.

Several film festivals are held in Tehran, including Fajr Film Festival, Children and Youth Film Festival, House of Cinema Festival, Mobile Film and Photo Festival, Nahal Festival, Roshd Film Festival, Tehran Animation Festival, Tehran Short Film Festival, and Urban Film Festival.

There are a variety of concert halls in Tehran. An organization like the Roudaki Culture and Art Foundation has five different venues where more than 500 concerts take place this year. Vahdat Hall, Roudaki Hall, Ferdowsi Hall, Hafez Hall and Azadi Theater are the top five venues in Tehran, where classical, pop, traditional, rock or solo concerts take place.[116]

Dizin, Iran's largest ski resort, is located near Tehran.

Football and volleyball are the city's most popular sports, while wrestling, basketball, and futsal are also major parts of the city's sporting culture.

12 ski resorts operate in Iran, the most famous being Tochal, Dizin, and Shemshak, all within one to three hours from the city of Tehran.

Tochal's resort is the world's fifth-highest ski resort at over 3,730 meters (12,240 feet) above sea level at its highest point. It is also the world's nearest ski resort to a capital city. The resort was opened in 1976, shortly before the 1979 Revolution. It is equipped with an 8-kilometre-long (5 mi) gondola lift that covers a huge vertical distance.[117] There are two parallel chair ski lifts in Tochal that reach 3,900 meters (12,800 feet) high near Tochal's peak (at 4,000 m/13,000 ft), rising higher than the gondola's seventh station, which is higher than any of the European ski resorts. From the Tochal peak, there are views of the Alborz range, including the 5,610-metre-high (18,406 ft) Mount Damavand, a dormant volcano.

The Azadi Stadium is the largest football stadium in West Asia.

Tehran is the site of the national stadium of Azadi, the biggest stadium by capacity in West Asia, where many of the top matches of Iran's Premier League are held. The stadium is a part of the Azadi Sport Complex, which was originally built to host the 7th Asian Games in September 1974. This was the first time the Asian Games were hosted in West Asia. Tehran played host to 3,010 athletes from 25 countries/NOCs, which was at the time the highest number of participants since the inception of the Games.[118] That followed hosting the 6th AFC Asian Cup in June 1976, and then the first West Asian Games in November 1997. The success of the games led to the creation of the West Asian Games Federation (WAGF), and the intention of hosting the games every two years.[119] The city had also hosted the final of the 1968 AFC Asian Cup. Several FIVB Volleyball World League courses have also been hosted in Tehran.

There are many restaurants and cafes in Tehran, both modern and classic, serving both Iranian and cosmopolitan cuisine. Pizzerias, sandwich bars, and kebab shops make up the majority of food shops in Tehran.[120]

• 
  A restaurant in Darband
• 
  A pizzeria in Kamyab Street, Tehran
• 
  A Japanese restaurant in Tehran
• 
  Shemroon Cafe, in Tehran's Iranian Art Museum
• 
  30 Tir food street

A scene from the 2016 documentary film Writing on the City, showing graffiti in Tehran's Sa'adat Abad

Many styles of graffiti are seen in Tehran. Some are political and revolutionary slogans painted by governmental organizations,[121] and some are works of art by ordinary citizens, representing their views on both social and political issues. However, unsanctioned street art is forbidden in Iran,[121] and such works are usually short-lived.

During the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests, many graffiti works were created by people supporting the Green Movement. They were removed from the walls by the paramilitary Basij forces.[122]

In recent years, Tehran Municipality has been using graffiti in order to beautify the city. Several graffiti festivals have also taken place in Tehran, including the one organized by the Tehran University of Art in October 2014.[123]

Tehran cooperates with:

• Milan, Italy
• Seoul, South Korea[127]
• Vienna, Austria