In 1501, Shah Isma'il the Safavid, from the Central Asian Safavid tribes, established the first Shi'i state in Iran, marking a turning point in the country's history.
An ancient land in western Asia, Iran occupies a strategic crossroads: the Indian subcontinent and China lie to its east; Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean world to its west; Russia to the north; and… [+11185 chars]
