Persian Leopard
The Persian leopard is the largest leopard subspecies in the world and still roams the rugged Alborz and Zagros mountain ranges of Iran.
Flag of Iran
Field Report
Iran is a large country in the Middle East, about the size of Alaska, bordered by the Caspian Sea to the north and the Persian Gulf to the south. It is home to more than 85 million people and was once the heart of the great Persian Empire, one of the most powerful civilizations in all of history. Most people in Iran today follow Islam, which means very few have had a chance to hear about Jesus.
From the Field Notebook
Persian Leopard
The Persian leopard is the largest leopard subspecies in the world and still roams the rugged Alborz and Zagros mountain ranges of Iran.
Iranian Cheetah
The Asiatic cheetah, found almost nowhere else on earth, survives in very small numbers in the desert plains of central Iran.
Caspian Seal
The Caspian seal lives only in the Caspian Sea, which borders northern Iran, making it one of the world's rarest seals found in a landlocked body of water.
Ghormeh Sabzi
This deeply savory herb and kidney-bean stew, often served over fluffy saffron rice, is considered by many Iranians to be their national dish.
Barbari Bread
Barbari is a thick, oval flatbread with a crisp golden crust that Iranians often eat fresh from the bakery in the morning with cheese and walnuts.
Saffron Ice Cream
Called bastani, this Persian ice cream is flavored with real saffron and rose water and sometimes has chewy bits of frozen cream folded inside.
Iran sits on top of so much saffron — the world's most expensive spice by weight — that it produces more than 90 percent of the global supply.
The game of backgammon is believed to have been invented in Persia, the ancient name for what is now Iran, more than 5,000 years ago.
Iran's capital, Tehran, sits so close to the Alborz Mountains that on clear days skiers can drive from the city to ski slopes in under an hour.
The Persian Empire was once the largest empire the world had ever seen, stretching from Egypt all the way to the borders of India.
Iran has more than 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the ancient city of Persepolis, which was built around 500 BC and still stands in ruins today.
Daily Life
78
Years life expectancy
89%
Can read and write
100%
Kids go to school
Missions Field Report
Iran is home to 91 distinct people groups — 85 of them haven’t yet heard about Jesus.
Nearly all Iran's people follow Islam (97.4%). Evangelical Christians make up about 1.2% of the population.
What People Believe
Unreached People Groups
These are communities of people who haven’t had the chance to hear about Jesus yet. They need missionaries — and they need kids like you to pray for them.
Persian
44,315,000 people
Azerbaijani, Azeri Turk
18,188,000 people
Kurd, Southern
4,436,000 people
Gilaki, Gilani
3,617,000 people
Luri, Feyli
2,588,000 people
Prayer Journal
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