2. 1. Discuss important facts and figures about Iran 2. Trace the history of Iran 3. Identify the characteristics of Persian literature 4. Recognize the important contributions of Omar Khayyam to Persian Literature 5. Explain the different stanzas of Rubaiyat 6. Read the expound the poems of Hapiz, Jami, and Sadi

3.  The word Iran means the ‘Land of the Aryan’s.  The for­mer name of Iran was Per­sia, which was in use till 1935  The largest eth­nic group of Iran is Per­sian, con­ sti­tut­ing about 51 per­cent of the population and the major­ity of the pop­u­la­tion of Iran is Shi­ ite Muslim.

4.  Famous west­ern poets influ­enced by Per­sian poets: Ralph Waldo Emer­son, Wolf­gang Von Goethe.  Iran’s con­sti­tu­tion and Par­lia­ment were cre­ated on Aug 5th, 1906.  Iran is one of the world’s old­est con­tin­u­ous major civ­i­liza­tions, with his­tor­i­cal and urban set­tle­ments dat­ing back to 4000 BC.

5.  Persian rugs are still the best rugs in the world.  Iran has world’s best caviar.  Iran has croc­o­diles. It’s tigers were hunted to extinc­tion 50 years ago. But still has the only Asi­atic cheetah.

6.  Major­ity of the pop­u­la­tion of Iran is Shi­ite Muslim.  Iran is one of the world’s old­est con­tin­u­ous major civ­i­liza­tions, with his­tor­i­cal and urban set­tle­ments dat­ing back to 4000 BC.  Per­sian (Farsi) is still spo­ken in Tajikistan and Afghanistan. It was the offi­cial court lan­guage of India for 200 years.  Sur­pris­ingly, Per­sia [Iran] built the ear­li­est known wind­mills, which resem­bled large pad­dle wheels. Iran was pio­neer­ing wind energy long before any other nation real­ized the energy ben­e­fit of God’s nat­ ural energy powerhouse.

7.  Iran is one of the few countries in the world where a couple can have a “TEMPORARY MARRIAGE.” These “marriages” can be valid for as short as an hour.  Iranian transsexuals are allowed to undergo sex-change operations through a decree passed by the founder of the Islamic Republic himself, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

8.  Being the largest producer of pistachio nuts, Iran is considered to be the pistachio capital of the world. Pistachio is the country’s second largest export next to oil and NATURAL GAS.  As the women of Iran are prohibited from attending sporting events, some female football fans resort to cross-dressing to be able to watch live games.

9.  As a staunch advocate of family planning, Iran widely encourages the use of contraception. Moreover, to control population growth, Iran has established one of the few condom factories in the Middle East.  Iran provides home and social security for approximately a million foreign refugees – the biggest number in a single country in the world.

10.  Biblical characters Queen Esther and the prophet Daniel are buried in Iran.  Neckties are not worn or used in Iran.  Iranian households are forbidden to have SATELLITE TELEVISION.

11.  Before the Arab Muslims conquered Persia, the religion of Persia or Iran was something called Zoroastrianism  The word mausoleum comes from the famous grave of King Mausolus. It is a 45-meter-tall marble structure covered with bas relief, is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and is found in Iran