Iranian culture has lived through tumultuous times dating back over three thousand years. To understand the people of Persia it is necessary to understand the geography, customs and courtesies, the history of the fall and empirical creation, and the government that includes the will of the people. Modern Iran can be considered the most formidable power in the Southwest Asian region. Iran can be described as “a land where Persian lyric poetry competes with rigorous interpretations of Islam for the soul of a people.” The Republic of Iran, formerly known to outsiders as Persia, is a focal point of ancient civilization. The word Iran evolved from the word Aryanam which translates to land of the Aryans. Iran's position between the Mediterranean world, Central Asia, and the Middle East has made it vulnerable to being overrun by any number of invaders while itself taking turns as a superpower. The large land mass of Iran is located at the pivotal point between the Middle East and the Central Area. Asia creates many borders with neighboring countries. Iran borders Iraq and Turkey to the west: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to the north; and Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east. Iran also borders the Gulf of Oman and the Caspian Sea. Compared to the US state, Iran is larger than Alaska and covers 1.6 million square kilometers. Iran is described as a mountainous land, with two large salt deserts and its highest point is Mount Damavand at 18,400 feet. Sea level marks the lowest point in Iran. There are four seasons every year in Iran, with mild spring and autumn. Heavy snow falls in the mountainous regions of the country. Although overall rainfall rarely reaches the national average of 10 inches. The high places generally receive double half the paper in the future of US politicians. One thing is clear: Iranian leaders intend to pave the way for progress regardless of external pressures. The future of Iran and its people will likely depend on its leaders' desire to guide Iran toward the status of a Middle Eastern superpower. Works Cited Np: np, nd Web. June 12, 2014.Szczepanski, Kallie. Np: About.com and Web. 12 June 2014. Mousavian, Seyed HNp: np, 2014. Web. 12 June 2014. http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/dossiers/2014/03/201433111714876246.htmlAmjad, Mohammed . IRAN From royal dictatorship to theocracy. Westport, Conn.: GREENWOOD PRESS, 1989. Print.Majd, Hooman. THE AYATOLLAH ALLOWS DIFFERENCE. First ed. New York: DOUBLEDAY, 2008. 2. Print.