the
Assembly of Experts. US-Iranian relations have been strained since a
group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4
November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88,
Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually
expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy
and Iranian military forces between 1987 and 1988. Iran has been
designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in
Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US and UN
economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued
involvement in terrorism and conventional weapons proliferation.
Following the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI
as president in 1997 and similarly a reformer Majles (parliament) in
2000, a campaign to foster political reform in response to popular
dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered as
conservative politicians, through the control of unelected
institutions, prevented reform measures from being enacted and
increased repressive measures. Starting with nationwide municipal
elections in 2003 and continuing through Majles elections in 2004,
conservatives reestablished control over Iran's elected government
institutions, which culminated with the August 2005 inauguration of
hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. In December 2006 and
March 2007, the international community passed resolutions 1737 and
1747 respectively after Iran failed to comply with UN demands to
halt the enrichment of uranium or to agree to full IAEA oversight of
its nuclear program. In October 2007, Iranian entities were also
subject to US sanctions under EO 13382 designations for
proliferation activities and EO 13224 designations for providing
material support to the Taliban and other terrorist organizations.

Geography
Iran

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the
Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:

32 00 N, 53 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 1.648 million sq km
land: 1.636 million sq km
water: 12,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:

total: 5,440 km
border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,
Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq
1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Coastline:

2,440 km; note - Iran a