Persepolis was founded by Darius I around 518 BC and served as the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire.
The Islamic Republic of Iran
IranSouthern Asia-0:30Hours behind the UAE
About the Country
General Information
National Identity
Official Language(s)Persian (Farsi)
National CurrencyIranian Rial (IRR)
National Day(s)1 April (Islamic Republic Day)
Capitals
Political / Administrative CapitalTehran
Economic CapitalTehran
Cultural CapitalIsfahan
Transport & Connectivity
Flight Duration from the UAE≈ 2 – 2.5 h
Direct flights (currently suspended)
Primary AirportImam Khomeini International Airport (IKA)
Primary PortPort of Shahid Rajaee
Geography
Land Area-
Length of the Coastline2,440 km
Highest PointMount Damavand (5,625 m)
Primary Inland Water Body / RiverLake Urmia (largest inland water body)
ClimateMostly arid or semi-arid; subtropical along the Caspian coast
Border Countries
ArmeniaAzerbaijanTurkmenistanAfghanistanPakistanIraqTurkiye
7Last Updated: July 2026Source: Internal Research
Key Facts
The Persian Qanat World Heritage Site consists of eleven ancient water systems that transport groundwater through underground tunnels using gravity.
The 1,394-kilometer Trans-Iranian Railway was completed in 1938 and includes 174 large bridges and 224 tunnels.
Iran’s Lut Desert has recorded a land surface temperature of 70.7°C and contains some of the world’s most spectacular wind-eroded yardang formations.
The Hyrcanian Forests have a history dating back 25 to 50 million years and contain more than 3,200 documented vascular plant species.
The UNESCO-listed Persian Garden consists of nine gardens whose design principles have roots in the era of Cyrus the Great and influenced garden design as far as India and Spain.
The traditional skills of carpet weaving in Kashan were inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010.
Chogan is a traditional Iranian horse-riding game with a history of more than 2,000 years and was inscribed by UNESCO in 2017 on its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Yalda or Chella, celebrated on the last night of autumn in Iran and Afghanistan, was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List in 2022.
Iran was one of the five founding members of OPEC when the organization was established in Baghdad in September 1960.
Iran held the world’s second-largest proved natural gas reserves in 2023, estimated at about 1,200 trillion cubic feet.
Oil was discovered in commercial quantities at Masjed Soleyman in 1908, marking the first commercial oil discovery in the Middle East.
Last Updated: July 2026Source: Internal Research
Economic Overview
Macroeconomic Snapshot
GDP, current prices-USD Billions
Real GDP growth-Annual percent change (%)
GDP per capita, current prices-USD per capita
Population-Millions of people
General government gross debt-% of GDP
Income levelWorld Bank classification-
Economic Comparison
| Indicator |  UAE | IranUAE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GDP, current pricesUSD Billions | - | - | |
| GDP, PPPCurrent int$ | - | - | |
| Real GDP growthAnnual percent change (%) | - | - | |
| GDP per capita, current pricesUSD per capita | - | - | |
| PopulationMillions of people | - | - | |
| Unemployment rate% of total labor force | - | - | |
| Inflation rate (avg. consumer prices)Annual percent change (%) | - | - | |
| General government gross debt% of GDP | - | - | |
| Income levelWorld Bank classification | - | - |
Foreign Trade
No data available for this section yet.
Political Overview
Leadership
Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei
Since March 2026
H.E. Dr. Mohammad Reza Aref
Since January 2024
H.E. Masoud Pezeshkian
Since July 2024
H.E. Dr. Abbas Araghchi
Since August 2024
H.E. Dr. Ali Madanizadeh
Since June 2025
H.E. Seyed Mohammad Atabak
Since August 2024
H.E. Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi
Since October 2026
Political Summary
Political System
Unitary Islamic theocracy
Ruling Party
Principlist-dominated parliament; Reformist-backed President
Main Opposition Force(s)
National Front of Iran: Centre-leftFreedom Movement of Iran (FMI): Centre-leftPeople’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) (headquartered in Albania): Syncretic
Next Presidential Election
Expected in 2028
Next Legislative Election
2028
Last Updated: October 2026Source: Internal Research
Membership in Key Organizations and Blocs
42Organizations
19Member
6Founding Member
9Partner, Observer or Participant
8Not a Member
No organisation matches.
Last Updated: July 2026Source: Official websites of the respective organizations
Competitiveness Indexes
| Index | Year | Rank Out of | Iran | UAE |
|---|
No index matches.
Bilateral Relations
Diplomatic Relations and Representation
Date of Establishment of Diplomatic Relations23 Dec 197254 years of relations
UAE Ambassador
No Accredited AmbassadorForeign Ambassador
H.E. Reza AmeriAmbassador of Iran to the UAE · ResidentLast Updated: June 2026Source: MoFA; Internal Research
Flights by UAE Carriers
Passenger Flights
October 2026 figures14Total Weekly Passenger Flights
EYEtihad Airways0
EKEmirates14
FZflydubai0
G9Air Arabia0
Cargo Flights
October 2026 figures0Total Weekly Cargo Flights
EYEtihad Cargo0
EKEmirates SkyCargo0
Last Updated: October 2026Source: GCAA
Consular Information
Tourists | Residents | Students | Golden Visa Holders | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Iran Nationalsin the UAE | - | - | - | - |
UAE Citizensin Iran | - | - | - | - |
Main Agreements and MoUs
| Agreement / MOU | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
CEPAComprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement | - | - |
IPPAInvestment Protection and Promotion Agreement | - | - |
DTADouble Taxation Avoidance Agreement | - | - |
ASAAir Services Agreement | Signed | MoU on air services was signed. |
Ratified— Signed and entered into force
Signed— Signed, but entry into force or ratification is pending
Not Signed— No signed agreement exists
Last Updated: May 2026Source: Internal Research
UAE Foreign Assistance
| UAE Aid to Iran | Total Amount |
|---|---|
| Amount (USD Mn) | - |
Bilateral Visits
Official Visits from the UAE
- H.E. Lana NusseibehMinister of StateFeb2026
- H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al NahyanDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign AffairsJul2024
Official Visits to the UAE
- H.E. Brigadier General Aziz NasirzadehMinister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics of IranNov2025
- H.E. Dr. Shina AnsariVice President of IranJan2025
- H.E. Hossein Amir-AbdollahianMinister of Foreign Affairs of IranJun2023
- H.E. Ali ShamkhaniSecretary of the Supreme National Security Council of IranMar2023
The officials’ titles shown reflect the positions held at the time of the visit.
Last Updated: April 2026Source: Internal Research
Trade
Non-Oil Bilateral Trade
-
Rank Among UAE's Trade Partners
-Non-oil trade partner of the UAE
-Source of UAE imports
-Destination for UAE exports
-Destination for UAE re‑exports
Key Trade Commodities
-
Foreign Direct Investment Flows
Jan 2021 – Sep 2026
FDI Inflows (Into the UAE)144.7USD Millions
FDI Outflows (UAE Abroad)-
Capex and jobs data include estimated values.
Last Updated: November 2026Source: fDi Markets
Major Companies and Investments
Major Iranian Companies in the UAE
Iran KhodroAutomotive manufacturing and export
SAIPA GroupAutomotive manufacturing
National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC)Oil and energy
MAPNA GroupPower and engineering
Major UAE Companies in Iran
Mubadala Investment Company-
DP World-
Masdar-
Last Updated: April 2026Source: Internal Research
Business Support
Dubai Chambers
Business Council(s)Iranian Business Council
International Office(s)-
UAE-Iran Joint Business Council
Joint Business Council(s)Last meeting held in May 2023.
Last Updated: September 2026Source: Various UAE Chambers
Cooperation Opportunities
No data available for this section yet.