- 1. Iranian history dates back thousands of years, with a rich and complex heritage that encompasses various empires, dynasties, cultural achievements, and influences. From the ancient Persian civilizations such as the Achaemenid Empire, Parthian Empire, and Sassanian Empire, to the Islamic conquests, the Safavid Empire, and the modern era, Iran has played a significant role in shaping world history. The country has contributed to art, literature, philosophy, science, and technology, and has experienced periods of great prosperity and cultural flourishing, as well as challenges and conflicts. Iranian history is characterized by its diverse influences, including Zoroastrianism, Islam, and Persian traditions, which have all contributed to shaping the unique identity of the Iranian people and their fascinating history.
Who was the last Shah of Iran before the Iranian Revolution of 1979?
A) Fazlollah Zahedi
B) Reza Shah
C) Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
D) Abdol-Hossein Farmanfarmaian
- 2. What year did the Islamic Revolution take place in Iran?
A) 1979
B) 1999
C) 1985
D) 1963
- 3. What name is given to the Iran-Iraq War that lasted from 1980 to 1988?
A) Arab-Persian War
B) First Persian Gulf War
C) Iran-Iraq Conflict
D) Persian-Arab War
- 4. Who was the first Pahlavi shah of Iran?
A) Reza Shah
B) Ali Khamenei
C) Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
D) Hassan Rouhani
- 5. What ancient empire was centered in modern-day Iran and was known for its extensive road system and innovative postal service?
A) Achaemenid Empire
B) Parthian Empire
C) Seljuk Empire
D) Sasanian Empire
- 6. Which event took place on November 4, 1979, where Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran?
A) Iran-Contra Affair
B) Iran hostage crisis
C) Tehran Conference
D) Operation Eagle Claw
- 7. Who was the first woman to become a judge in Iran after the Islamic Revolution?
A) Maryam Mirzakhani
B) Fatema Soltani
C) Marjane Satrapi
D) Shirin Ebadi
- 8. What is the name of the Persian New Year celebration that usually falls on March 21?
A) Mehregan
B) Nowruz
C) Sizdah Bedar
D) Shabe Yalda
- 9. Who was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire in the 6th century BC?
A) Darius the Great
B) Xerxes I
C) Cyrus the Great
D) Artaxerxes I
- 10. What is the official language of Iran?
A) Persian
B) Arabic
C) Turkish
D) Kurdish
- 11. Who was the Iranian prime minister overthrown in a coup orchestrated by the CIA in 1953?
A) Amir-Abbas Hoveida
B) Hassan Ali Mansur
C) Ali Amini
D) Mohammad Mosaddegh
- 12. What is the capital city of Iran?
A) Shiraz
B) Isfahan
C) Tabriz
D) Tehran
- 13. Which Iranian filmmaker won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his film 'A Separation'?
A) Majid Majidi
B) Abbas Kiarostami
C) Asghar Farhadi
D) Jafar Panahi
- 14. Which Persian polymath and philosopher is known for his work 'The Canon of Medicine'?
A) Al-Farabi
B) Al-Khwarizmi
C) Rumi
D) Avicenna
- 15. What is the name of the traditional Iranian bread baked in tandoor ovens?
A) Barbari
B) Sangak
C) Taftan
D) Naan
- 16. Who is the current Supreme Leader of Iran as of 2021?
A) Ali Khamenei
B) Mohammad Javad Zarif
C) Ruhollah Khomeini
D) Hassan Rouhani
- 17. What was the name of the ancient Persian religion founded by Zarathustra?
A) Bábism
B) Zoroastrianism
C) Mithraism
D) Manichaeism
- 18. Which famous ancient Persian city is known for its massive terrace of royal palaces?
A) Hamadan
B) Persepolis
C) Pasargadae
D) Susa
- 19. Which dynasty is known for establishing Twelver Shia Islam as the state religion of Iran?
A) Sassanian Empire
B) Qajar Dynasty
C) Safavid Dynasty
D) Achaemenid Empire
- 20. Which region of Iran is known for its oil reserves and has been a focal point in geopolitics?
A) Baluchistan
B) Khuzestan
C) Gilān
D) Kurdistan
- 21. The Persian Empire reached its greatest territorial extent under which ruler?
A) Darius I
B) Cyrus the Great
C) Artaxerxes II
D) Xerxes I
- 22. Which city in Iran is known for its historical bridges and where the 17th-century Safavid King Shah Abbas I is buried?
A) Shiraz
B) Tehran
C) Isfahan
D) Tabriz
- 23. Who led the 2009 protests in Iran following the controversial presidential election results?
A) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
B) Ayatollah Khamenei
C) Mir Hossein Mousavi
D) Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
- 24. Which Persian king is known for issuing the first known written laws in human history?
A) Cyrus the Great
B) Ashurbanipal
C) Nebuchadnezzar II
D) Hammurabi
- 25. What was the name of the military force in Iran that once protected the Persian shah?
A) Basij
B) Revolutionary Guard
C) Imperial Guard
D) Green Berets
- 26. In Iran, what is the traditional beverage made from yogurt, salt, and water mixed together called?
A) Rashtkhar
B) Qaymagh
C) Doogh
D) Sahlab
- 27. Which body of water provides Iran with access to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean?
A) Bosphorus Strait
B) Strait of Hormuz
C) Gulf of Oman
D) Strait of Malacca
- 28. Which Iranian city is famous for its ancient archaeological site of Persepolis?
A) Isfahan
B) Tabriz
C) Tehran
D) Shiraz
- 29. Which medieval Persian poet is known for his epic work, the Shahnameh?
A) Saadi
B) Hafez
C) Rumi
D) Ferdowsi
- 30. Which ancient Iranian prophet founded the religion of Zoroastrianism?
A) Ahura Mazda
B) Mazdak
C) Zarathustra
D) Mani
- 31. Who was the 13th-century Persian poet known for his collection of quatrains called the Rubaiyat?
A) Hafez
B) Omar Khayyam
C) Rumi
D) Saadi
- 32. Who led the 1979 Iranian Revolution that resulted in the overthrow of the Shah?
A) Abolhassan Banisadr
B) Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
C) Ayatollah Khomeini
D) Mir-Hossein Mousavi
- 33. In what year did the Iran-Iraq War commence?
A) 1967
B) 1980
C) 2003
D) 1991
- 34. What is the official religion of Iran?
A) Christianity
B) Islam
C) Zoroastrianism
D) Judaism
- 35. Which Iranian city is known for its ancient mudbrick architecture and windcatchers?
A) Tabriz
B) Yazd
C) Shiraz
D) Isfahan
- 36. Which mountain range forms a natural barrier between Iran and the rest of southwestern Asia?
A) Zagros Mountains
B) Kopet Dag Range
C) Alborz Mountains
D) Elburz Mountains
- 37. Which ancient city in present-day Iran was known as the capital of the Parthian Empire?
A) Ecbatana
B) Ctesiphon
C) Susa
D) Pasargadae
- 38. What is the fundamental book of ethics in Zoroastrianism that contains the teachings of Zarathustra?
A) Zend
B) Avesta
C) Gathas
D) Vendidad
- 39. What is the name of the square in Tehran known for its protests and public gatherings?
A) Mellat Park
B) Valiasr Square
C) Enghelab Square
D) Azadi Square
- 40. What is the largest ethnic group in Iran?
A) Kurds
B) Persians
C) Azeris
D) Armenians
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