Iran, or Persia as it was formerly known, has been of interest to outsiders for millennia. From the Greco-Persian wars of antiquity, through the rise and flourishing of Islam, to the age of European imperialist expansion in the East, Iran has been a central player in global history. Drawn by its strategic location along the Silk Road, ancient and distinctive culture and abundant natural resources, foreign diplomats, traders and travelers have been coming to Iran for centuries.,
The Islamic Revolution of 1979 and subsequent events put a strain on Iran’s relationship with the outside world, particularly the West, leading to sanctions and a decline in tourism and trade. Yet by early 2016, following the JCPOA agreement over Iran’s Parliament, the country’s attractiveness to outsiders greatly increased, with travelers and business people once more setting their sight on Iran,