Iran is a border nation and it can easily fit either into Central Asia or West Asia (Middle East). It has ethnic and linguistic affiliations with India, religious relations with the Islamic countries of both West and Central Asia, cultural and historic ties to both areas. It has variously been ruled by Cyrus and Darius (known from ancient Greek history), conquered by Alexander the Great and in turn by ruled by Sassians, Parthians, and Arabs until Genghis Khan conquered it in the 13th century after which it was ruled by Turkomens, Ottoman Turks, and fought over by Europeans. A Shi'ite Islamic nation today, Iran came into world prominence in 1979 when a national religious group, headed by Ayatollah Khomeni, deposed the Shah and founded an Islamic Republic. Today it is trying to reconcile being an Islamic nation with demands of the modern world. For more information on Iran, please click on the above buttons.