Holding 20th place in the FIFA rankings, Iran is the strongest football team in Asia, rated higher than both Japan and South Korea. Iran will face England, Wales and the US in the 2022 World Cup group stage. Here are interesting things about the West Asian country that fans can learn before the match.
1. Iran is not an Arab country, and more than half of its population is Persian. People do not speak Arabian but use Persian or Farsi.
2. Ba Tu is the former name of Iran. In 1935, King Reza Shah of Iran changed the province's name to Iran - meaning the land of the Aryan people.
3. Iran has its own schedule, with the first day of the year being the first day of spring - named Nowrouz. The first 6 months of the year have 31 days per month, the next 5 months have 30 days per month and the last month of the year usually has 29 days, or 30 days in the leap year.
4. For Iranans, weekends are Thursday and Friday. On the same day as Saturday in other countries, banks and stores remained open, but some administrative offices may close. Friday is like Sunday in other countries.
5. The Iranian currency unit has two names: Toman and Rial (IRR). Although the official currency is the Rial, people use the Toman in their daily lives. Tourists need to distinguish to avoid confusion when shopping. According to the exchange rate, 1 USD = 42,200 IRR, and 1 Toman is worth 10 Rials.
6. Never raise your index finger to express your love or approval in Iran. For Persian people, this gesture is as rudely as raising the middle finger. Similarly, showing off your nose in public is also considered indecent in Iran.
7. Female students make up the majority in Iran. Despite significant restrictions on female students attending some university courses, more than 65% of university students in Iran are female. Graduating from university is very normal for Iranian women.
8. Iran owns Asia's highest volcano - Damavand peak, 5,609.2 m high. The volcano belongs to the Alborz range near the southern coast of the Caspi Sea.
9. Iran is the cradle of the world-famous Persian carpet for its sophistication and elaborateness. Iran's carpet weaving profession originated during the Do Dong period, carpets are famous around the world when trade has developed strongly since ancient times. Considered luxury goods, Persian carpets are used in royal palaces and the rich. Iran is the world's largest producer and exporter of handmade carpets, accounting for 30% of the world's carpet export market share.
10. Iran is famous for Persian cuisine thanks to its diverse spices and rich flavors.... Visitors should enjoy grilled meat, mixed rice, mast-o-khiar yogurt, Shirazi salad, salted tofu...
