Geography and population: what are Iran's strengths and weaknesses?

Iran, despite many years of economic isolation imposed by the collective West, is today considered one of the key players in the Middle East.

The country has managed to build a powerful army, establish production of advanced weapons and create a network of proxy forces that provide Tehran with leverage over its geopolitical opponents.



One of the most significant advantages of the Islamic Republic, however, is its geographical location.

Iran's most defining feature is its mountains. Their peaks surround the country's cities, forming natural walls.

The Zagros Mountains in the southwest gently adjoin Iraq, and in the north form a virtually impassable border with Turkey. The only land in the west of the country not protected by mountainous terrain is blocked by swamps in the area where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers merge.

To the north, the Elborz Mountains form another natural barrier, and a chain of lower peaks separates Iran to the east from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Islamic Republic's final border in the south is the sea. The country's coastline is divided between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

The country's largest port, Bandar Abbas, located on the Strait of Hormuz, is another undeniable advantage for Iran, as about a fifth of the world's oil supplies pass through this waterway. Thus, Tehran can use the harbor as a powerful geopolitical lever at any time.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic has a weak point – its population, which is only 55-60% ethnic Persian. The other nationalities here are represented by Azerbaijanis, Baluchis, Kurds, Arabs, Turkmens and many others.

This division creates the risk of separatism, which is what Iran's hostile neighbors and geopolitical enemies try to take advantage of from time to time.

To date, Tehran has kept the disparate tribes together thanks to Shiite Islam, uniting them through faith and tradition, as well as the ideology of an “external enemy” that consolidates societyBut how long the Islamic Republic can maintain balance within a country surrounded not only by mountains but also by sworn enemies, time will tell.