Iran
noun
a republic in SW Asia. About 635,000 sq. mi. (1,644,650 sq. km). Teheran.
Iran
1 American
[ih-ran, ih-rahn, ahy-ran]
/ ɪˈræn, ɪˈrɑn, aɪˈræn /
noun
Iran.
2
American
abbreviation
Iran
British
/ ɪˈrɑːn /
noun
Iran
Cultural
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In 1979, Iranian militants attacked the U.S. embassy and seized hostages, including sixty-two Americans, who were held until 1981.
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ruled from 1979 until his death in 1989, imposing strict Islamic law.
The United States supported the regime of the shah (king) Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who was forced by popular opposition to leave the country in 1979.
The 1990s saw some moderating elements emerge to challenge the conservative heirs to Khomeini.
The Iranian government was widely believed to have controlled the taking of U. S. hostages in Lebanon. (See Iran-Contra affair.)
Core of the ancient Persian Empire, Iran was known as Persia until 1935.
Iraq unsuccessfully invaded Iran in 1980.
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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Whether Iran had the ability to pull off such an attack isn’t clear, but the debacle shows how advances in technology and shifting shape of war are changing age-old tactics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Following the fall of the Assad regime in early December 2024, Hassan is believed to have initially escaped to Iran.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Economists say risks for industrial demand remain to the downside as the war in Iran keeps driving up energy costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Leading economic institutes recently upgraded their growth forecasts for the Germany economy for 2026 to 1.3 percent, saying it had weathered the fallout from the Iran war better than feared.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
Post-revolution, Iran had issued a new form of birth certificates, and we needed to secure replacements.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
“However, high oil prices could quickly unwind if there is a deal between the U.S. and Iran. This could also cause a recovery in bonds and a drop in yields.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
“In the interim, they are prisoners of geography. They don’t have too many options but to engage Iran. Iran is in the position where it knows that people will have to talk to it now.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
“This is also about the fans. People come from everywhere, even from Iran. So we’re concerned about their safety.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
"I love him because he said he would help the people of Iran. I hate him because he didn't."
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026
“I’ve always wanted to see Iran. But my parents don’t want to risk it.”
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
