Tehran (تهران) became Iran's capital in 1796 under Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, replacing Isfahan. From a small town of 15,000, it grew explosively through the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, Greater Tehran is home to 17+ million people — nearly 20% of Iran's entire population — in a megacity stretching from the foothills of the Alborz Mountains.
Tehran is Iran's political, cultural, financial, and industrial heart. It contains the presidential palace, parliament (Majles), key ministries, and the headquarters of the IRGC and other state institutions. It is also Iran's cultural engine: home to the national museum, major universities, film studios, literary publishing houses, and the grand bazaar.
Tehran has been the epicenter of every major political upheaval: the Constitutional Revolution, the 1953 coup, the 1979 revolution, the Green Movement (2009), and the 2022 and 2025-2026 uprisings. The student protests, bazaar strikes, and street demonstrations of 2025-2026 have once again turned Tehran into the frontline of Iran's struggle for freedom.
The Twelve-Day War (June 2025) — Israel-Iran military conflict severely degrades Iran's military and pushes economy to collapse.
December Uprising (December 2025) — Tehran's Grand Bazaar erupts in protest. Merchants shut stalls. Protests spread to 200+ cities in 72 hours.
January Massacres (January 2026) — IRGC carries out mass killings — thousands killed in 48 hours. 53,000+ arrested. Protests do not stop.
Protests Sweep Iran (Jan–Feb 2026) — University sit-ins, oil worker strikes, women marching without headscarves. The regime loses control.
Global Diaspora Rallies (Jan–Feb 2026) — 150,000+ in LA, 250,000 in Munich, massive rallies in Vancouver, Toronto, London, Berlin. 'Pahlavi will return.'
Tehran became Iran's capital in 1796 when Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar chose it, replacing Isfahan. It had previously been a minor town, but its strategic location near the Alborz Mountains and trade routes made it a natural choice.
How large is Tehran?
The city of Tehran proper has about 9 million people; Greater Tehran (Tehran metropolitan area) has 17+ million — approximately 20% of Iran's total population, making it one of the world's 15 largest urban agglomerations.