Керман: История и современность города в Иране

City in Kerman province, Iran

Kerman (كرمان; ) is a city in the Central District of Kerman County, Kerman province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. At the 2006 National Census, its population was 496,684 in 127,806 households. The following census in 2011 counted 534,441 people in 147,922 households. The latest census in 2016 showed a population of 537,718 people in 162,677 households. It is the largest and most developed city in the province and one of the most important cities in southeastern Iran. It is also one of the largest cities of Iran in terms of area. Kerman is famous for its long history and strong cultural heritage. The city is home to many historic mosques and Zoroastrian fire temples. Kerman has been the capital city of Iranian dynasties several times during its history. It is located on a large, flat plain, 800 km (500 mi) south east of Tehran, the capital of Iran.

Kerman was founded as a defensive outpost, with the name Veh Ardashir, by Ardashir I, founder of the Sasanian Empire, in the 3rd century AD. After the Battle of Nahāvand in 642, the city came under Muslim rule. At first the city's relative isolation allowed Kharijites and Zoroastrians to thrive there, but the Kharijites were wiped out in 698, and the population was mostly Muslim by 725. Already in the eighth century the city was famous for its manufacture of cashmere wool shawls and other textiles. The Abbasid Caliphate's authority over the region was weak, and power passed in the tenth century to the Buyid emirs. The region and city fell to Mahmud of Ghazni in the late tenth century. The name Kerman was adopted at some point in the tenth century. Under the rule of the Seljuk Turks in the 11th and 12th centuries, Kerman remained virtually independent, conquering Oman and Fars. When Marco Polo visited Kerman in 1271, it had become a major trade emporium linking the Persian Gulf with Khorasan and Central Asia. Subsequently, however, the city was sacked many times by various invaders. Kerman expanded rapidly during the Safavid dynasty. Carpets and rugs were exported to England and Germany during this period. In 1793 Lotf Ali Khan defeated the Qajars, and in 1794 he captured Kerman. But soon after he was besieged in Kerman for six months by Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. When the city fell to Agha Mohammad Khan, angered by the popular support that Lotf Ali Khan had received, many of the male inhabitants were killed or blinded, and a pile was made out of 20,000 detached eyeballs and poured in front of the victorious Agha Mohammad Khan. Many women and children were sold into slavery, and in 90 days the city turned into ruins. However, the Zoroastrians of Kerman who had been strong supporters of Lotf Ali Khan suffered the wrath of the founder of Qajar dynasty the most during this period. The present city of Kerman was rebuilt in the 19th century to the northwest of the old city, but the city did not return to its former size until the 20th century.

The economy of Kerman is mostly based on farming, notably nut farming and also mining. Pistachios are an important part of the economy in Kerman. Carpet weaving is one of the main industries of the city, and the carpets produced there are renowned internationally. Cotton textiles and goats wool shawls are also manufactured. A number of modern establishments such as textile mills and brickworks also have been constructed. The province's mineral wealth includes copper and coal.

The people of Kerman are Persians, and most are Muslim. Kerman is a religious conservative city. Kerman has a small Zoroastrian minority. The population of the city in 1996 was 385,000 and in 2006 was 515,414; the 2013 population was 621,374, including 312,873 male and 308,501 female.

Politics in Kerman are influenced by the former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, his brother and Vice President Mohammad Hashemi Rafsanjani and Hossein Marashi, both from nearby Rafsanjan. Mohammad Javad Bahonar was born in Kerman. He was an Iranian scholar, Shiite theologian and politician who served as the Prime minister of Iran from 15to 30August 1981 when he was assassinated by Mujahedin e Khalq (MEK).

The city is home to athletic teams representing different sports. Mes Kerman is the major football team of the city. It was promoted to Iran's top league, the Persian Gulf Pro League, in the 2005–06 season. The team is named after and sponsored by Kerman's copper industries. This team has a history of participating in the AFC Champions League. The team now competes in the Azadegan League. MES handball team is in the top league. MES cycling team is in the top league of cycling in the country. MES chess team is in the first league of the country. The city's baseball team, known as the Boshra Baseball Academy, won the country's baseball cup for the first time in 2013.

Kerman is the media hub of the Kerman Province. Newspapers are published in the city, such as Kerman Emruz (Kerman Today) and Bidari. Hadis–Pasargad is a weekly newspaper. Kerman has a 24 hour TV channel known as the Kerman Channel or Channel 5. The city also has a radio station.

Kerman is on the Tehran, Bandar Abbas and Zahedan route. Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani Airport is considered one of Iran's main airports. It has daily and weekly flights to Tehran, Ahwaz, Yazd, Esfahan, Bandar Abbas, Mashhad and Shiraz.

The city has hospitals.

Kerman is located on a high margin of Kavir e Lut (Lut Desert) in the south central part of Iran. The city is surrounded by mountains. Kerman is also located along the Saheb Al Zaman mountain. The city is 1,755 m (5,758 ft) above sea level, making it third in elevation among provincial capitals in Iran. Winter brings very cold nights to Kerman. Mountains in the south and southeast Jftan Joopar and Plvar and Kerman have snow all year round. Kerman is located at latitude 30.29 and longitude 57.06.

For Iranian paleontologists, Kerman has always been considered a fossil paradise. The discovery of new dinosaur footprints in 2005 renewed hopes for better understanding the history of this area.