Zahedan

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City in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran

title: "Zahedan" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cities-in-sistan-and-baluchestan-province", "zahedan", "populated-places-in-zahedan-county", "iranian-provincial-capitals"] description: "City in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zahedan" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary City in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
official_nameZahedan
native_nameزاهدان
settlement_typeCity
image_skylineZahedan in one.png
image_captionPhotomontage of Zahedan
image_sealZahedan.Municipality.svg
pushpin_mapIran
coordinates
coordinates_footnotes
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameIran
subdivision_type1Province
subdivision_type2County
subdivision_type3District
subdivision_name1Sistan and Baluchestan
subdivision_name2Zahedan
subdivision_name3Central
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameMohammad Amir Barahuyi
elevation_m1352
population_urban587730
population_footnotes
population_as_of2016
population_density_km2auto
area_code+98-54
blank_nameClimate
blank_infoBWh
website
timezoneIRST
utc_offset+3:30
::

::callout[type=note]

::

| official_name = Zahedan | native_name = زاهدان | settlement_type = City | image_skyline = Zahedan in one.png | imagesize = | image_caption = Photomontage of Zahedan | image_seal = Zahedan.Municipality.svg | mapsize = | pushpin_map = Iran | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Iran | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_type3 = District | subdivision_name1 = Sistan and Baluchestan | subdivision_name2 = Zahedan | subdivision_name3 = Central | established_title = | established_date = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Mohammad Amir Barahuyi | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = | elevation_m = 1352 | population_urban = 587730 |population_footnotes = | population_metro = | population_as_of = 2016 | population_est = | population_est_as_of = | population_density_km2 = auto | area_code = +98-54 | blank_name = Climate | blank_info = BWh | website = | footnotes = | timezone = IRST | utc_offset = +3:30

Zahedan (Balochi and ; ) is a city in the Central District of Zahedan County, Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is near the borderlands between Iran and Pakistan in an area inhabited by Baloch people.

Etymology

The original name of the city was Duzzap (Persian: Duzdab, meaning "Water Stolen"), which it had received due to the abrupt floods into the valley. The name was later changed to Zahedan (Persian for "hermits") during Reza Shah's visit in 1929.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Makki_Mosque_in_Zahedan.jpg" caption="[[Makki Mosque"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Ali_Ibn_Abi_Talib_(AS)_Mosque.jpg" caption="Ali Ibn Abi Talib Mosque"] ::

Mention of Zahedan first appears in sources in August 1849. However, the city first truly started to grow during the early 20th century. During World War I it became the westernmost terminal of the Zahedan railway station, which reached as far as Quetta in the northern part of what was then British Baluchistan.

The city was the site of a deadly crackdown in October 2022, with dozens citizens killed by pro-governmental forces. Over 90 people were killed. Two senior police officials were fired in the aftermath of the crackdown. On 28 October, there were protests in Zahedan and security forces fired on protestors, killing 98 and injuring 14.

On 3 November 2022, the Shi'i cleric and Khamenei loyalist Sajjad Shahraki was assassinated in Zahedan. The next day, there were widespread protests in the city; Revolutionary Guards and other armed forces fired on protestors.

Demographics

Population

While the surrounding area boasts numerous ancient sites, Zahedan itself primarily developed in the 20th century. It transitioned from a small village to the provincial administrative center in the 1930s. Its population reached 17,500 by 1956, and increased more than fivefold to 93,000 by 1976. After 1980, large numbers of refugees fleeing the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan helped triple the population of Zahedan to more than 281,000 by 1986, a number which has since doubled again.

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 552,706 in 109,488 households. The following census in 2011 counted 560,725 people in 134,088 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 587,730 people in 146,717 households.

Geography

Location

Zahedan is connected by rail to nearby Pakistan and is near to Afghanistan. It is about 41 km south of the tripoint of the three countries and at an altitude of 1352 m above sea level and 1605 km from the Iranian capital of Tehran. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Municipality_Building.jpg" caption="Zahedan Municipality"] ::

Climate

Zahedan has a hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh, Trewartha: BWhk). Precipitation is very low, and mostly falls in winter.

Zahedan experiences very hot summers, there are 84.7 days per year with maximum temperature above 35 C, of which 7 days have a daily maximum above 40 C. Winters are quite cold with minimum temperatures below 0 C for 43.7 days annually. Zahedan also experiences 81.3 days a year with haze.

|width = auto |location = Zahedan (1991–2020, extremes 1961-present) |metric first = Y |single line = Y | precipitation colour = green | unit precipitation days =1.0 mm |Jan record high C = 27.0 |Feb record high C = 29.8 |Mar record high C = 34.5 |Apr record high C = 37.4 |May record high C = 41.0 |Jun record high C = 43.4 |Jul record high C = 43.0 |Aug record high C = 43.2 |Sep record high C = 41.0 |Oct record high C = 36.4 |Nov record high C = 32.6 |Dec record high C = 28.6 | Jan high C =14.8 | Feb high C =17.7 | Mar high C =22.4 | Apr high C =28.4 | May high C =33.1 | Jun high C =36.4 | Jul high C =37.4 | Aug high C =36.0 | Sep high C =32.9 | Oct high C =28.2 | Nov high C =21.9 | Dec high C =17.1 | year high C = | Jan mean C =7.5 | Feb mean C =10.5 | Mar mean C =15.3 | Apr mean C =21.1 | May mean C =25.9 | Jun mean C =29.2 | Jul mean C =30.3 | Aug mean C =28.2 | Sep mean C =24.0 | Oct mean C =18.9 | Nov mean C =13.0 | Dec mean C =8.6 | year mean C = | Jan low C =0.8 | Feb low C =3.7 | Mar low C =8.4 | Apr low C =13.2 | May low C =17.5 | Jun low C =19.9 | Jul low C =20.8 | Aug low C =18.1 | Sep low C =13.7 | Oct low C =9.6 | Nov low C =4.9 | Dec low C =1.0 | year low C = |Jan record low C =-22.0 |Feb record low C =-14.0 |Mar record low C =-7.0 |Apr record low C =-1.0 |May record low C = 1.4 |Jun record low C = 10.8 |Jul record low C = 12.0 |Aug record low C = 8.0 |Sep record low C =2.0 |Oct record low C =-4.0 |Nov record low C =-11.0 |Dec record low C =-16.0

| Jan precipitation mm =16.5 | Feb precipitation mm =12.4 | Mar precipitation mm =13.9 | Apr precipitation mm =8.6 | May precipitation mm =3.6 | Jun precipitation mm =1.2 | Jul precipitation mm =1.0 | Aug precipitation mm =0.2 | Sep precipitation mm =0.1 | Oct precipitation mm =4.0 | Nov precipitation mm =3.9 | Dec precipitation mm =12.5 | year precipitation mm = | Jan precipitation days =2.7 | Feb precipitation days =2.1 | Mar precipitation days =2.5 | Apr precipitation days =1.8 | May precipitation days =1 | Jun precipitation days =0.2 | Jul precipitation days =0.1 | Aug precipitation days =0 | Sep precipitation days =0.1 | Oct precipitation days =0.5 | Nov precipitation days =0.8 | Dec precipitation days =1.3 | year precipitation days = | Jan snow days =0.7 | Feb snow days =0.4 | Mar snow days =0.1 | Apr snow days =0 | May snow days =0 | Jun snow days =0 | Jul snow days =0 | Aug snow days =0 | Sep snow days =0 | Oct snow days =0 | Nov snow days =0 | Dec snow days =0.3 | year snow days =

| Jan humidity =48 | Feb humidity =43 | Mar humidity =37 | Apr humidity =28 | May humidity =21 | Jun humidity =16 | Jul humidity =16 | Aug humidity =16 | Sep humidity =17 | Oct humidity =25 | Nov humidity =35 | Dec humidity =42 | year humidity = | Jan dew point C =-4.6 | Feb dew point C =-3.5 | Mar dew point C =-2.0 | Apr dew point C =-0.4 | May dew point C =0.2 | Jun dew point C =-0.4 | Jul dew point C =0.8 | Aug dew point C =-1.3 | Sep dew point C =-3.9 | Oct dew point C =-3.5 | Nov dew point C =-4.1 | Dec dew point C =-5.7

| Jan sun =231 | Feb sun =221 | Mar sun =240 | Apr sun =267 | May sun =307 | Jun sun =329 | Jul sun =344 | Aug sun =342 | Sep sun =316 | Oct sun =298 | Nov sun =262 | Dec sun =229 | year sun = | Jan light = 10.5 | Feb light = 11.2 | Mar light = 12 | Apr light = 12.9 | May light = 13.6 | Jun light = 14 | Jul light = 13.8 | Aug light = 13.2 | Sep light = 12.3 | Oct light = 11.5 | Nov light = 10.7 | Dec light = 10.3 | year light= | Jan uv =4 | Feb uv =6 | Mar uv =9 | Apr uv =11 | May uv =12 | Jun uv =12 | Jul uv =12 | Aug uv =12 | Sep uv =10 | Oct uv =8 | Nov uv =5 | Dec uv =4 | year uv = |source =NOAA NCEI(1961–1990 extremes) |source 2 =Weather atlas

|collapsed = yes |width = auto |location = Zahedan (1955–2010) |metric first = Y |single line = Y |Jan record high C = 27.0 |Feb record high C = 29.8 |Mar record high C = 34.0 |Apr record high C = 38.0 |May record high C = 41.0 |Jun record high C = 43.0 |Jul record high C = 43.0 |Aug record high C = 43.0 |Sep record high C = 41.0 |Oct record high C = 38.0 |Nov record high C = 31.0 |Dec record high C = 28.0 |Jan high C = 14.3 |Feb high C = 17.0 |Mar high C = 21.9 |Apr high C = 27.7 |May high C = 32.5 |Jun high C = 36.2 |Jul high C = 37.0 |Aug high C = 35.8 |Sep high C = 32.5 |Oct high C = 27.8 |Nov high C = 21.8 |Dec high C = 16.7 |Jan mean C = 7.2 |Feb mean C = 10.2 |Mar mean C = 15.0 |Apr mean C = 20.1 |May mean C = 24.5 |Jun mean C = 27.5 |Jul mean C = 28.6 |Aug mean C = 26.6 |Sep mean C = 22.7 |Oct mean C = 18.2 |Nov mean C = 12.8 |Dec mean C = 8.8 |Jan low C = 0.2 |Feb low C = 3.1 |Mar low C = 7.9 |Apr low C = 12.4 |May low C = 16.3 |Jun low C = 18.9 |Jul low C = 20.0 |Aug low C = 17.5 |Sep low C = 12.9 |Oct low C = 8.5 |Nov low C = 3.8 |Dec low C = 1.0 |Jan record low C = −22.0 |Feb record low C = −14.0 |Mar record low C = −7.0 |Apr record low C = −1.0 |May record low C = 1.4 |Jun record low C = 10.8 |Jul record low C = 11.0 |Aug record low C = 8.0 |Sep record low C = 2.0 |Oct record low C = −4.0 |Nov record low C = −11.0 |Dec record low C = −16.0 |precipitation colour=green |Jan precipitation mm = 21.1 |Feb precipitation mm = 17.3 |Mar precipitation mm = 15.7 |Apr precipitation mm = 10.6 |May precipitation mm = 4.5 |Jun precipitation mm = 0.8 |Jul precipitation mm = 1.3 |Aug precipitation mm = 0.5 |Sep precipitation mm = 0.1 |Oct precipitation mm = 2.2 |Nov precipitation mm = 4.0 |Dec precipitation mm = 11.2 |Jan rain days = 5.0 |Feb rain days = 4.3 |Mar rain days = 5.0 |Apr rain days = 4.0 |May rain days = 2.6 |Jun rain days = 0.5 |Jul rain days = 0.5 |Aug rain days = 0.1 |Sep rain days = 0.2 |Oct rain days = 1.0 |Nov rain days = 1.5 |Dec rain days = 2.7 |Jan snow days = 0.6 |Feb snow days = 0.3 |Mar snow days = 0.1 |Apr snow days = 0 |May snow days = 0 |Jun snow days = 0 |Jul snow days = 0 |Aug snow days = 0 |Sep snow days = 0 |Oct snow days = 0 |Nov snow days = 0 |Dec snow days = 0.3 |Jan humidity = 54 |Feb humidity = 47 |Mar humidity = 40 |Apr humidity = 32 |May humidity = 26 |Jun humidity = 21 |Jul humidity = 21 |Aug humidity = 21 |Sep humidity = 22 |Oct humidity = 29 |Nov humidity = 38 |Dec humidity = 48 |Jan sun = 215.1 |Feb sun = 209.2 |Mar sun = 224.9 |Apr sun = 251.6 |May sun = 304.5 |Jun sun = 316.8 |Jul sun = 330.7 |Aug sun = 333.8 |Sep sun = 308.1 |Oct sun = 294.0 |Nov sun = 252.9 |Dec sun = 217.3 |source 1 =NOAA (1961–1990){{Cite FTP |url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/IR/40856.TXT |server = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title = Zahedan Climate Normals 1961–1990 |access-date = 19 December 2012}} |date=March 2014}}

Economy

Zahedan is the main economic center of the region and home to many small- and medium-scale industries. Its main products include cotton textiles, woven and hand-knotted rugs, ceramics, processed foods, livestock feed, processed hides, milled rice, brick, reed mats and baskets.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Street_view_fountain.jpg" caption="Street view, Zahedan"] ::

Transport

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Zahedan_Railway_Station.jpg" caption="[[Zahedan railway station"] ::

Zahedan is served by Zahedan International Airport.

Highway 95 links Zahedan to Tehran and Mashhad in the north and the port of Bandar Chabahar on the Sea of Oman in the south, and Highway 84 to the Pakistani city of Quetta in the east and to Kerman in the west.

For decades the broad gauge (Indian subcontinent system) railway exists from Zahedan station to/from Quetta's station in Pakistan, the Quetta–Taftan Railway Line. Beyond this, west, a standard gauge line was completed from Zahedan to Kerman linking the city with the rest of the Iranian rail network. This flowed from a 18 May 2007 MOU for rail co-operation (of Pakistan and Iran) under which the line was to be completed by December 2008. It was completed with an opening ceremony on 19 June 2009. This means that Zahedan hosts the break of gauge between the Islamic Republic of Iran Railway's standard gauge tracks of the Trans-Iranian Railway and Pakistan Railway's broad gauge aforementioned.

Chabahar–Zahedan railway

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Iran_railway_en.png" caption="Existing Iran railway network in 2015, Zahedan–Bam–Mirjaveh railway is already complete and operational"] ::

In May 2016, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to Iran, agreement was signed to develop two terminals and five berths at Port of Chabahar and to build a new railway between Chabahar and Zahedan, as part of North–South Transport Corridor, by Indian Railways's public sector unit Ircon International. This proposal is under study and consideration, a via Kerman connection to the port of Chabahar.

In July 2016, India began shipping US$150 million of tracks to Chabahar to build the US$1.6 billion line, for which India pledged additional US$400 million and Iran has also allocated US$125 million in December 2016, thus taking the total allocation to US$575 million (out of US$1.6 billion needed) by the end of 2016.

Sports

In April 2008 the 70 billion IRR (about 2.5 million USD) Zahedan Stadium was built with a seating capacity of 15,000 people. It was inaugurated on 18 April 2008 with a friendly football game between Honarmandan (Artists) and a local team.

Education

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/University_of_Sistan_and_Baluchestan.JPG" caption="[[University of Sistan and Baluchestan]]'s Amphitheater in Zahedan."] ::

Zahedan is the home of the Islamic Azad University of Zahedan, the Zahedan University of Medical Sciences and the University of Sistan and Baluchestan. Besides, the largest Sunni seminary, Darululoom Zahedan, is located in Zahedan. There are some other religious Sunni schools in the city and the vicinity.

Notable people

Notes

References

Sources

References

  1. ((OpenStreetMap contributors)). (15 January 2025). "Zahedan, Zahedan County".
  2. (30 September 2021). "محمد امیر براهویی شهردار زاهدان شد".
  3. {{GEOnet3. -3088799
  4. Skrine, Clarmont. (1962). "World War in Iran". Constable & Company, Ltd..
  5. Habibi, Hassan. (5 March 2013). "Approval of the organization and chain of citizenship of the elements and units of the national divisions of Sistan and Baluchestan province, centered in the city of Zahedan". Ministry of the Interior, Defense Political Commission of the Government Board.
  6. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287110253_Cross-border_trade_and_identity_in_the_Afghan-Iranian_border_region
  7. (6 March 2025). "Borgeson Scholar Program {{pipe}} Art and Art History Department".
  8. (2022-10-14). "'It Was a Massacre': How Security Forces Cracked Down in Southeastern Iran". The New York Times.
  9. (28 October 2022). "Iran protests: Fresh clashes in Zahedan". [[BBC News]].
  10. (4 November 2022). "'Death to the dictator': Dozens killed as Iran's southeast erupts in political violence". [[The Independent]].
  11. (3 November 2022). "Iranian cleric killed in flashpoint city of Zahedan - IRNA". [[Reuters]].
  12. "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006): Sistan and Baluchestan Province". The Statistical Center of Iran.
  13. "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1390 (2011): Sistan and Baluchestan Province". The Statistical Center of Iran.
  14. "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1395 (2016): Sistan and Baluchestan Province". The Statistical Center of Iran.
  15. "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020: Zahedan". NOAA.
  16. "Yearly & Monthly Weather - Zahedan, Iran".
  17. Dr John Stubbs. (1 January 2007). "Closing the gap from Bam to Zahedan". [[Railway Gazette International]].
  18. (7 September 2010). "Zahedan {{pipe}} Railways of Afghanistan".
  19. (23 May 2016). "Chabahar port: India to build 500 km rail line on southern coast of Iran as part of transit corridor to Afghanistan".
  20. (16 June 2016). "India to export USD 150 mn rails for Chabahar port next month".
  21. (24 December 2016). "$125m for Chabahar-Zahedan Railroad".
  22. "دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد زاهدان".
  23. "خانه".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

cities-in-sistan-and-baluchestan-provincezahedanpopulated-places-in-zahedan-countyiranian-provincial-capitals