Tabriz is the largest city in the Iranian Azerbaijan region and one of the ancient cities of Iran, having served as the capital of several dynasties throughout history. It is situated in the northwest of Iran, serving as a gateway and commercial hub, and also the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Tabriz is a convergence point for east-west and north-south trade routes between Iran and the Indian Ocean as well as the Soviet Union. With a population of 852,000 (1982), the city is located at an altitude of 1,367 meters on the foothills of the Lake Rezaye Plain, northeast of Urmia Lake at an elevation of 1362 meters.
Located 550 kilometers away from the capital Tehran, Tabriz was founded in the 3rd century and historically served as a royal capital multiple times. It has been a key military and transportation hub, noted for industries such as heavy machinery, refinery, woolen and cotton textiles, cigarette, beer, leather products, flour, soap, matches, and renowned carpet production. It is a significant trading center for agricultural and pastoral products. The Iranian railway connects to Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey through Tabriz. The city boasts numerous hot springs, with the Blue Mosque being a famous historical landmark. The fertile agricultural and pastoral area near the sacred mountain of Mount Sahand in the east of the city is a major distribution hub for agricultural products.
Tabriz has a well-developed manufacturing industry, known for traditional products like carpets and leather, as well as modern industries including textiles, oil extraction, flour milling, tobacco, wood processing, small steel mills, tractors, and mechanical tools. It has both railway and road connections to major cities like Tehran and neighboring countries such as the Soviet Union and Turkey. Despite wars and earthquakes in its history, Tabriz retains reconstructed medieval structures like the “Arg” (meaning fort) mosque and the Blue Mosque built in 1450. To the northeast of the city, Mount Sabalan rises to 4,821 meters, serving as a sacred site for the Zoroastrianism religion.
