Iran often appears in the media as a hostile and difficult country.
From the time of the prophet Zoroaster, to the powerful ancient Persian Empires, to the revolution of 1979, t.
A nation whose impact has been tremendous, not only on its neighbours in the Middle East but on the world as a whole - and through ideas and creativity rather than by the sword.
But beneath the headlines there is a fascinating story of a nation of great intellectual variety and depth, and enormous cultural importance.
Iran often appears in the media as a hostile and difficult country