Iran is home to one of the world's oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 7000 BC. The first Iranian dynasty formed during the Elamite kingdom in 2800 BC. The Iranian Medes unified Iran into an empire in 625 BC. They were succeeded by three Iranian Empires, the Achaemenids, Parthians and Sassanids, which governed Iran for more than 1000 years. Iranian post-Islamic dynasties and empires expanded the Persian language and culture throughout the Iranian plateau. Early Iranian dynasties which re-assereted Iranian independence included the Buyids, Samanids, Tahirids and Saffarids. The blossoming of Persian literature, philosophy, medicine, astronomy, mathematics and art became major elements of Muslim civilization and started with the Saffarids and Samanids. Iran was once again reunified as an independent state in 1501 by the Safavid dynasty—who promoted Twelver Shi'a Islam as the official religion of their empire, marking one of the most important turning points in the history of Islam. "Persia's Constitutional Revolution" established the nation's first parliament in 1906, within a constitutional monarchy. Iran officially became an Islamic republic on 1 April 1979, after the Iranian 1979 Revolution.
(NSI News Source Info) March 7, 2009: Iran would consider a US invitation to
a conference on Afghanistan later this month, a government spokesman has said.
Tehran declared that it was ready to review any approach from Western powers, as it would offer any help to its eastern neighbour.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in Brussels this week Iran should be included in the Afghanistan summit.
President Obama has said the United States is ready to talk to Iran if it "unclenched its fist".
Iranian government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham said: "If America and European countries and others need to use Iran, they should give us [the invitation]."
Nato's 'biggest challenge'
"We will review it with the approach that we are ready to offer any help to Afghanistan," he told a news conference on Saturday, reported Reuters news agency.
Mrs Clinton, who visited Turkey on Saturday, has proposed the conference for 31 March, at a location to be decided. It aims to bring in Afghanistan's other neighbours, such as Pakistan.
She said on Thursday: "There are a lot of reasons why Iran would be interested. So they will be invited. Obviously it is up to them to decide whether to come."
She called Afghanistan "Nato's biggest military challenge".
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said he hoped Iran would attend such a meeting, but noted Tehran had failed to attend recent French talks on Afghanistan.
The US is at odds with Iran over its nuclear programme, which Washington says is aimed at building an atomic bomb. Tehran says it is a civilian energy programme.
Iran, which opposed the Taleban regime toppled by the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, has experienced a rise in drug use as easily available heroin from Afghan opium harvests flows across the border.
a conference on Afghanistan later this month, a government spokesman has said.
Tehran declared that it was ready to review any approach from Western powers, as it would offer any help to its eastern neighbour.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in Brussels this week Iran should be included in the Afghanistan summit.
President Obama has said the United States is ready to talk to Iran if it "unclenched its fist".
Iranian government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham said: "If America and European countries and others need to use Iran, they should give us [the invitation]."
Nato's 'biggest challenge'
"We will review it with the approach that we are ready to offer any help to Afghanistan," he told a news conference on Saturday, reported Reuters news agency.
Mrs Clinton, who visited Turkey on Saturday, has proposed the conference for 31 March, at a location to be decided. It aims to bring in Afghanistan's other neighbours, such as Pakistan.
She said on Thursday: "There are a lot of reasons why Iran would be interested. So they will be invited. Obviously it is up to them to decide whether to come."
She called Afghanistan "Nato's biggest military challenge".
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said he hoped Iran would attend such a meeting, but noted Tehran had failed to attend recent French talks on Afghanistan.
The US is at odds with Iran over its nuclear programme, which Washington says is aimed at building an atomic bomb. Tehran says it is a civilian energy programme.
Iran, which opposed the Taleban regime toppled by the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, has experienced a rise in drug use as easily available heroin from Afghan opium harvests flows across the border.
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