An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir September 2019 www.dfmagazine.ie 18 | BY PAUL O'BRIEN MA Chris Ghika, the deputy commander of the global coalition against the Islamic State, stated that measures taken to protect US forces and their allies from Iranian backed militias in Iraq and Syria were 'completely satisfactory' and that they would be continued to be monitored. A British commander in the region said that there was no increased threat, contradicting many of the rumours that are circulating. Iran covers an area of approximately 1,648,195 square km (636,372 square mile). It is bordered to the northwest by Arme- nia, the Azeri enclave of Nakhchivan and the Republic of Azerbai- jan; the Caspian Sea to the north; Turkmenistan to the north- east; Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east; and to the south the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman; Iraq and Turkey to the west. Iran is one of the world's most mountainous countries, its land- scape dominated by rugged mountain ranges that separate various basins or plateaus from each other. The country's climate is diverse ranging from arid and semi- arid, to subtropical along the Caspian coast and the northern forests. A United Nations resident coordinator in Iran has said, "Water scarcity poses the most severe human security challenge in the country today." Iran is divided into five provinces, each governed by an appointed governor. The provinces are divided into counties and subdivided into districts and sub-districts. Iran's capital city is Tehran and its official language is Persian. Ac- cording to figures from 2018, the country's population is 82,531,700 making it the 18th most populous country in the world. Throughout the centuries, Iran was one of the most powerful states in the region. The Iranian Constitutional Revolution in the early 20th century paved the way for a constitutional monarchy I n May 2019, the United States of America ordered the departure of 'non-emergency employees' from Iraq, increasing the threat level in the Middle East. This action was in response to intelligence about Iranian backed forces in the region. A state department spokesman said, "Ensur- ing the safety of US government personnel and citizens is our highest priority…" Staff at the embassy in Baghdad and the US consulate in Irbil, were instructed to leave as soon as pos- sible on commercial transport. The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) transits through the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: U.S. Navy Iranian soldiers take part in the National Persian Gulf Day in the Strait of Hormuz. 30th April, 2019. Photo: Atta Kenare / AFP

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