Ancient Near East, Persia: Physical Geography of Persia

Much of Iran consists of a semi-arid plateau ringed by mountains. Fertile lowland is extremely scarce; the only large area is the Karun River basin in the southwestern province of Khuzestan. The river basin is bounded in the northeast by the Zagros Mountains. East of the Zagros lies a vast plateau at an average height of 1200 metres (≈4000 ft) above sea level, characterised by extensive salt deserts and occasional oases. Its southeastern side is fringed by coastal mountain ranges, while to the east are the peaks of the Baluchistan and Khorasan Mountains. The Elburz Mountains of the north and northeast include several active volcanoes. North of the Elburz range a narrow lowland fronts the marshy shore of the Caspian Sea, broadening eastwards into the Turkoman steppe.