1. An empire in southern Asia created by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC and destroyed by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC
   - Persian Empire
    
2. A theocratic Islamic republic in the Middle East in western Asia; Iran was the core of the ancient empire that was known as Persia until 1935; rich in oil
   - Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran

Type of: Asian country, Asian nation, empire, imperium

Part of: Arab states of the Persian Gulf, Asia, Gulf States, Middle East, Mideast, Near East, OPEC, Organisation of Petroleum-Exporting Countries [Brit], Organization of Petroleum-Exporting Countries

Encyclopedia: Persia, New York