Industry of Iran with international markets necessary for global competition, cumbersome bureaucratic procedures, shortage of skilled labor, lack of intellectual property protection, shortage of research centers, lack of social capital, social learning, social responsibility and socio-cultural values. Despite these problems, recent studies reveal that over the past few years Iran has progressed rapidly in various scientific and technological fields. Major advancements have taken place in the petrochemical, pharmaceutical, aerospace, defense, and heavy industry sectors. Even in the face of U.S. economic sanctions, Iran appears to be emerging as an industrialized country. Tehran is the economic centre of Iran. About 30% of Iran’s public-sector
Provinces of Iran Provinces of Iran Iran is subdivided into thirty-one provinces ( "Ostān", plural "Ostānhā"), each governed from a local center, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital (Persian: , "markaz") of that province. The provincial authority is headed by a Governor-General (Persian: "Ostāndār"), who is appointed by the Minister of the Interior subject to approval of the cabinet. Iran has held its modern territory since the Treaty of Paris in 1857. From 1906 until 1950, Iran was divided into twelve provinces: Ardalan, Azerbaijan, Baluchestan, Fars, Gilan, Araq-e Ajam, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kerman, Larestan, Lorestan, and Mazandaran. In 1950, Iran