Meshad

Meshad, also transliterated as Mashhad or Mešhad, is a major city in northeast Iran and the capital of Razavi Khorasan Province. The name derives from Persian, meaning “place of martyrdom,” a reference to the shrine of Imam Reza, the eighth Shia Imam, which is located within the city. Meshad has long been a center of pilgrimage and a key commercial hub on historic routes linking Iran with Central Asia.

Historically, the city grew around the Imam Reza Shrine complex, established in the 9th century, and expanded through successive empires. Today it attracts millions of visitors annually, making it Iran’s second-largest city by population and a leading religious and cultural center in the region.

Economy and culture in Meshad are dominated by services for pilgrims, commerce, and light industry. Important sectors include tourism, carpet weaving, saffron, and food processing, supported by a broad market network. The city hosts several higher education institutions, including Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, and features museums, libraries, and cultural centers that reflect its historical significance and contemporary vitality.

Geography and climate: Meshad sits in the fertile Mashhad plain near the Binalood Mountains. It experiences a hot, semi-arid climate with hot summers and cold winters, and receives limited annual rainfall. Infrastructure includes an international airport, and road and rail connections to Tehran and other major cities, facilitating both pilgrimage travel and regional commerce.

Note: spellings vary in English transliteration; Mashhad is the most common formal rendering, with Meshad and Mešhad frequently used in older or alternate texts.