Timeline of Tehran

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Tehran, Iran.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Prior to 20th century

Video shows Tehran during years (Tahmasp Fortification 1550s, Naseri Fortification 1850s, current area and gates of the city)

• 1553 – City wall built.^[1]
• 1576 – Golestan Palace completed.
• 1660 – Grand Bazaar reported to be open.
• 1723 – Afghans (Pashtuns) occupy the city.^[2]
• 1751 – Takht-e Marmar built.
• 1759 – Khalvat Karim Khani built (approximate date).
• 1785 – Town besieged by forces of Agha Mohammad.^[3]
• 1786 – Mohammad Khan Qajar moves Iran's capital from Sari to Tehran.^[3][4]
• 1790 – Palace built (later became Qasr Prison).
• 1796 – Population: less than 15,000.^[5]
• 1810–25 – Construction of Shah Mosque. ^[2]
• 1829 – 11 February: Russian embassy attacked; Alexander Griboyedov and others killed.^[3]
• 1834 – Ali Mirza Zill-i Sultan in power.^[3]
• 1835 – Mohammad Shah Qajar in power.^[3]
• 1837 – Kaghaz-e Akhbar (newspaper) begins publication.
• 1851 – Dar ul-Funun (school) founded.
• 1861 – 1 March: Unrest.^[3]
• 1865 – Golestan Palace rebuilt.
• 1867 – Shams-ol-Emareh built.
• 1869
  • City expanded by Naser al-Din Shah.^[2]
  • Population: 155,000.^[6]
• 1872 – Jolfa-Tabriz-Tehran telegraph begins operating (approximate date).^[7]
• 1873
  • City wall rebuilt.^[1]
  • Museum founded by Naser al-Din Shah.^[8]
• 1881 – Baharistan Palace built.^[8]
• 1883 – Abyaze Palace built.
• 1888 – Teheran-Abd-al-Azim Railway begins operating.^{[9] [2]}
• 1889 – Imperial Bank of Persia headquartered in Tehran.^[9]
• 1896
  • 1 May: Assassination of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar; Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar in power.^[3]
  • Tarbiyat newspaper begins publication.
• 1899 – Tehran School of Political Sciences established.

20th century

1900s–1940s

• 1906
  • "Bast of the constitutionalists at the British legation" occurs.^[3][10]
  • Baharestan parliament building inaugurated.^{[3] [2]}
• 1907
  • 31 August: Assassination of Mirza Ali Asghar Khan Amin al-Soltan.^[3]
  • German School established.^[2]
• 1908
  • Khalil-Khan Saghfi Alam-Edoleh [fa] becomes mayor.
  • Bombardment of Iranian parliament by Russian forces.^[3]
• 1909
  • 13–15 July: City taken by nationalist forces of Ali-Qoli Khan Bakhtiari.^[3]
  • 18 July: Ahmad Shah Qajar in power.^[3]
• 1910 – Mirza Abbaskhan Mohandes Bashi Hodud becomes mayor.
• 1911 – Population: approximately 280,000.^[2]
• 1914 – Ebrahim-Khan Yomn-Olsaltaneh Monaghah becomes mayor.^[11]
• 1915 _ The Battle of Robat Karim was fought by the Iranian people, near Tehran, during the First World War and Persian campaign under the command of Heydar Latifiyan against the occupation of Iran by Russian forces.
• 1918
  • School of Law established.
  • Conservatory of Music founded.
• 1919 – Armaḡān literary journal begins publication.^(fa)
• 1920 – Iran Club (football) founded.
• 1921
  • 21 February: Persian Cossack forces occupy city during the 1921 Persian coup d'état.^[3]
  • Zia'eddin Tabatabaee becomes mayor.
• 1923 – Karim Buzarjomehri becomes mayor.
• 1925 / 1304 SH – 31 March: Solar Hijri calendar legally adopted in Iran.
• 1926 – Ettela'at newspaper begins publication.
• 1929 – Governmental Technical Institute founded.
• 1931 – University of Tehran Botanical Garden founded.^[12]
• 1932 – The Second Eastern Women's Congress takes place in Tehran in Iran.
• 1934
  • University of Tehran inaugurated.
  • Gholi Hooshmand becomes mayor.^[11]
• 1937
  • National Library of Iran inaugurated.
  • Marble Palace completed.
• 1938
  • Trans-Iranian Railway (Bandar Shah-Tehran-Bandar Shahpur) in operation.
  • Ghasem Soor-Esrafil becomes mayor.^[11]
• 1939
  • Rangsazi Iran was founded
• 1940
  • Ali Asghar Foruzan becomes mayor.^[11]
  • Population: 400,000.^[6]
• 1941 – Mostafa Gholi Ram [fa] becomes mayor, succeeded by Mohammad Sajjadi [fa].
• 1942
  • Seyed Mehdi Emadolsaltaneh becomes mayor.^[11]
  • Bread riot.^[13]
• 1943
  • Tehran Conference held.^[14]
  • Fazlollah Bahrami becomes mayor, succeeded by Abbasgholi Golshaeeyan [fa].^[11]
• 1944 – Gholam-Hossein Ebtehaj becomes mayor.^[11]
• 1945
  • Fada'iyan-e Islam (political group) founded.^[15]
  • Mahmood Nariman [fa] becomes mayor, succeeded by Mehdi Mashayekhi.^[11]
• 1947
  • Institut français d'iranologie de Téhéran founded.
  • Mohammad Khalatbari becomes mayor, succeeded by Hesamedin Dolatabadi [fa].^[11]
• 1949
  • Apadana art gallery opens.^[16]
  • Mohammad Mehran [fa] becomes mayor.

1950s–1960s

• 1950 – Mehdi Namdar becomes mayor.^[11]
• 1951
  • Arsalan Khalatbari becomes mayor, succeeded by Mohammad Mehran [fa].^[11]
  • Embassy of the United States, Tehran built.
• 1952 – Nostratollah Amini [fa] becomes mayor.
• 1953
  • August – Coup d'état.
  • Mohsen Nasr becomes mayor.^[11]
  • City Park created.
• 1954 – Mohammad-Ali Saffari [fa] becomes mayor, succeeded by Gholam-Hossein Ebtehaj [fa].
• 1955
  • Nosratollah Montasser [fa] becomes mayor.
  • Alavi Institute founded.
• 1956
  • Allameh Tabatabai University established.
  • Population: 1,512,032.^[6]
  • Mahmood Davaloo becomes mayor.^[11]
• 1957 – Mousa Maham [fa] becomes mayor.
• 1958
  • Tehran Polytechnic and Tehran Zoo^[17] established.
  • Tehran Biennial art exhibit begins.^[16]
  • Mousa Maham becomes mayor.
  • Ekbatan Town (Persian: شهرک اکباتان - Shahrak e Ekbātān).^{[clarification needed]}
• 1959
  • Nasser Zolfaghari becomes mayor.^[11]
  • World Wrestling Championships held.
• 1960
  • Fathollah Forood becomes mayor.^[11]
  • Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran established.
• 1961
  • Mohsen Nasr becomes mayor.^[11]
  • German Speaking Evangelical Church, Tehran built.
• 1962
  • Ahmad Nafisi becomes mayor.
  • Tehran War Cemetery built.
• 1963
  • Ali Akbar Tavana becomes mayor, succeeded by Ziaedin Shadman [fa].^[11]
  • Persepolis Athletic and Cultural Club established.
  • Population: 2,317,116 (estimate).^[18]
• 1964
  • Higher Educational Institute For Girls founded.
  • International Regional Cooperation for Development headquartered in Tehran.^[19]
• 1965
  • Mohandes Taghi Sarlak [fa] becomes mayor.
  • Aryamehr Technical University and Hosseiniyeh Ershad (institute)^[15] founded.
• 1966
  • Rey and Tajrish become part of Tehran.^[20]
  • Malek National Library and Museum opens.^[21]
  • Population: 2,719,730.^[6]
• 1967 – Mohammad-Ali Saffari [fa] becomes mayor, succeeded by Manouchehr Pirooz [fa].
• 1968
  • April–May: International Conference on Human Rights held in city.^[22][23]
  • Tehran derby (football contest) begins.
  • National Botanical Garden of Iran established.^{[citation needed]}
  • Niavaran Palace built.
  • Javad Shahrestani becomes mayor.
• 1969 – Gholamreza Nikpey becomes mayor.

1970s–1990s

• 1971
  • February: International OPEC meeting held in city; "Tehran Agreement" signed.^[19]
  • Azadi Tower and Azadi Stadium built.
• 1972
  • Teatr-e Shahr (theatre) and National Arts Museum inaugurated.
  • Evin Prison built.
  • Sister city relationship established with Los Angeles, USA.^[24]
• 1973
  • Apadana Stadium opens in Ekbatan.
  • Population: 4,002,000 (approximate).^[25]
• 1974 – September: 7th Asian Games (sport contest) held in city.
• 1976
  • 16 September: Alleged UFO sighting.
  • Carpet Museum of Iran founded.
• 1977 – Reza Abbasi Museum, Jamshidieh Stone Garden, and Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art^[16] open.
• 1978
  • 8 September: Protesters shot in Zaleh Square.
  • Javad Shahrestan becomes mayor again.
• 1979
  • 1 February: Ayatollah Khomeini returns.
  • 30–31 March: National Iranian Islamic Republic referendum held.
  • 4 November: Students seize United States embassy and its occupants; Iran hostage crisis begins.^[26]
  • Mohammad Tavasoli becomes mayor.
  • Tehran Times newspaper begins publication.
• 1980
  • Reza Zavarehi becomes mayor, succeeded by Seyed amal ol-din Neek Ravesh.^[11]
  • Iranian legislative election, 1980 (Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr) held.
  • German Embassy School Tehran inaugurated.
• 1981
  • 28 June: Hafte Tir bombing.
  • Apadana Residential Complex built.
  • Gholam-Hossein Deljoo becomes mayor.^[11]
• 1982
  • Mohammad Kazem Seyfian [fa] becomes mayor.
  • Population: 5,734,000 (estimate).^[27]
• 1983
  • Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia and Institut Français de Recherche en Iran established.
  • Hossein Bonakdar becomes mayor, succeeded by Mohammad-Nabi Habibi.^[11]
  • Musala of Tehran built.
• 1985 – Abrar newspaper begins publication.^[28]
• 1986 – Concept of "Greater Tehran" in use.^[20]
• 1987 – Morteza Tabatabaei becomes mayor.^[11]
• 1988
  • Tehran International Book Fair begins.^{[citation needed]}
  • Gholamhossein Karbaschi becomes mayor.
• 1989
  • 11 June: Funeral of Ayatollah Khomeini.
  • Mausoleum of Khomeini built.
  • Tehran International Puppet Theatre Festival begins.^[29]
• 1991 – Bahman Cultural Center opens.
• 1992
  • February: International Economic Cooperation Organisation summit held in Tehran.^[19]
  • Hamshahri newspaper begins publication.
  • Trolleybus begins operating.
  • Iranian Crown Jewels on display at the Central Bank.
• 1996 – Population: 6,758,845.^[30]
• 1997 – November: 1st West Asian Games (sport contest) held in city.
• 1999
  • February: Local election held
  • July: Student protest.^[26]
  • Tehran Metro begins operating.
  • City Council of Tehran begins.
  • Morteza Alviri becomes mayor.

21st century

2000s

• 2002
  • Mohammad-Hassan Malekmadani elected mayor, succeeded by acting mayor Mohmmad-Hossein Moghimi.
  • Shahid Dastgerdi Stadium and Shahid Derakhshan Stadium built.
  • Film Museum of Iran in Bagh-e Ferdows and Iranian National Museum of Medical Sciences History open.
• 2003
  • February: Local election held.
  • June: Protest against clerics.^[26]
  • Al Alam television begins broadcasting.
  • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad becomes mayor.
• 2004
  • February: Asian Indoor Athletics Championships held in city.
  • Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport opens.
• 2005
  • 6 December: Iranian Air Force C-130 crash occurs.
  • Tehran International Tower and Bank Markazi Tower built.
  • Ali Saeedlou becomes mayor, succeeded by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
• 2006
  • Population: 7.5 million (approximate).
  • Iran Dokht [fa] magazine headquartered in Tehran.^[31]
• 2007
  • Milad Tower built.
  • Tehran Peace Museum opens.
  • International Festival of Peace Poetry begins.
• 2008
  • Tehran Bus Rapid Transit begins operating.
  • Safir Office Machines Museum and Mellat Cinema Complex open.
• 2009
  • Election protests.

2010s

• 2010
  • January: Assassination of scientist Masoud Alimohammadi in Gheytarieh.^[26]
  • April: International Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation held in city.
  • May: International 14th G-15 summit held in city.
  • Election protests.
  • Disappeared statues.
• 2011
  • Protests.
  • November: British Embassy attacked.^[26]
  • Population: 8,154,051.^[32]
• 2012
  • August: International 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement held in city.
• 2013
  • Local election.
• 2014
  • June: Sandstorm.^[33]
  • City becomes part of newly formed national administrative Region 1.

2020s

• 2021
  • Alireza Zakani becomes the mayor of Tehran.
• 2022
  • Mahsa Amini protests
• 2024
  • Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh assassination.

See also

• Tehran history
• List of mayors of Tehran
• List of members of City Council of Tehran
• List of religious centers in Tehran
• List of museums in Tehran
• Timeline of the Iranian Revolution
• Timelines of other cities in Iran: Bandar Abbas, Hamadan, Isfahan, Kerman, Mashhad, Qom, Shiraz, Tabriz, Yazd