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Iran
The Islamic Republic of Iran has maintained a distinct cultural identity among Muslim countries by retaining its own language and adhering to the Shi’i interpretation of Islam. Much of the Islamic world honors the Sunni tradition and speaks Arabic, the language of the Qur’an. In 1935 the name of the country was changed from Persia to Iran, but the name of the language spoken remains Persian, or Farsi. The city of Bam in southwestern Iran was leveled by an earthquake on December 26, 2003. More than 30,000 Iranians lost their lives, and many more lost homes and livelihoods. Organizations including Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) and other members of the global alliance Action by Churches Together (ACT) International responded quickly. PDA distributed $150,000 in immediate assistance to buy food, tents, and other shelter and relief supplies. Mehdi Abhari, Presbyterian liaison to church partners in Iran, assisted the Middle East Council of Churches, a local ACT member, in setting up an accounting system for the material aid.
While the country’s economy is sustained primarily by its wealth of oil resources, the area’s (Bam’s) economy is founded on date and citrus farming as well as livestock. ACT states there are plans to repair damaged infrastructure (irrigation canals and wells) in the villages and to subsidize the farmers by the government’s purchase of date production.
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