Birjand is the central city of the South Khorasan province in east Iran, known for its saffron exports.

Being close to the Afghanistan border, Birjand is located on the "Silk Road" of opium smuggled from Afghanistan on the way to Europe.

The city contains such education institutions as University of Birjand and Birjand University of Medical Sciences. It is said that Shokatiyeh School in Birjand together with Daarolfonoun in Tehran were the first public schools in Iran. The first city-wide piped water system in Iran was also established in Birjand.

External links

• Birjand
• University of Birjand
• Birjand University of Medical Sciences