Perched on the very cusp of the dusty and wild province of Sistan and Baluchistan, the town of Zahedan is one of Iran’s easternmost urban destinations. This desert city is a fantastic gateway for travellers looking to cross into Pakistan or Afghanistan, both of whose borders converge at a point nearby. It’s also a truly off-the-beaten track choice for anyone who’s looking to glimpse the visceral religiosity and pious local fervour of this country’s more traditional towns.
Given that, it’s hardly surprising that the main attractions here are Zahedan’s mosques, from the great domed Makki Mosque and its splinter-like minarets, to the grandiose Mosque of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, with its arabesque frontispiece and golden towers.
Also, ask your Zahedan tourist guide about taking a trip to the Rasouli Bazaar, where visitors can lose themselves amidst an authentic Iranian atmosphere; between the rows and rows of carpet stalls and trade shops where merchants from Pakistan and the Pashtun and Iran alike converge to tout their goods.