Dezful, Khuzestan Province, Iran

🇮🇷 Dezfull; also known as Dezfūl, Dezfoo, Dīzfūl and Ab I Diz is a city and capital of Dezful County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. Dezful is located 721 km away from the national capital of Tehran and 155 km away from the provincial capital of Ahvaz. The city is located 300 km from the Persian Gulf and is at an altitude of 143 meters.

The city is located at the foot of the Zagros Mountains and has a history that dates back to the Sassanian era. The area around Dezful has been home to civilisations for 5000 years.

Located in an area with a history that extends back to ancient civilisation, the city houses a bridge that dates back to 300 AD.

Etymology The name Dezful has been derived from the two words diz (fortress) + pul (bridge), which in combination could stand for 'the bridge to the fortress' or 'fortified bridge' in Persian language. The original name of the city was Dezhpul, but after the Muslim conquest of Persia, the city was renamed Dezful, since the Arabic language does not have 'p' and 'zh' sounds.

History Dezful is one of the oldest cities in the Khuzestan province. According to Walther Hinz excavations, Awan (capital of the first Elam empire) was located in Dezful. The bridge was built during the reign of Shapur I who used Roman prisoners of war after the Battle of Edessa to build the bridge.

People The people of Dezful, known as Dezfuli, Dezfoolians or Dezfulians, speak Dezfuli – a dialect distinct to Dezful – and Shushtari, which is sometimes considered the most archaic of Persian dialects.

Historically, Dezful was home to a Mandaean community for many centuries. One of Dezful's best-known residents was the Mandaean priest Ram Zihrun.

Geography Dezful sits close to the foothills of the Zagros Mountains on the main north-south highway from Tehran to Ahvaz, the provincial capital of Khuzestan. The main rail line from Tehran to the Persian Gulf is 15 km (9 mi) from Dezful, on the opposite side of the Dez River.

Transport There are direct flights from Tehran to Dezful (and reverse) at least twice a day. There are also weekly flights from Dezful to Mashhad (mawhad or mašhad). Dezful can also be reached by the Iranian railways.

Buses are available from almost all Iranian major cities to Dezful or one of its adjacent cities. Trains of the Trans-Iranian Railway serve the neighboring town of Andimeshk.