History of Zahedan

Zahedan lies east of the Kavir-e Loot desert. The city was part of the historic region of Sistan situated today on the borders of southeastern Iran and southwestern Afghanistan. One portion is part of the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan. The other portion is part of the Nimruz Province of Afghanistan.

The name Sistan comes from 'Sakastan', of which Sistan was once the westernmost part. The Sakas that were once native to Sistan were driven to the Punjab during the Arsacidera (63 BCE-220 CE). The Saffarids (861–1003 CE), one of the early Iranian dynasties of the Islamic era, were originally rulers of Sistan. In the Shahnameh, Sistan is also referred to as Zabulistan, after Zabol, a city in the region. In Ferdowsi's epic, Zabulistan is