Iran is home to Mount Damavand, the highest volcano in Asia. The potentially active stratovolcano rises to 5,610 metres in the Alborz Mountains, south of the Caspian Sea.
Damavand is Iran’s highest mountain and has a prominent place in Persian mythology and literature. In the medieval epic Shahnameh, the mountain is connected with the imprisonment of the tyrant Zahhak. Its snowy summit and isolated profile have made it a national symbol.
The volcano’s last known eruption occurred during the Holocene, and fumaroles near the summit indicate continuing geothermal activity. Climbers usually approach it from routes on the southern and northern sides, although altitude and severe weather make the ascent demanding.
Damavand is sometimes confused with Mount Ararat, another major volcanic peak in the region. Ararat is in Turkey and is higher in elevation, but Damavand is the highest volcano in Asia and the highest point in Iran.