Which desert in Iran contains the Maranjab caravanserai near Kashan?

The Maranjab Desert in Iran contains the Maranjab caravanserai near Kashan.

Maranjab lies in northern Aran and Bidgol County in Isfahan Province, within the broader Dasht-e Kavir basin of central Iran. Its landscape combines sand dunes, salt flats, seasonal wetlands and sparse, salt-tolerant vegetation. The desert’s proximity to Kashan has made it one of Iran’s best-known accessible desert destinations.

The Maranjab caravanserai was built during the Safavid period in 1603, or 1012 in the Islamic calendar, under Shah Abbas I. It stood on a route associated with the Silk Road and gave merchants and travellers a fortified place to rest, obtain water and shelter animals. The square structure covers about 3,500 square metres and has 29 rooms.

The main trap is confusing the local desert with Dasht-e Kavir. Maranjab is part of the larger Dasht-e Kavir region, but the question asks for the specific desert containing the caravanserai. Dasht-e Lut is a separate Iranian desert, while Rig-e Jenn is another desert area and not the canonical answer here.