Markazi Province (Persian: استان مرکزی‎, Ostān-e Markazi ) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. The word markazi means central in Persian.^{[citation needed]}

Markazi lies in western Iran. Its capital is Arak. Its population is estimated at 1.35 million. The present borders of the province date to the 1980s, when the province was split into the current Markazi and the Tehran Province, with portions being annexed by Esfahan, Semnan Province, and Zanjan.

The major cities of the province are: Saveh, Arak, Mahallat, Zarandiyeh, Khomein, Delijan, Tafresh, Ashtian, and Shazand (previously known as Sarband)

Markazi province was part of the Median Empire in the first millennium BC, which included all of the central and western parts of modern day Iran. The region is considered to be one of the ancient settlements on the Iranian plateau. Numerous remaining ruins testify to the antiquity of this area.

In the early centuries Islam, the name of the area was changed to Jabal or Qahestan. By the early 10th century, Khorheh had become a famous city of Jabal province, followed by Tafresh and Khomein.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Persian: محمود احمدی‌نژاد‎, Mahmūd Ahmadinezhād [mæhˈmuːd(-e) æhmædiːneˈʒɒːd] ( listen),English: /ɑːkməˈdɪnɨʒɒd/; born 28 October 1956) is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the main political leader of the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran, a coalition of conservative political groups in the country. An engineer and teacher from a poor background, Ahmadinejad joined the Office for Strengthening Unity after the Islamic Revolution. Appointed a provincial governor, he was removed after the election of President Mohammad Khatami and returned to teaching. Tehran's council elected him mayor in 2003. He took a religious hard line, reversing reforms of previous moderate mayors. His 2005 presidential campaign, supported by the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran, garnered 62% of the runoff election votes, and he became President on 3 August 2005. His second presidency term ends on August 3, 2013. He is not eligible to run for another term under the current Iranian constitution.

Bari Imam (1617–1705), or Shah Abdul Latif Kazmi, is the patron saint of Islamabad and the greater Pothohar region.

Bari Imam (1617–1705), whose real name was Shah Abdul Latif Kazmi, was born in 1026 Hijra (1617 AD) in Jhelum. His father, Syed Mehmood Shah, shifted his family from Jhelum District to Baghan village, presently called Aabpara. At that time, it was a barren land. Soon after the arrival of Bari Imam’s family, his father started farming and also kept some animals. Shah Latif helped his father in grazing the animals, but left his father at 12 and came to Nurpur Shahan.

Nurpur Shahan, the village was initially called Chorpur Shahan since it was infested by thieves, robbers and people of dubious character in those days. Bari Imam while spreading the message of peace converted them to Islam and convinced them to become law abiding citizens.

From Nurpur Shahan, Bari Imam went to Ghaur Ghashti (now known as Attock) where he stayed for two years for learning fiqh, hadith, logic, mathematics, medicine and other disciplines, because at that time Ghaur Ghashti was a great seat of learning.

Golshifteh Farahani (Persian: گُلشیفتِه فَراهانی‎, born July 10, 1983) is a Crystal-Simorgh winning Iranian actress.

Golshifteh Farahani was born on 10 July 1983 in Tehran, the daughter of actor/theater director Behzad Farahani and Fahime Rahiminia and sister of actress Shaghayegh Farahani. She started studying music and playing the piano at age of five. At 12, she entered a music school in Tehran. At 14, Golshifteh was cast as the lead in Dariush Mehrjui's The Pear Tree for which she won the Crystal Roc for Best Actress from the International Section of the 16th Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran.