Zahedan City

Zahedan, one of the largest cities of the country, is the center of Sistan and Baluchestan. Its former name was Dozdab which turned into Zahedan in the time of Reza Shah.
Zahedan extends north to the city of Zabol, south to the city of Khash, East to the countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan and west to Ghelichi city of Fahraj and Kavir-e-Lut.
All the residents of the city speak in Persian language, Sistani dialect, Baluchestan. They follow the religion of Islam.
It’s often hot and warm during the year. Only in summer nights it turns a little cool.
Drinking water in Zahedan is carried in pipelines and supplied through semi-deep wells around the city. Water for other purposes is supplied through wells in Zehak.
Zahedan, a border city, enjoys a commercial and military status; Pakistan railway enters Iran from Mir Javeh on one side and the cross-country railway leads up to the city on the other.
The newly-founded city is located 517 km east of the city of Kerman and near Pakistan.
The city is connected to Mashhad from north and to Chabahar from south, by ground. It also has a railroad and international airport.
Zahedan lies at 60° 51' 25" east longitude and 29° 30' 45"north latitude. Zahedan is 36 minutes ahead of Tehran and 246 minutes ahead of Greenwich.
Philosophy of its naming
According to Ferery, who lives there due to his father's job, Zahedan has the most beautiful university in Iran.
The elderly believe that the city was known as Dozdab in the past since in some parts of the region several springs burst out of the ground and flew on the ground and after a while they disappeared. Dozdab literally means stealing water.
According to others, in the past there used to be a well filled with water in the current city which was encompassed by dense forests of tamarisk and haloxylon. Some rubbers and bandits attacked the caravans passing by , looting their properties. Later on a subterranean canal was dug in the place and a small village was made nearby known as Dozdab.
The city ,which was called Zahedan in 1308, solar calendar, means the city of the pious.
In the same year, after General Amanollah Jahanbani suppressed the unrest lead by Doost Mohammad Khan Bar Kazan, Reza Shah traveled to Dozdab through Birjand and Zabol. On this journey, he was accompanied by Amir Shokat Almalik Alam, and commanders of Ghaenat and Mojollal.

According to some, Reza Shah on the way asked Shokat Almalik Alam and learned of the ruins of an old city near Dozdab i. e. Zahedan and decided to revive the old name, choosing it instead of Dozdab.
History
Before the World War I, Zahedan was a small ,remote village where few families lived there. They supplied their drinking water through a couple of wells around the village.
After the World War I, since Dozdab was near the countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan and had a proper commercial connection with India, then Iran's government sent state officials to the village to examine the weaknesses, paving a way to establish government centers in the area.
A team of Belgium technicians entered the village to found the customs office.
Growth of population
The number of offices and state departments in Dozdab and employees working in there grew day by day therefore, some of the merchants and traders came over to buy and sell and meet their daily needs and decided to stay there. The majority of them were from India.
Later on the employees built houses in there. Indian merchants and traders came over to buy and sell their commodities therefore they made stores. Some traders from Mashhad, Yazd, and Sistan went there too and resided in the place.
In this era, Yazd 's commerce was flourishing in the region and competed with Indians.
Zahedan was limited to Tehran Street on one side and the street behind the municipality on the other. Electricity was provided in the city in 1328, solar calendar.
Power Factory in Zahedan was located at the beginning of Sanaie Street and its founder was a person from Yazd named Razzagh Zadeh. He also founded the first garden known as Kalateh, on Zahedan-Khash Road.
Zahedan, the old city, housed the English who made water pipelines in railroad station and the houses of its employees. The urban municipality expanded pipelines in 1335, solar calendar.
In the years 1327-28, solar calendar, here were 2 high schools in the city called Parvin and 15 Bahman. After them new high schools were added such as Alam, Amir Moezzi, Shah, Shahnaz, Irandokht and Eram. For years it only contained one hospital with one doctor, located behind Municipality Street.
Since the doctor was black the locals called it Black Doctor Hospital. After that, Behdari Organization established another hospital called Alam, known as Bu Ali today, at the beginning of Shariati Street.
Geographical location
Zahedan is located on the north of the province, 1,494 km southeast of Tehran at an altitude of 1,385 m above sea level. The location of the city is strategic, connecting Pakistan, Khorasan, Kerman and India.
Climate
It's often hot and dry during the year, and usually it does n't snow. In summertime, days are really hot and nights with relatively low temperature.
During the year, winds blow from southwest to northeast of the city. 120-day winds decrease the severe heat.
Waters
The city's drinking water used to be provided with wells, springs, rivers and subterranean canals. Currently, part of its water is supplied through pipelines stretching from the city of Zabol. Among its rivers are Omar, Kacheh, Ladiz, Lar and Mir Javeh.
Mountains
Zahedan resembles a huge cavity within mountains. Among its main mountains are Oshtoran, 3,012 m, Anjirdan, 2,255 m, Jiko, 2,225 m, Pir Khan, 2,221m, Malik Siyah, Locho and Jakkuli.
Agriculture
The income of some of the residents is gained through agriculture. Among their products are barley, sweet corn, vegetables, wheat, feed-stuff, and maize as well as garden and truck farming products.
People
The residents in Zahedan are the Baluchi and Sistani as well as migrating ethnicity. There is no reliable source on the religion statistics.