Tabriz, an ancient city on the northwestern border of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province, covers an area of 2,356 square kilometers and has a population of 180,000, about 530 kilometers from Tehran. Founded in the third century BC, it has been the capital of dynasties many times in history. In ancient times, it was a four-way passage and played an important role in military and transportation. During World War II, Tabriz was the capital of the independent republic of Azerbaijan under de facto Soviet control.