On April 14, 2010, the University of Sistan and Baluchestan hosted the Fourth International Congress of Geographers of the Islamic World in Zahedan. At this gathering, Dr. Iraj Afshar Sistani introduced a fascinating topic that later became the subject of an interview with Amordad Weekly.
That interview, titled “The Prime Meridian Runs Through Iran”, was conducted by Mitra Dehmobed in May 2010, shortly after the congress, and appeared in issue 228 of Amordad (page 5, “Ideas” section).
Just days ago, Iran’s geographical expertise drew wide attention. Audiences were struck by the calculations, the observation of celestial bodies, and ultimately, the determination of the Earth’s northern hemisphere meridian line—what we now call the Prime Meridian.
The deeper we delve into Iran’s history, culture, and scientific legacy, the more astonishing discoveries we encounter. Time and again, we are left to marvel: how was it possible that thousands of years ago, Iranians had already reached such advanced knowledge? And with what tools did they achieve such remarkable precision?
At the Fourth International Congress of Geographers of the Islamic World, renowned Iranologist Dr. Iraj Afshar Sistani challenged conventional geography by stating:
“Greenwich is not the true prime meridian. It has no scientific basis and merely reflects the dominance of colonial politics over knowledge and truth.”
He emphasized that the actual prime meridian passes through Zabol in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province.
In his presentation, Dr. Afshar read from a paper grounded in historical records and the results of several years of personal research. His findings suggest that thousands of years ago, Iranians had already determined the location of the prime meridian. As a member of both the Iranian Geographical Society and the Society of Geographers of the Islamic World, he noted that the meridian’s position was first observed in 1767 BCE—3,777 years ago—by Zarathustra, the prophet of ancient Iran.
Dr. Afshar explained that Zarathustra, drawing on his knowledge of astronomy, discovered that the midday line—or prime meridian—ran through Sistan and was able to identify its precise location.
Defining the significance of this line, Dr. Afshar said:
“The meridian divides the Earth’s Northern Hemisphere into two equal halves. This means that at this unique point, when the sun reaches its zenith—true noon—the entire Northern Hemisphere is simultaneously in daylight.”
Dr. Iraj Afshar Sistani explained that at noon in Sistan, the meridian divides time across the world:
“If you move eastward from this line, it is daylight but already afternoon. If you go westward, it is also daylight, but still before noon. When the sun stood directly above the meridian running through Sistan, the entire known world—from Japan in the east to the Canary Islands in the west—was illuminated. In the east the sun was setting, while in the west it was just rising.”
Afshar had first mentioned this concept 25 years earlier in his book Sistan-Nameh, in the chapter on Zarathustra, noting that ancient Iranians, through advanced geographical knowledge, had determined the location of the northern hemisphere’s prime meridian thousands of years ago.
At this congress, however, Afshar presented the outcome of 20 additional years of research, which deeply impressed the audience. He remarked:
“The science of geography and methods of measuring the Earth had advanced to such a degree that the midday line could be identified. The fact that Sistan is still called ‘Nimruz’—meaning midday—is a legacy of that ancient achievement.”
The very name Nimruz, he added, reflects how sunlight fell upon the meridian at noon. In earlier times, this region of Iran was even known as the “Province of Nimruz.”
Afshar further revealed that the Nimruz Observatory had once been constructed directly on this line, with the world’s midday circle passing through it—though today, it lies buried under layers of sand and soil.
The Nimruz Observatory, situated at latitude 33.5°, marks the midpoint between the eastern and western boundaries of the Earth’s landmass. According to Dr. Iraj Afshar Sistani, ancient Iranians had determined that human settlements extended across 67 degrees of the Northern Hemisphere. Through careful calculation, they identified 33.5° as the center of this span—the heart of the world’s inhabited lands. Afshar explained that Sistan was recognized as this central point, and it was here that the midday line was established following the astronomical observations of Zarathustra.
Afshar pointed to both written and oral traditions describing Zarathustra’s deep study of the stars. Zoroastrians believe that between the ages of 20 and 30, he lived in solitude, and it was after this decade of reflection that he discerned the mysteries of creation and proclaimed his message.
Some accounts suggest that during those years, Zarathustra turned his attention to astronomy—using the opening of a cave in place of a telescope, watching the heavens, and recording detailed charts of celestial movements.
Afshar added that in 1725 BCE, at the age of 42, Zarathustra observed the sun entering the sign of Aries from the Gangdezh Observatory in Nimruz (Sistan). This event, he said, became the cornerstone of the Zoroastrian calendar and its future system of timekeeping.
Dr. Iraj Afshar Sistani emphasized that knowing the location of the true midday line allowed ancient Iranians to measure time with extraordinary accuracy—a reason they historically possessed one of the most precise calendars in the world.
For centuries, however, the prime meridian in Nimruz province, once firmly established, has been largely forgotten. Instead, textbooks and scientific references worldwide point to the meridian passing through Greenwich. As Afshar notes, the very term meridian comes from the Persian word Nimruz (midday). Yet without any scientific justification, the true point of midday was relocated to Greenwich, just eight kilometers from London.
He added that over the millennia, the prime meridian was moved several times, not based on knowledge or science, but by the force of colonial powers. It was once placed in Paris, and for nearly a century, Greenwich has been treated as the official center. Afshar lamented that “colonial power has overshadowed knowledge and truth.”
