| Official Name: | Dezful |
| Nicknames: | دسفیل,دژپل, desfeal, dezhpoll |
| Native Name: | Persian: دزفول |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Pushpin Map: | Iran |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Iran |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Khuzestan |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Dezful |
| Subdivision Type3: | District |
| Subdivision Name3: | Central |
| Population As Of: | 2016 |
| Population Urban: | 264709 |
| Population Metro: | 443971 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | IRST |
| Utc Offset: | +3:30 |
| Coordinates: | 32.3786°N 48.4144°W |
| Coordinates Footnotes: | [1] |
| Elevation M: | 150 |
| Postal Code: | 646xx-xxxxx |
| Area Code: | 061 |
Dezful (Persian: دزفول; pronounced in Persian pronounced as /dɛzˈfuːl/) is a city in the Central District of Dezful County, Khuzestan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.[2]
Dezful is one of the oldest cities in the Khuzestan province. According to Walther Hinz excavations, Awan (capital of the first Elam empire) was located in Dezful.
The name Dezfūl is believed to be associated with a Sasanian bridge constructed over the Āb-e Dez by Šāpūr II. The Sasanians also built a fortress in close proximity to protect the bridge. This area, encompassing the bridge and the fortress, eventually evolved into the city of Dež-Pol or Dezfūl, although this name was not commonly used until the 12th century.[3] In the 10th century, the writer Eṣṭaḵrī referred to it as Qanṭarat-al-Andāmeš. It was also known as Qaṣr al-Rūnāš. The stone foundation of the bridge is still visible, while the upper part underwent several brick reconstructions during the early Islamic, Saljuq, and Qajar periods. In the 14th century, Ḥamd-Allāh Mostāwfī described it as 520 paces long and 15 paces wide, with forty-two arches. Šaraf-al-Dīn Yazdī, who visited the area in 795/1393, also provided a detailed description.[4]
According to George Curzon, who visited the area in the late 19th century, the principal local industry in Dezfūl was indigo, with 120 factories in the town. The cultivation of indigo was introduced in the early 19th century. Dezfūl was also renowned for its fine reed pens.[5]
The name Dezful has been derived from the two words dej (fortress) + pul (bridge), which in combination could stand for 'the bridge to the fortress' or 'fortified bridge' in Persian language.[6] [7] The original name of the city was Dezhpul, but after the Muslim conquest of Persia, the city was renamed Dezful, since the Arabic language does not have 'p' and 'zh' sounds.The city is also known as Dizful and Desful[8] .
The people of Dezful, known as Dezfuli, Dezfoolian or Dezfulian, speak Persian dialects of Dezfuli – a dialect distinct to Dezful – and Shushtari, which is sometimes considered the most archaic of Persian dialects. These dialects belong to the Southwest Iranian language group. However, they differ significantly from standard Persian in terms of pronunciation, word formation, and vocabulary. The most notable distinctions are found in the structure of verbs. Although they share some similarities with nearby Lor dialects, they are still distinct. The differences between Dezfuli and Shushtari are mainly a result of variations in the detailed sound patterns of the language.[9]
Historically, Dezful was home to a Mandaean community for many centuries.[10] One of Dezful's best-known residents was the Mandaean priest Ram Zihrun.[11]
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 228,507 in 55,711 households.[12] The following census in 2011 counted 248,380 people in 66,715 households.[13] The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 264,709 people in 78,348 households.[14]
Dezful is 650 kilometers away from the national capital of Tehran and 155 kilometres away from the provincial capital of Ahvaz. The city is located 300 kilometres from the Persian Gulf and is at an altitude of 143 meters.
The city lies at the foot of the Zagros Mountains and has a history that dates back to the Sassanian era. The area around Dezful has been home to civilizations for 5000 years.[15]
Dezful sits close to the foothills of the Zagros Mountains on the main north-south highway from Tehran to Ahvaz, the provincial capital of Khuzestan. The main rail line from Tehran to the Persian Gulf is 15 km (9 mi) from Dezful, on the opposite side of the Dez River.
Dezful has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh) with extremely hot summers and mild winters. Rainfall is higher than most of southern Iran, but is almost exclusively confined to the period from November to April, though on occasions it can exceed 250mm per month or 600mm per year.[16]
Snowfall in this city is a very rare event.But in 2020, for the first time, the city of Dezful witnessed snowfall, which led to the happiness of the people of this city.[17]
Sugarcane, which has been cultivated in the Dezfūl region for more than a thousand years, is still an important economic factor; a modern sugar refinery with a capacity of more than 300 tons has been built in Haft Tappa near the town of Dezfūl. Other major agricultural products of the šahrestān include wheat, barley, clover, alfalfa, sesame, maize, and grass peas; sheep are the most important livestock[18]
In an area with a history that extends back to ancient civilization, the city houses a bridge that dates back to 300 AD.[19]
There are direct flights from Tehran to Dezful (and reverse) at least twice a day. There are also weekly flights from Dezful to Mashhad (mawhad or mašhad). Dezful can also be reached by the Iranian railways.
Buses are available from almost all Iranian major cities to Dezful or one of its adjacent cities. Trains of the Trans-Iranian Railway serve the neighboring town of Andimeshk.