Political map of the Middle East: Shia and Sunni
Which Middle East countries are Shia-majority and which are Sunni-majority, shaded by share of population (Pew Research / CIA World Factbook), with Iran's alliances on a second toggle.
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Shia / Sunni: the data behind the map
| Country | Ties with Iran | Arab League | Shia share | Iran exports to / imports from, Iran's data (2022) | Sold to / bought from Iran, partner's data (2023) | Flights from Tehran | Headlines, 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iran | — | No Persian (Farsi) — Indo-European |
90–95% | — | — | — | — |
| Iraq | Close relations Full relations; largest neighbouring trade partner; security agreement on border groups March 2023. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
60–67% | $7.3 bn / $458 m | — | Partly suspended | 515 |
| Turkey | Diplomatic relations Full relations; major trade and transit partner; competing positions in Syria and the Caucasus. |
No Turkish — Turkic |
10–15% | $5.8 bn / $6.1 bn | $3.2 bn / $2.2 bn | Partly suspended | 111 |
| Syria | Frozen (2024) Relations frozen after the fall of the Assad government (December 2024); ambassadorial posts vacant, Iranian embassy in Damascus not operating. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
13–16% | $238 m / $26 m | — | None | 96 |
| Lebanon | Diplomatic relations Full relations; Iran backs Hezbollah, a political party and armed movement in Lebanon. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
25–30% | $28 m / $14 m | $11 m / $60 m | Scheduled | 118 |
| Israel | None (1979) No relations since 1979; Iran does not recognise Israel. Direct military exchanges 2024–2026. |
No Hebrew — Semitic (not Arabic) |
<1% | $0 m / $0 m | — | None | 946 |
| Palestine | Diplomatic relations Iran recognises the State of Palestine and backs Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
<1% | $0 m / $0 m | — | None | 222 |
| Jordan | Diplomatic relations Relations maintained at a reduced level; Jordan intercepted Iranian projectiles over its territory in 2024–2026. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
<1% | $69 m / $9 m | $4 m / $54 m | None | 79 |
| Saudi Arabia | Restored (2023) Severed 2016; restored March 2023 under a China-brokered agreement; embassies reopened. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
10–15% | $15 m / $0 m | $0 m / $0 m | Scheduled | 964 |
| Yemen | Contested Iran accredits its ambassador to the Houthi (Ansar Allah) authorities in Sanaa; the internationally recognised Yemeni government severed ties in 2015. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
35–40% | $4 m / $0 m | — | None | 649 |
| Oman | Close relations Full relations; Oman has mediated between Iran and the US. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
5–10% | $1.1 bn / $759 m | $554 m / $320 m | Scheduled | 362 |
| United Arab Emirates | Severed (2026) UAE withdrew its ambassador and closed its Tehran embassy on 1 March 2026 after Iranian missile and drone strikes on UAE territory; suspended trade and financial transactions 18 August 2026. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
10–15% | $6.0 bn / $18.0 bn | $5.8 bn / $453 m | Scheduled | 148 |
| Qatar | Close relations Full relations; shared South Pars/North Dome gas field; Qatar has mediated. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
8–10% | $127 m / $50 m | $7 m / $135 m | Scheduled | 147 |
| Bahrain | None (2016) Bahrain severed ties January 2016; restoration discussed since 2023 but not completed. Iranian strikes on Bahrain Feb–Mar 2026. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
60–70% | $10 m / $1 m | $0 m / $17 m | None | 43 |
| Kuwait | Diplomatic relations Full relations; maritime boundary and Arash/Dorra gas field dispute. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
25–30% | $208 m / $14 m | $21 m / $297 m | Scheduled | 25 |
| Egypt | None (1980) Full relations severed 1980; interest sections only. Ministerial contacts expanded 2023–2025. |
Member Arabic — Semitic |
<1% | $10 m / $6 m | $2 m / $3 m | None | 54 |
| Afghanistan | Diplomatic relations Relations with the Taliban administration without formal recognition; the Afghan embassy in Tehran was handed to Taliban diplomats in 2023. |
No Dari/Pashto — Indo-European |
10–15% | $1.6 bn / $29 m | — | Scheduled | 31 |
| Pakistan | Diplomatic relations Full relations; cross-border strikes exchanged January 2024, then repaired. |
No Urdu — Indo-European |
10–15% | $1.4 bn / $781 m | $10 m / $943 m | Scheduled | 230 |
| Azerbaijan | Diplomatic relations Full relations with recurring tensions (Israel ties; 2023 attack on the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran). |
No Azerbaijani — Turkic |
65–75% | $462 m / $37 m | $14 m / $473 m | Scheduled | 158 |
| Armenia | Diplomatic relations Full relations; Iran opposes any change to Armenia's southern border (Syunik). |
No Armenian — Indo-European |
<1% | $370 m / $13 m | $95 m / $597 m | Scheduled | 34 |
| Turkmenistan | Diplomatic relations Full relations; gas swap arrangements. |
No Turkmen — Turkic |
<1% | $435 m / $28 m | — | None | 0 |
| Russia | Strategic partnership treaty (2025) Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed 17 January 2025 (20 years). |
No Russian |
<1% | $692 m / $1.5 bn | — | Scheduled | 553 |
| China | Strategic partnership treaty (2021) 25-year cooperation agreement signed 27 March 2021; largest trading partner. |
No Chinese |
<1% | $22.4 bn / $15.6 bn | $10.0 bn / $4.6 bn | Scheduled | 481 |
| India | Diplomatic relations Full relations; 10-year Chabahar port agreement (May 2024). |
No Hindi and others |
1–2% | $1.9 bn / $2.7 bn | $1.2 bn / $1.0 bn | Scheduled | 351 |
| United States | None (1980) No diplomatic relations since April 1980; the Swiss embassy in Tehran represents US interests. |
No English |
<1% | $0 m / $88 m | $59 m / $2 m | None | 2152 |
Trade: World Bank WITS, Iran as reporter, 2022 (under sanctions Iran's own figures are incomplete; China and the UAE are also re-export hubs); partner column: partner countries' own customs data on trade with Iran (World Bank WITS, 2023), which captures some of what Iran leaves out. Relations: compiled 6 October 2026 from the public record (bilateral-relations entries on Wikipedia and official statements). Religion: Pew Research Center, Mapping the Global Muslim Population (2009) ranges, and CIA World Factbook, rounded. Flights: Imam Khomeini International Airport airlines and destinations (Wikipedia, September 2026). Artesh does not rate countries as "friends" or "enemies"; the categories are formal diplomatic status.
Questions people ask
Which countries are Shia-majority?
Iran (about 90–95% of the population), Iraq (roughly 60–67%), Bahrain (about 60–70% of citizens) and Azerbaijan (about 65–75%). Lebanon, Kuwait and Yemen have large Shia minorities; Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey have smaller ones. Figures are Pew Research Center ranges (2009) and CIA World Factbook estimates; no recent census counts sect in most of these countries.
Is Iran Sunni or Shia?
Iran is the world's largest Shia-majority country; Twelver Shia Islam is the state religion. Sunnis are an estimated 5–10%, mainly Kurds, Baluch and Turkmen. See the Kurds in Iran explainer.
Related: Strait of Hormuz map and distances · Iran facts & figures · Kurds in Iran · Iranians abroad · Claims tracker