or Kazvīn
City (pop., 1996: 291,117), northwestern Iran.
Founded as Shad Shāhpūr in AD 250, it flourished under Muslim rule in the 7th century. Genghis Khan laid waste to the city, but it later revived and was made the capital of Persia (1548–98) under the Safavid dynasty . In the late 18th century it became a base for foreign trade with areas of the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Anatolia. A coup was launched from Qazvīn in 1921 that led to Iran's consolidation under Reza Shah Pahlavi . It is a regional communications centre, with some manufacturing.