Mashhad
With a population of just over two million, Mashhad has been Iran's second-largest city. It is located in the Kashaf River valley near the northeast corner of the country, not far away from the borders of Turkmenistan and Afganistan. Besides being the capital and center of commerce for Khorasan province, Mashhad is tourist center as well as a site of pilgrimage for millions to the shrine of martyred Shi’ate Imam Reza. Mashhad is also home to a number of important regional military facilities, including the Mashhad Air Force Base.
