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Tafresh (in Persian: تفرش) is a city in Markazi "Central" Province of Iran, 222 km southwest of Tehran, located amidst high mountains. Tafresh is an old city and formed a Zoroastrian stronghold for many years.

Tafresh provided Iran with many notable figures such as ministers, statesmen, scientists, calligraphers etc. Professor Mahmoud Hessaby, the father of modern physics in Iran, Ahmad Parsa, the father of Iranian botanics, Abbas Sahab, the father of Iranian geography and Abdolkarim Qarib, the father of Iran's geology, were all Tafreshi. Because of this, Tafresh has received the nickname "City of Iran's Fathers".

It is believed that in Sassanian times, Zoroastrianism was the state religion and was threated by Islam, an army warrior called Delaram made a resistance force for the Zoroastrians in Tafresh. One of the villages in Tafresh was called Delaram after this army warrior, however after Islamic conquest of Persia, the name Teraran was given to it. Teraran means 'The Thieves' in Middle Persian.

Today there are still many graves of Zoroastrians present in graveyards at Tafresh.

Three universities are situated in Tafresh, namely the Tafresh branch of the Amirkabir University of Technology, Tafresh Azad University and the Tafresh branch of the Payame Noor University. Tafresh City is situated in Tafresh Township.

Although many people live in Tafresh, its numbers are decreasing as many leave Tafresh to go and live in Tehran or other main cities of Iran. Some of the summer resorts around Tafresh are Teraran (Delaram), Shahchenar and Naqusan. The Ab Garrau spa is a touristic place around Tafresh. Tourists of the villages usually visit them in the summer.

• Mahmoud Hessaby is originally from Tafresh.
• Babak Tafreshi,science journalist, photographer.
• Javad H Tafreshi, Sceience Educator, Lepidopterist and Biologist

Coordinates: 34°42′N, 50°01′E