Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Iran’s holy city of Qom, located about 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of Tehran, on Feb. 25. Qom is considered the religious capital of Iran for its seminary, the prominent presence of clerics and grand ayatollahs, and the Holy Shrine of Fatima Masoumeh, sister of the eighth Shiite Imam.
Grand ayatollahs living in Qom have made this city unique and also an important center of power that has played a pivotal role in Iran’s politics. Today, the religious capital of Iran is where some of the country's most significant decisions are made. The implications of the city's opinion on political issues cannot be underestimated.