Sahand is a massive, heavily eroded stratovolcano

Stratovolcano

A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...

 in northwestern Iran

Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

. At 3707 m (12,162 ft), it is the highest mountain in the Iranian province of East Azarbaijan.

It is one of the highest mountains in Iranian Azerbaijan, in addition to being an important dormant volcano in the country. The Sahand mountains are directly south of Tabriz

Tabriz

Tabriz is the fourth largest city and one of the historical capitals of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former...

, the highest peak of which is Kamal at an altitude of 3,707 m.. Approximately 17 peaks can be accounted for as being over 3,000 m. in height. Due to the presence of a variety of flora and fauna, the Sahand mountains are known as the bride of mountains in Iran.

It is also the name of an Iranian Saam Class frigate

Frigate

A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...

 sunk in Operation Praying Mantis

Operation Praying Mantis

Operation Praying Mantis was an attack on April 18, 1988, by U.S. naval forces within Iranian territorial waters in retaliation for the Iranian mining of the Persian Gulf during the Iran Iraq war and the subsequent damage to an American warship....

 by American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

forces in 1988.

Winter sports

On the north foot of the mountain and near the city of Tabriz, a winter sport's complex has been built. This complex, also known as the Sahand Skiing Stadium, greets visitors with a variety of sports including, skiing and snowboarding. The snow statue competition, which runs once a year at mid-winter in the stadium is a famous and amusing event, which attracts spectators and competitors from all over the country.