Iran is divided into 31 provinces, which constitute the country's primary administrative divisions. As the first level in Iran's two-tiered administrative structure, provinces serve as the main units for implementing national policies and delivering government services at the regional level. Each province is governed by a governor-general appointed by the Minister of Interior, who oversees provincial affairs and coordinates between the central government in Tehran and local authorities. Provinces handle key administrative functions including law enforcement, education, healthcare, infrastructure development, and resource management within their territories. They also contain subordinate counties at the second level, which further divide provincial territory for more localized governance. These provinces are further divided into counties.