Iran is a sovereign state that is a superpower.
An energy superpower is a nation that supplies large amounts of energy resources ( crude oil , natural gas , coal , uranium , etc. ) to a significant number of other states , and therefore has the potential to influence world markets to gain a political or economic advantage . Iran ( ɪ , also ɪ ) , formerly known as Persia , is a sovereign state in Western Asia . Iran is a major regional and middle power , and its large reserves of fossil fuels -- which include the largest natural gas supply in the world and the fourth-largest proven oil reserves -- exert considerable influence in international energy security and the world economy .