Shia Crescent

The Shia Crescent is a notionally crescent-shaped region in the Middle East where Shia Muslims form a majority or have a strong minority presence. This region includes Lebanon, Syria, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, Yemen, and western Afghanistan, and also encompasses Shia groups in Turkey, such as Ismaili, Zaydi, Syrian Alawite, and Alevi populations. The term was coined in 2004 by King Abdullah II of Jordan in the context of Iranian interference in Iraq and the potential for a Shia-dominated government in the country. Since then, the term has expanded to include other Shia areas of the Middle East, and is now associated with Iranian influence and control.learn more on wikipedia