Qayen

Ghayen (Qayen) (Persian: ￙ﾂ￘ﾧ￘ﾦ￙ﾆ ) is a town in the South Khorasan province of Iran. In 2003, it had about 20,000 inhabitants. The present town was founded in the 15th century on the site of an ancient city, and changed hands several times over the centuries. Today it is a trading center, and the surrounding area is the main source of saffron in Iran. It also produces carpets, grain, and wool. There are several ancient places around the town, such as the Tomb of Bozorgmehr Qaini, 5 km to the south. At least 2,400 people in Qayen and the surrounding region were killed by the Ardakul earthquake on May 10, 1997.