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Iran is a mosaic of continental terranes of Cadomian (520–600 Ma) age, stitched together along sutures decorated by Paleozoic and Mesozoic ophiolites. Here we present the current understanding of the Mesozoic (and rare Cenozoic) ophiolites of Iran for the international geoscientific audience. We summarize field, chemical and geochronological data from the literature and our own unpublished data. Mesozoic ophiolites of Iran are mostly Cretaceous in age and are related to the Neotethys and associated backarc basins on the S flank of Eurasia. These ophiolites can be subdivided into five belts: 1. Late Cretaceous Zagros outer belt ophiolites (ZOB) along the Main Zagros Thrust including Late Cretaceous–Early Paleocene Maku–Khoy–Salmas ophiolites in NW Iran as well as Kermanshah–Kurdistan, Neyriz and Esfandagheh (Haji Abad) ophiolites, also Late Cretaceous–Eocene ophiolites along the Iraq–Iran border; 2. Late Cretaceous Zagros inner belt ophiolites (ZIB) including Nain, Dehshir, Shahr-e-Babak and Balvard–Baft ophiolites along the southern periphery of the Central Iranian block and bending north into it; 3. Late Cretaceous–Early Paleocene Sabzevar–Torbat-e-Heydarieh ophiolites of NE Iran; 4. Early to Late Cretaceous Birjand–Nehbandan–Tchehel–Kureh ophiolites in eastern Iran between the Lut and Afghan blocks; and 5. Late Jurassic–Cretaceous Makran ophiolites of SE Iran including Kahnuj ophiolites. Most Mesozoic ophiolites of Iran show supra-subduction zone (SSZ) geochemical signatures, indicating that SW Asia was a site of plate convergence during Late Mesozoic time, but also include a significant proportion showing ocean-island basalt affinities, perhaps indicating the involvement of subcontinental lithospheric mantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we use detrital zircons to probe the Early Paleozoic history of NE Iran and evaluate the link between sediment sources and Gondwanan pre-Cadomian, Cadomian and younger events. U–Pb zircon ages and Hf isotopic compositions are reported for detrital zircons from Ordovician and Early Devonian sedimentary rocks from NE Iran. These clastic rocks are dominated by zircons with major age populations at ~ 2.5 Ga, ~ 0.8–0.6 Ga, 0.5 Ga and ~ 0.5–0.4 Ga as well as a minor broad peak at ~ 1.0 Ga. The source of 2.5 Ga detrital zircons is enigmatic; they may have been supplied from the Saharan Metacraton (or West African Craton) to the southwest or Afghanistan–Tarim to the east. The detrital zircons with age populations at 0.8–0.6 Ga probably originated from Cryogenian–Ediacaran juvenile igneous rocks of the Arabian–Nubian Shield; this inference is supported by their juvenile Hf isotopes, although some negative εHf (t) values suggest that other sources (such as the West African Craton) were also involved. The age peak at ca 0.5 Ga correlates with Cadomian magmatism reported from Iranian basement and elsewhere in north Gondwana. The variable εHf (t) values of Cadomian detrital zircons, resembling the εHf (t) values of zircons in magmatic Cadomian rocks from Iran and Taurides (Turkey), suggest an Andean-type margin and the involvement of reworked older crust in the generation of the magmatic rocks. The youngest age population at 0.5–0.4 Ga is interpreted to represent Gondwana rifting and the opening of Paleotethys, which probably started in Late Cambrian–Ordovician time. A combination of U–Pb dating and Hf-isotope data from Iran, Turkey and North Gondwana confirms that Iran and Turkey were parts of Gondwana at least until late Paleozoic time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carboniferous igneous rocks constitute volumetrically minor components of Iranian crust but preserve important information about the magmatic and tectonic history of SW Asia. Ghushchi granites and gabbronorites in NW Iran comprise a bimodal magmatic suite that intruded Ediacaran–Cambrian gneiss and are good representatives of carboniferous igneous activity. Precise SIMS U–Pb zircon ages indicate that the gabbronorites and granites were emplaced synchronously at ~ 320 Ma. Ghushchi granites show A-type magmatic affinities, with typical enrichments in alkalis, Ga, Zr, Nb and Y, depletion in Sr and P and fractionated REE patterns showing strong negative Eu anomalies. The gabbronorites are enriched in LREEs, Nb, Ta and other incompatible trace elements, and are similar in geochemistry to OIB-type rocks. Granites and gabbronorites have similar ε Nd (t) (+ 1.3 to + 3.4 and − 0.1 to + 4.4, respectively) and zircon ε Hf (t) (+ 1.7 to + 6.2 and + 0.94 to + 6.5, respectively). The similar variation in bulk rock ε Nd (t) and zircon ε Hf (t) values and radiometric ages for the granites and gabbronorites indicate a genetic relationship between mafic and felsic magmas, either a crystal fractionation or silicate liquid immiscibility process; further work is needed to resolve petrogenetic details. The compositional characteristics of the bimodal Ghushchi complex are most consistent with magmatic activity in an extensional tectonic environment. This extension may have occurred during rifting of Cadomian fragments away from northern Gondwana during early phases of Neotethys opening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]