A period of relative stability has put the Iranian capital No1 on the list of world cities that have achieved biggest improvements in liveability over the past five years, as calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The “most improved” top 10 contains some unexpected names. So, eg, the fourth place: Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Latest ranking: 128; Ranking five years ago: 131; Five-year index movement: 3.8%. Here: A supporter of Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara campaigns in a market in the city’s Koumassi quarter. (Photo by Sia Kambou/AFP Photo)

Men dressed as Hindu deities from the epic Ramayan wear face masks before going on a public awareness campaign against the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, on the occasion of the Hindu festival “Ram Navami”, in Bangalore on April 21, 2021. (Photo by Manjunath Kiran/AFP Photo)

3-year-old Myla Mills plays with a two day old lamb in a toy pram in her family's farmyard in Arley, Worcestershire, United Kingdom on January 28, 2023. Early lambs are produced when the ram is free to tup the ewes over winter. (Photo by Peter Lopeman/Alamy Live News)

The Sydney Skyline is seen before the lights are switched off for Earth Hour on March 26, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. Earth Hour encourages individuals around the world to turn off their lights for one hour at 20:30 local time on March 26, 2011 to take a stand against climate change. The largest Earth Hour was in 2010 when 128 countries participated.

A bird swoops in to deliver its food to its chick, ramming it deep into its mouth while in flight. The photos of the swallows were captured by Kelvin Leong in Hampstead Wetlands Park, Singapore in July 2023. (Photo by Kelvin Leong/Solent News & Photo Agency)

In this photo provided by the RSPCA/Australian Capital Territory, an overgrown sheep found in Australian scrubland is prepared to be shorn in Canberra, Australia, Thursday, September 3, 2015. The wild, castrated merino ram named Chris, yielded 40 kilograms (89 pounds) of wool – the equivalent of 30 sweaters – and sheded almost half his body weight. (Photo by RSPCA ACTvia AP Photo)

A bull rams inmates seated at a card table in the Convict Poker event at the Angola Prison Rodeo in Angola, La., Saturday, April 26, 2014. Those competing in the rodeo have to pass a physical to be deemed strong and healthy enough, and thousands of others work year-round making arts and crafts to sell at the event, according to the prison's athletic director. (Photo by Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

People sit on the top of a truck heavily piled with corn-stalks plies as they head for Mogadishu from Afgooye on October 19, 2016. At least four police officers were killed on October 18 when a suicide bomb attacker rammed an explosives-packed car into a police station before fighters from the Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab group subsequently stormed the area killing at least 10 people, including soldiers and civilians. (Photo by Mohamed Abdiwahab/AFP Photo)