Qūchān

Quchan, also known historically as Khabushan, stands in the upper Atrak valley of northern Khorasan. Its position on the route between Mashhad and the western districts made it a centre of the mountain frontier. Under the Safavids, Kurdish groups including the Zafaranlu were settled in the region, where their leaders became important figures in the defence and government of the borderlands.

In 1747 Nader Shah came to the vicinity of Quchan while dealing with rebellion among the Kurdish chiefs. He was assassinated at his camp near Fathabad, bringing his turbulent reign to an abrupt end. Afghan troops who had served in his army then returned east, and their leader Ahmad Khan established a new kingdom at Kandahar. The events at Quchan thus marked a turning point in the history of both Iran and Afghanistan.