The answer to the crossword is IRAN, a country located in the Middle East. It is bordered by Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, which is an arm of the Arabian Sea. IRAN is the second-largest country in the Middle East and the 18th-largest in the world. It has a population of over 81 million people and is the world's 17th most populous country.