Building materials, particularly stone, play a fundamental role in shaping architectural styles and identity. Despite the long history of stone usage in Iranian architecture, this material has seldom been studied independently and analytically in stylistic research. Stone architecture—from early natural spaces such as caves to hand-carved dwellings across Iran, and from prominent governmental and religious structures throughout various historical periods up to the contemporary era—provides a valuable context for understanding the relationship between materials, construction technology, and stylistic evolution. This brief article aims to introduce a systematic classification framework for Iranian stone architecture, emphasizing the necessity of re-examining this field from a stylistic perspective. In addition to exploring the reasons behind the relative neglect of this subject, the study examines how different forms of stone contribute to the remarkable diversity of building materials. Furthermore, it investigates the various applications of stone in architecture to analyze the stylistic features of Iranian stone architecture, independent of ruling dynasties and historical periods
