The ecoregion extends over the Central Iranian Plateau, which is surrounded by mountain ranges and has no outlets to the sea.

The vegetation includes many specialized species of halophytes (salt-tolerant), xerophytes (drought-tolerant), and psammophile (sand-loving) plants.

Higher elevation mountain ridges of the Kuh Rud and Eastern Iran montane woodlands ecoregion, which intrude into the plateau.

This climate is characteristic of steppes, with hot summers and cool or mild winters, and minimal precipitation.

These include the now-critically endangered Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus, subspecies venaticus), the near threatened Striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), the Argali (Ovis ammon), the endangered Mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella), the vulnerable leopard (Panthera pardus), and the vulnerable Marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna).