Objective:To assess molecular characterization, distribution, seasonal activities of sandfly species andLeishmania parasites infecting them for this zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis focus.Methods:The collections were carried out in2009-2011 usingCDC traps,StickyPapers and manual aspirator in and around the villages inAbarkouh district.Individual sandflies were characterized byPCR amplification and sequencing offragments of their mitochondrial cytochrome b gene.Leishmania parasite infections within sandflies were performed by targeting Cyt b,ITS-rDNA, k-DNA and microsatellite genes.Results:ThePCR assays detected only Leishmania major(L. major).All infections(30) were found in the abundant and widespread vector Phlebotomus papatasi(P. papatasi).Small numbers of other sandfly species were also screened for infections, but none was found.Sergentomyia sintoni andP. papatasi were the predominant members in all locations of this district and in all habitats throughout the trapping season.Only five other sandfly species were found, namelyPhlebotomus ansari,Phlebotomus caucasicus, Phlebotomus sergenti,Sergentomyia dentata andSergentomyia merviney.Conclusions:In the current survey, the only infections detected are ofL. majorin females ofP. papatasi(30 out of 190).The rates of infection ofP. papatasi byL. major are not significantly different in compare with other locations inIran with no diversity of parasitestrains.Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis may have emerged only recently inAbarkouh district, and the reason may well be the instability of the transmission cycles there.