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Yesterday 18:06
By Afshin Majlesi
Farhangsara-ye Khorasan, a cultural hub rooted in Tehran’s history
TEHRAN – Farhangsara-ye Khorasan, or Khorasan Cultural Center, in southern Tehran is a place where people can take part in cultural activities, enjoy artistic programs and attend educational and social events. But what makes it especially interesting is its location in an area with a rich history.
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Yesterday 17:56
By Afshin Majlesi
‘Night of Iran’ highlights need for better global understanding of Iranian civilization
TEHRAN - Iran has yet to properly present its rich history and civilization to younger generations and the international community, the cultural heritage minister Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri underlined at an event titled “Night of Iran,” calling for a more comprehensive and historically grounded account of the country’s cultural, scientific and artistic achievements.
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2026-10-21 14:30
By Afshin Majlesi
Samarkand summit calls for greater investment in children’s well-being
SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan - Hundreds of policymakers, international officials and child welfare advocates gathered in the historic Uzbek city of Samarkand on Wednesday for a global summit aimed at making children’s health, education and protection a greater priority for governments.
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2026-10-20 15:59
By Afshin Majlesi
Iran and Uzbekistan: Where shared history comes alive in Tashkent
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan - As an Iranian journalist visiting Tashkent, I found myself looking at the huge Islamic Civilization Center from two perspectives. I was a visitor discovering the depth of Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage. I was also an Iranian looking for familiar traces of a civilization that has never respected the borders drawn on today’s maps.
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2026-10-13 18:07
By Afshin Majlesi
North Khorasan, the province I almost missed
TEHRAN - A friend’s suggestion was all it took to set me on the road to North Khorasan, one of the few Iranian provinces I had never visited and, until then, had rarely considered as a travel destination.
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2026-10-13 10:20
Tehran Auto Plaza aims to simplify the journey from car shopping to ownership
TEHRAN – Buying a car can involve more than choosing a model and agreeing on a price. Prospective buyers may need to visit several dealerships, compare technical specifications, arrange financing, verify a used vehicle’s condition and navigate paperwork before completing a transaction. Tehran Auto Plaza is being developed around the idea that much of this journey could happen in one place.
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2026-10-12 17:20
By Afshin Majlesi
Jajarm offers budget-friendly rural escape, but rail links need improvement
JAJARM, North Khorasan Province – With its quiet rural surroundings, historical railway station and proximity to protected natural areas, Jajarm has the potential to attract travelers seeking an affordable alternative to Iran’s busier tourist destinations. But poor railway facilities, limited train tickets and a shortage of visitor services remain major obstacles to turning that potential into a thriving tourism destination.
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2026-10-04 16:54
By Afshin Majlesi
Iran has the attractions, the challenge is turning them into tourism: Javad Gharaei
TEHRAN - Iran does not lack tourism attractions. What it has struggled to do, says Iranian traveler and documentary filmmaker Javad Gharaei, is turn the country’s extraordinary natural and cultural diversity into a tourism industry capable of attracting visitors, generating revenue and properly introducing the ancient country to the world.
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2026-09-28 16:51
By Afshin Majlesi
Tehran gallery traces capital’s past, explores future of smart tourism
TEHRAN – A new gallery in Tehran is taking visitors on a journey through the capital’s political, social, cultural and artistic history while using digital technology and artificial intelligence to offer a glimpse of how tourism in the city could evolve in the future.
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2026-09-28 13:41
Afshin Majlesi
Kenargerd Caravanserai gets new life as cultural, tourism complex
TEHRAN – The first phase of restoration and development works at the historic Kenargerd Caravanserai in Hasanabad, Fashapuyeh district, south of Tehran province, was inaugurated on Sunday, marking World Tourism Day.
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2026/09/27
By Afshin Majlesi
Where the road became a destination: Iran’s historical caravanserais
TEHRAN - For centuries, crossing Iran was as much a test of endurance as it was a journey of discovery. Merchants moved goods between distant markets, pilgrims traveled toward sacred places, and ordinary travelers followed routes across deserts, mountains and plains. Between these long stretches of road stood caravanserais, places where a journey could pause, animals could be rested, goods could be protected and strangers could share food, stories and news.
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2026-09-25 16:40
By Afshin Majlesi
Iran, India have huge potential for cooperation in health and tourism: Ambassador
TEHRAN – New Delhi’s Ambassador to Tehran Vishwesh Negi has highlighted the significant potential for Iran-India cooperation in traditional and modern medicine, pharmaceuticals and tourism, as well as in strengthening cultural and people-to-people ties.
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2026-09-23 18:16
By Afshin Majlesi
Indian embassy celebrates Ayurveda Day, highlights Iran cooperation
TEHRAN - The embassy of India in Tehran hosted a ceremony on Wednesday to mark National Ayurveda Day under the theme “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow,” bringing together diplomats, physicians, media representatives and enthusiasts of traditional medicine.
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2026-09-20 14:16
By Afshin Majlesi
In Urmia, the grape is more than a fruit
URMIA, West Azarbaijan Province - By late afternoon, the road out of Urmia was beginning to clog. Our flight had landed around 5 p.m., and after a quick check-in at the hotel, we set off for Chi Chest Coastal Village, near Lake Urmia, where the 9th Urmia Grape Festival was underway from Sep.10 to 20.
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2026-09-13 17:14
By Afshin Majlesi
A different way to travel: Azadeh Abedinzadeh explains
TEHRAN - Tourism is often measured by the visitors it attracts and the income they generate. But what if its success could also be measured by the forests it helps protect, the traditions it keeps alive and the opportunities it creates for local communities? This is the thinking behind regenerative tourism, an approach that seeks to move beyond reducing tourism’s negative impacts and toward restoring and strengthening the places people visit.
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2026-09-08 13:14
By Afshin Majlesi
Tehran metro takes on a new role in urban tourism
TEHRAN - Tourism maps have been installed at 24 metro stations in Tehran to help passengers discover historical, cultural and tourism attractions located around the stations, the Tehran Municipality Tourism Headquarters said.
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2026-08-31 14:14
By Afshin Majlesi
From rail to coast and wellness: A new tourism chain takes shape in northern Iran
TEHRAN - Traveling with a group of fellow journalists from Tehran to Bandar-e Anzali recently offered us more than a two-day tour of tourism projects under development. The journey was designed to show how railway travel, coastal destinations, accommodation, recreation and wellness services could be brought together to form a single tourism experience.
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2026-08-17 16:36
By Afshin Majlesi
Tehran municipality official highlights restoration of war-damaged heritage sites
TEHRAN – Ali Shamsipour, head of the Urban Research and Planning Center of Tehran Municipality, has highlighted plans and ongoing efforts to restore heritage sites damaged during the recent war involving the United States and the Israeli regime.
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2026-07-01 20:10
By Afshin Majlesi
War, memory and the race to save a civilization
An interview with Dr. Jebrael Nokandeh, Director of the National Museum of Iran
TEHRAN – What happens when one of the world's oldest civilizations is confronted with the realities of modern warfare? How do museums prepare for conflict, protect irreplaceable artifacts, and respond when cultural institutions come under threat? And what lessons have museum professionals learned from navigating these extraordinary challenges?
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2026-06-30 16:41
By Afshin Majlesi
Experts discuss strategies to protect cultural heritage and historic cities during wartime
TEHRAN – Iranian experts on Tuesday examined international approaches to safeguarding cultural heritage and the historical identity of cities during armed conflict, calling for stronger documentation, digital preservation, legal protection, and broader international cooperation while emphasizing the role of cultural resilience in the aftermath of war.
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2026-06-14 18:17
By Afshin Majlesi
Alborz artisans share their craft, passion and concerns
TEHRAN - World Handicrafts Day, observed annually on June 10, is an occasion to celebrate the creativity, skills and cultural heritage of artisans around the globe.
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2026-06-09 16:25
By Afshin Majlesi
Pamenar cited as model for youth return and women’s role in rural tourism development
TEHRAN – Pamenar Village in Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province has emerged as an example of how rural tourism can help reverse migration, create jobs and strengthen local participation, with young residents and women playing a central role in the village’s development, a tourism official said the Tehran Times on Monday.
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2026-05-31 17:32
By Afshin Majlesi
Riab, an example of heritage preservation, sustainable tourism and community participation
TEHRAN – The historical village of Riab in eastern Iran is emerging as a leading example of heritage preservation, sustainable tourism and community participation as it seeks international recognition through the United Nations Tourism (UN Tourism) Best Tourism Villages initiative.
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2026-05-30 17:54
Qaleh Bala: Where community-based governance aligns with wildlife conservation
TEHRAN - The village of Qaleh Bala, located at the “Golden Gate” of Touran National Park, has become a shining model of participatory governance and community-based environmental conservation in Iran.
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2026-05-30 08:25
By Afshin Majlesi
Bajestan: A quiet treasure beyond Iran’s tourist trail
TEHRAN - Set against the plain beauty of eastern Iran’s desert landscapes, the ancient city of Bajestan remains one of the lesser-known destinations of the country, despite possessing a remarkable combination of history, architecture, and natural scenery.
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2026-05-25 20:28
By Afshin Majlesi
Eco-lodges offer tourists a window into traditional rural life
TEHRAN - In the mountainous villages, desert settlements and forested regions of Iran, a growing network of eco-lodges has become more than a form of rural accommodation.
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2026-01-24 17:17
By Afshin Majlesi
Tribal tourism: visiting a traditional world in the modern age
TEHRAN - Tribes are a proud and living part of Iran’s civilization, and their thousands of years of experience have turned travel among them into a unique and memorable journey. In an age shaped by speed, technology, and urban life, such a tourism genre offers visitors a rare chance to encounter a way of living that remains closely connected to nature.
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2026-01-21 17:20
By Afshin Majlesi
Water leaks, ground subsidence raise concerns at Isfahan’s UNESCO-listed mosque
TEHRAN - Iranian authorities and heritage experts are racing to contain what they describe as a structural threat to parts of the UNESCO-registered Jameh Mosque of Isfahan, also known as the Atiq Mosque, after a limited ground subsidence, water leakage and rising moisture were detected around one of the world’s most important Islamic monuments.
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2026-01-18 17:00
By Afshin Majlesi
At Tchogha Zanbil, a living monument to Elamite faith and engineering
On a serene plain in southwestern Iran, the stepped ziggurat of Tchogha Zanbil has stood for more than 3,500 years, making it the best-preserved ziggurat outside Mesopotamia and one of the rare surviving monuments of the Elamite civilization.
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2026-01-06 17:12
By Afshin Majlesi
Sarakhieh, Iran’s little Venice
At first, it is hard to believe such a place exists in Iran. But deep inside the vast Shadegan wetland in Khuzestan province, there is a village where water is the main road and boats replace cars. This village is Sarakhieh, often called Iran’s “Little Venice.”