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2026-03-21 01:18
By Afshin Majlesi
Nowruz in the shadow of war
This year, Nowruz does not feel the way it used to. Many things still look the same on the outside. The Haft-Seen table is ready, just like every year. There is green wheat, flowers, a mirror, a copy of the Holy Quran, and a glass bowl with small red fish swimming quietly.
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2026-03-18 20:28
By Mostafa PourAli
Protecting cultural heritage under fire: The fragile role of international law
The deliberate targeting of cultural heritage during armed conflict remains a grave concern. International law provides crucial instruments for protection, anchored by agreements such as the 1972 UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. These conventions represent a foundational effort to safeguard sites of historical and artistic significance, recognizing their intrinsic value beyond purely monetary terms.
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2026-03-18 16:17
By Nafise Hajati
How are Isfahan’s UNESCO and national heritage sites faring after airstrikes?
ISFAHAN - Airstrikes on the Iranian city of Isfahan have severely damaged two of its most iconic heritage sites: the UNESCO-listed Chehel Sotoun Palace and the National Heritage Site Ashraf Hall, alongside damage to over 12 other cultural landmarks.
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2026-03-15 14:39
By Afshin Majlesi
Airstrike shockwaves put Iran’s ancient landmarks at risk
TEHRAN - Although Iran’s enemies have repeatedly claimed that their strikes target nuclear and missile infrastructure, their massive airstrikes have also damaged historic districts and monuments that represent centuries of Persian civilization.
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2026-03-15 12:31
Over 56 Iranian heritage sites damaged in U.S., Israeli attacks
TEHRAN – Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts said on Saturday that at least 56 museums, historical monuments and cultural sites across the country had suffered serious damage due to airstrike conducted by the United States and Zionist regime of Israel.
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2026-03-09 16:43
Airstrikes damage 17th-century mosque in Isfahan
TEHRAN – Recent airstrikes on the Iranian city of Isfahan have damaged the historic Imam Mosque, also known as Masjed Jameh Abbasi, according to a provincial heritage official.
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2026-03-06 15:56
Science minister writes to UNESCO chief denouncing humanitarian law violations in attacks
TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Science, Research and Technology has urged UNESCO to strongly condemn recent attacks by the United States and Israel against Iranian territory, citing violations of international humanitarian law and UNESCO-protected sites.
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2026-03-06 15:50
Government prioritizes rendering services during emergency conditions
TEHRAN—Rendering services to people during the country’s emergency conditions is the top priority of the Government, say tourism officials.
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2026-03-06 15:45
17 compatriots martyred during U.S.-Israeli terrorist attack to Abhar
TEHRAN—A total of 17 ordinary citizens were martyred following U.S.-Israeli terrorist attack to Pasargadae Tourism Complex in Abhar, Zanjan province.
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2026-03-06 15:41
Qazvin’s mirror and glass production unit damaged by U.S.-Israeli attacks
TEHRAN- Following U.S.-Israeli attacks, a mirror and glass production unit faced heavy damages in Qazvin province, said a cultural heritage official.
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2026-03-05 19:48
Tehran museum director urges protection of cultural heritage during conflict
TEHERAN - The director of Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA) has emphasized the importance of safeguarding museums and historical sites during armed conflict, following recent damage to a UNESCO site in downtown Tehran.
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2026-03-05 17:54
Natanz focuses on preserving historical texture before Nowruz travels
TEHRAN – Officials in Natanz have emphasized the importance of maintaining historical integrity of the ancient city as preparations are underway to accommodate increased tourism during the upcoming Nowruz holiday, which officially starts on March 21.
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2026-03-05 16:41
UNESCO warns of damage to World Heritage following Tehran attack
TEHRAN – The Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has expressed concern over the protection of World Heritage sites following escalating violence in West Asia, citing damage to the centuries –old Golestan Palace in downtown Tehran.
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2026-03-04 19:42
By Afshin Majlesi
Expert details damage to UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace following airstrike
TEHRAN – Iranian cultural heritage expert Eskandar Mokhtari-Taleqani has elaborated damage to the Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Tehran, following recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on March 1.
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2026-03-04 18:10
Foreign reporters visit Golestan Palace following U.S.-Israeli attacks
TEHRAN—Reporters and representatives from international media visited Golestan Palace which had been damaged due to the recent U.S.-Israeli bombardment.
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2026-03-04 18:07
Eco-lodge units to accommodate those affected by Israeli-U.S. attacks
TEHRAN—Eco-lodge units across Iran are hosting those affected by recent Israeli-American attacks. They are manifestation of civilian responsibility and correlation.
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2026-03-03 19:34
Historical objects of Isfahan, Kashan transferred to secure storages
TEHRAN--In a preventive measure to preserve the historical objects against any possible danger during the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, a collection of valuable objects from historical monuments of Isfahan and Kashan has been transferred to secure storages, said deputy head of Isfahan Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department.
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2026-02-28 16:40
Bread wrapping; a motherly ritual during Ramadan
TEHRAN-- In the old alleys and traditional neighborhoods of Bushehr province, a motherly ritual called ‘noon pooshi’ (bread wrapping) is held with the arrival of Ramadan.
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2026-02-28 16:40
National eco-lodge training workshops launched
TEHRAN – National training workshops for eco-lodge operators have begun across Iran, the head of the Iranian association for eco-lodge operators said on Saturday.
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2026-02-28 16:39
Study sheds new light on UNESCO-listed Khorramabad Valley Prehistoric Sites
TEHRAN – A new scientific article on the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age periods in the Khorramabad Valley has been published in the latest issue of the journal of the National Museum of Iran, the head of Lorestan’s Cultural Heritage Department said on Friday.
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2026-02-27 15:46
Safavid-era cannon to undergo conservation process
TEHRAN – A Safavid-era cannon in Isfahan’s 17th-century Chehel Sotoun Palace has entered a process of conservation and revised display after years of being kept in unsuitable conditions, the site’s director said.
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2026-02-27 15:46
Qatar Airways maintains daily Tehran-Doha flights
TEHRAN – Qatar Airways will continue operating daily flights on the Doha-Tehran-Doha route until June 30, Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport City said, dismissing reports of a suspension.
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2026-02-27 15:46
Museum director commemorates Arfa’i as pioneer of Elamite, Old Babylonian studies
TEHRAN – The head of the museum at Persepolis on Thursday marked the memory of professor Abdolmajid Arfa’i, an Elamite scholar and researcher of ancient Elamite and Akkadian languages, who died on Wednesday at the age of 86 after a period of illness.
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2026-02-25 18:06
Food in Hormozgan tells story of people's connection with sea
TEHRAN -- Food in Hormozgan province is not just a meal, but rather a story of people's long-standing connection with the sea.
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2026-02-25 18:04
Iranian conservator calls for fundamental reform in restoration education
TEHRAN – An Iranian architectural conservator and university lecturer has called for a fundamental overhaul of restoration education, criticizing what he described as an overly theory-based academic system and weak institutional support for field training.
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2026-02-25 18:03
Elamitologist Abdolmajid Arfa’i, decipherer of Cyrus Cylinder, dies at 86
TEHRAN – Professor Abdolmajid Arfa’i, Elamite scholar and prominent researcher of ancient Elamite and Akkadian languages, died on Wednesday, after a period of illness. He was 86.
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2026-02-25 09:59
Handicrafts artists participate in Intl. Holy Quran Exhibition
TEHRAN – Handicrafts artists are taking part in the 33rd International Holy Quran Exhibition, which is currently underway at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla in Tehran, a provincial official said on Tuesday.
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2026-02-25 09:55
Kerman chosen to host 2nd ECO Silk Road Tourism Working Group meeting
TEHRAN – Iran’s southeastern province of Kerman will host the second meeting of the Silk Road Tourism Working Group of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the sixth International Silk Road Food Festival in the second half of 2026, the deputy tourism minister said on Tuesday.
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2026-02-25 09:50
Nationwide training courses to be implemented for tourism workforce, official says
TEHRAN – Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts will implement targeted training packages titled “Empowerment and Retraining Courses for Tourism Human Resources” across the country, a senior tourism official said on Monday.
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2026-02-23 18:01
Urmia mosque restoration nears completion ahead of UNESCO evaluation
TEHRAN – Restoration and preparation work on the Jameh Mosque of Urmia is in its final stages as the site is being readied for evaluation for possible inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list, a provincial official said on Tuesday.