First spiritual tourism roadmap for Isfahan bazaar planned

TEHRAN — Isfahan Municipality is set to officially unveil the spiritual tourism routes of Isfahan, highlighting saqqakhanehs (traditional places providing water to the passersby), seminaries, and mosques located within the city’s ancient bazaar, said Alireza Massah, who presides over the municipality’s tourism office.

Iran considers extending ‘Land of Kindness’ exhibition in China following high demand

TEHRAN -- Iran is considering an extension of its highly acclaimed cultural exhibition, “Land of Kindness”, currently on display in China, following a formal request from Chinese officials, according to Ali Darabi, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage.

60 restoration projects underway for Hamedan historical monuments

TEHRAN—Deputy Head of Hamedan Cultural Heritage Department Hamidreza Heydari gave news of 60 restoration projects being conducted across Hamedan province with a credit worth 480 billion rials ($533,333).

Iran among world’s best-performing destinations in Q1, deputy minister

TEHRAN—The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its latest report in social media, named Iran among top countries in terms of performance in tourism sector during the first quarter of 2025, said the deputy tourism minister, Anoushirvan Mohseni Bandpei, in a meeting of policymaking council of VisitIran website which was held at Persian Gulf Hall of Tourism Ministry in July 15 with participation of private and state sectors.

224 Hamedani Mookebs render services to Arbaeen pilgrims

TEHRAN—Reza Mousavi, a senior official of Hamedan province, said 224 Mookebs (service centers with a religious nature where Shia Muslims come together and conduct religious rituals during Arbaeen) have been launched across the province to render services to the pilgrims during Arbaeen.

University of Michigan professor congratulates Iran on UNESCO designation of Paleolithic caves

TEHRAN - Professor John D. Speth, a distinguished anthropologist and emeritus faculty member at the University of Michigan, has warmly congratulated the recent inscription of the Paleolithic caves of Iran’s Khorramabad Valley on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

‘I will never regret coming’: solo female traveler reflects amid Israel’s strikes on Iran

TEHRAN - When 24-year-old Taiwanese traveler Ariel Kang Chengxuan went to bed on June 12 in Isfahan, Iran, she had no idea she was about to wake up in the midst of all-out war.

Bushehr province hosting Arbaeen pilgrims

TEHRAN—Bushehr province is hosting pilgrims who cross the southwest of Iran to go to Karbala in Iraq to participate in Arbaeen religious rituals.

Tehran hotel shelters over 300 war-affected people

TEHRAN – More than 300 residents of Tehran, whose homes were destroyed during the Israeli-imposed aerial war, have been temporarily housed at Laleh Hotel in the capital, the hotel’s manager announced on Sunday.

Reopening of museums planned in three stages, deputy minister

TEHRAN – Weeks after a halt in the 12-day Israeli-imposed war on Iran, Deputy Cultural Heritage Minister Ali Darabi announced the development of a three-stage plan for the safe and gradual reopening of museums and historical sites.

Tourism minister visits Great Wall of Gorgan in northern Iran

TEHRAN - Iran’s tourism minister, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, paid a visit to the Great Wall of Gorgan on Thursday, where he inaugurated construction on the site’s first official visitor information center, which is regarded as a key milestone toward the wall’s eventual nomination for UNESCO World Heritage status.

By Afshin Majlesi

A journey beyond the misconceptions

TEHRAN - For those who dare to look beyond the headlines, Iran unveils a spectacular array of treasures. From the ancient ruins of Persepolis, once the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire, to the winding alleyways and wind towers of Yazd, a UNESCO-listed desert city, the country is a living museum.

Milestone recognition marks Iran’s first Paleolithic World Heritage site

TEHRAN - In a landmark announcement during the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on Friday, in Paris, the Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley were officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. 

Anniversary of Yazd’s UNESCO designation: a reminder for preserving its rich heritage

TEHRAN - Concurrent with the anniversary of the UNESCO registration of Yazd city on July 9, the deputy governor general of Yazd province called the registration an “exceptional opportunity” for preserving this valuable heritage.

Historic Persian-Georgian documents of Iran’s Afsharid era digitized with British Library support

TEHRAN - A significant cultural heritage preservation initiative has culminated in the digitization and cataloguing of rare Persian and Georgian-Persian historical documents from the Afshar period, preserved at the Korneli Kekelidze National Centre of Manuscripts in Tbilisi, Georgia.

By Afshin Majlesi

Cultural heritage is a voice against hostile narratives, Iran tourism minister says

TEHRAN – In a press conference held on Tuesday afternoon, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, along with his deputies, addressed the ministry’s role in shaping cultural resilience during the recent 12-day conflict with Israel.

Iran, Tajikistan should be pioneers in unifying Persian-speaking world

TEHRAN—Iran and Tajikistan, as two wings of Persian culture, should be pioneers in unifying the Persian-speaking world, said Hojjatollah Ayyoubi, head of Tourism Ministry’s Center for International Affairs.

11,000-year-old secret revealed: Boars transported across Zagros for ritual feasts in western Iran

TEHRAN - A study by an international team has revealed that pre-agricultural communities at the Early Neolithic site of Asiab, near Kermanshah in western Iran (~9660–9340 cal BCE), engaged in complex logistical efforts to provision large-scale ritual feasts.

Rab'-e Rashidi: restoration campaign, land acquisition drive launched

Muharram rituals: thousands of pilgrims walk to Imam Reza shrine

TEHRAN – Around 7,000 pilgrims traveled on foot to the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad to commemorate Tasu’a and Ashura, two of the most significant days in the Islamic calendar, at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam.

Iran suggests China abolish visa requirements for its tourists in reciprocal move

TEHRAN – Iran has called on the Chinese government to lift visa requirements for Iranian nationals wishing to visit China, in a move aimed at deepening bilateral cultural and tourism ties.

Shush: from global heritage to civilizational capacity

TEHRAN—Shush, which embraces UNESCO-listed Susa in southwestern Iran, is considered one of history’s beating hearts and one of the most ancient human settlements not only for Khuzestan people but also for all Iranians, wrote a Shush lawmaker in Majlis.

Early Islamic metallurgical complex discovered at Masouleh; strengthens revised World Heritage file

TEHRAN - A joint Iranian-Chinese archaeological team has uncovered a significant early Islamic-era settlement and a sponge iron smelting workshop at the Khanbaji Sara site within the Cultural Landscape of Masouleh in northern Iran.

Qazvin’s threefold strategy for tourism highlighted during ministerial visit

TEHRAN - The Governor-General of Qazvin province, Mohammad Nozari, has emphasized a comprehensive three-pronged approach to advancing tourism in the province, encompassing short-, medium-, and long-term strategies.

Iran seeks investors to revive 41 heritage sites in 16 provinces

TEHRAN – Iran’s revitalization fund for historical and cultural places has announced the launch of a major public auction aimed at attracting investors to restore, preserve, and make productive use of 41 historical sites located in 16 provinces across the country.