Fire inflicts no damage to 14th-century Rab’-e Rashidi

TEHRAN – The fire that broke out in Rab’-e Rashidi in northwestern East Azarbaijan province on Wednesday has inflicted no damage to the 14th-century educational complex. 

Iran getting Asbads ready for UNESCO tag

TEHRAN – Several centuries-old windmills, locally called Asbads, that are still standing tall in Hamun county, southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, are being restored in order to be prepared for possible inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Coronavirus: Yazd hosts only 20 foreign tourists in spring 

TEHRAN – The central province of Yazd, a traditional heaven for cultural travelers, has hosted only 20 international tourists as well as 300 domestic travelers so far in spring, provincial tourism chief has said. 

Coronavirus: Iran preparing to reopen doors to foreign travelers

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism ministry has forecast that the country will start hosting foreign travelers as of mid-summer with the priority given to travelers from the neighboring countries.

Motorcycle rally held in memory of Imam Khomeini

TEHRAN – Some Iranian motorcyclists took part in a rally on Wednesday towards the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini to commemorate the 31st demise anniversary of the founder of the Islamic Revolution.

Tehran’s historical towers turn off lights in honor of Imam Khomeini

TEHRAN – Tehran’s historical towers turned off lights on June 2 and remained dark to commemorate the death anniversary of Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Revolution.

By Afshin Majlesi

Iran’s trump cards to kick-start tourism in post-COVID-19 world

TEHRAN – As you are well aware, the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus has plunged the travel and tourism industry in the global scene, disrupting life in ways that were unimaginable just a few months ago.

Sanctions hinder GEF to finance environmental projects in Iran

TEHRAN – Unfair and unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States has hindered the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to finance environmental projects in Iran.

WHO lauds Iran’s “Each Home a Health Center” scheme

TEHRAN – Christoph Hamelmann, World Health Organization’s representative to Iran, has praised a scheme called “Each Home a Health Center” launched in Iran to promote public health literacy and improve health culture in the society.

Charity foundation to implement 218 water supply projects in deprived areas

TEHRAN – Barekat Charity Foundation will implement 218 water supply projects with a budget of 1.1 trillion rials (nearly $261 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) in deprived and rural areas of the country.

Water taxi design contest aims to promote maritime tourism

TEHRAN – A water taxi design contest will be held in Tehran in order to develop maritime tourism, ISNA reported.

World Milk Day: drink healthy milk, fight coronavirus

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Health has called on people to join celebrating the World Milk Day 2020 with the slogan “drink healthy milk, fight coronavirus”.

Mining tourism to make debut in Iran

TEHRAN – Iran has started to promote mining tourism by launching the first project in northwestern Zanjan province, IRNA reported. 

By Professor Mehdi Zare

New challenges of disaster management in Iran

The Iranian plateau is located in a very seismically active region of the world and is known not only for its major catastrophic earthquakes but also for the disasters relating to natural hazards, especially earthquakes. About 2% of the earthquakes of the world occur in Iran but more than 6% of the victims of the world earthquakes during the 20th century are reported from Iranian earthquakes. This shows the high level of vulnerability in Iran.

Falak-ol-Aflak’s façade restored

TEHRAN – The Sassanid-era Falak-ol-Aflak Fortress in Khorramabad, western province of Lorestan, which was damaged by an earthquake earlier this month, has undergone urgent rehabilitation works. 

Mustafa Prize convenes experts to discuss coronavirus

TEHRAN - Prominent Muslim scientists and health experts from over ten countries worldwide met virtually on Thursday within the framework of the 7th Science and Technology Exchange Program (STEP) to address scientific and technological collaboration in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

Sanctions a barrier to sustainable development goals, Iran says

TEHRAN – The U.S. sanctions have acted as a barrier to achieve the sustainable development goals, deputy director of the Department of Environment (DOE) said, noting that global solidarity is needed in moving towards sustainable development regardless of the abuse of political power to put pressure on others.

By Salman Parviz

Regional initiative for locust infestation

Already hard-hit by coronavirus, a second wave of locust swarm invasion from East Africa threatens region

A trilateral plan among Iran, Pakistan and India is being formulated to address locust swarm infestations that devour crops and threaten the livelihood and sustenance in the region, already struggling with coronavirus pandemic.

Iran plans to equip rangers with high-tech facilities

TEHRAN – Iran plans to provide a budget to equip the environmental defenders with technological advances, Jamshid Mohabbat Khani, commander of the protection unit of the Department of Environment (DOE) has announced.

‘Sympathetic Iran’ donates $35m to families affected by COVID-19

TEHRAN – A national campaign called Iran-e Hamdel (literally meaning sympathetic Iran) has collected 1.5 trillion rials (nearly $35 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) to help the financially struggling families affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Iran sends anti-corona medical supplies to Afghanistan

TEHRAN – A plane carrying medical aid provided by Iranian people and the private sector landed at Kabul airport on Tuesday, IRNA news agency reported.

FAO delivers first batch of desert locust control equipment to Iran

Tehran – As part of ongoing support provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to Iran for controlling desert locust infestation, the first consignment of pest control equipment supplied by the Organization was delivered to the country’s plant protection authority.

Garments of Iran’s salt mummies to be restored using German expertise

TEHRAN – A team of experts from Iran and Germany will start a project for purifying, cleansing, and restoring garments and personal belongings of ancient salt mummies which were first found in Iran’s Chehrabad Salt Mine in 1993.

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Learning from each other – Iran’s COVID-19 experiences should be shared: WHO’s Hamelmann

TEHRAN – Iran is benefiting from strengths in fighting against the coronavirus epidemic, including strong primary health care system, production surge in a reasonable time, and multisectoral response, WHO Representative in Iran, Dr. Christoph Hamelmann, said in an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times.

Imam Reza holy shrine reopens as virus restrictions eased

TEHRAN – Iran on Monday reopened the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) after more than two months of closure due to the coronavirus outbreak, IRNA news agency reported.

Another archaeological season to commence on Laodicea Temple

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian archaeologists is to conduct a fresh survey on the enigmatic Laodicea Temple, which is situated in the city of Nahavand, Hamedan province, west-central Iran.

By QU Dongyu and Inger Andersen

Time to restore human relations with nature and biodiversity

TEHRAN- The COVID-19 pandemic is a deep and lasting shock at global level; we all know that returning to “business as usual” is not an option. It is imperative that we perceive the crisis as an opportunity to rebuild – and even improve – livelihoods in a sustainable way. High on the agenda is restoring harmony to humanity’s relationship with nature, and particularly with biodiversity.

Caspian Sea water level sinks to lowest in 25 years

TEHRAN – The Caspian Sea water level has reached its lowest level since 1995, mainly because of a recent drop in the water level of the Volga River, which supplies most of the sea’s water, by about 22 percent.

Child adoption increased in Iran

TEHRAN – Child adoption has increased in the country, as some 2,000 children are adopted annually, 1,700 of whom are placed for permanent adoption and 300 in temporary custody, Habibollah Masoudi, deputy director of the Welfare Organization has stated.

Population growth drops to less than 1% for first time

TEHRAN – The country's population growth rate has decreased to less than one percent for the first time over the past four decades, Seyed Hamed Barakati, deputy health minister for family and school population has said.