16th-century Ardabil carpets lie far from home in London and Los Angeles

TEHRAN - Two monumental 16th-century Ardabil carpets--woven in the Safavid court for the shrine of Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili--now lie thousands of kilometers from their home, housed separately in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). 

Pomegranate Festival begins in Saveh

TEHRAN—Saveh’s Fourth National Pomegranate Festival, hosted by the historic Jameh Mosque of Saveh, began on Saturday with the presence of national and provincial officials, agricultural activists, and gardeners from across the country.

Isfahan weaving factory to become Iran’s largest regional museum

TEHRAN--The historic Isfahan weaving factory known as Risbaf, once one of the most important centers of the country’s textile industry, will soon become the largest regional museum in Iran. This large cultural project, in addition to preserving the industrial heritage, will play an important role in introducing the history and culture of Isfahan.

Deputy minister emphasizes completing Bonab Kebab world registration dossier

TEHRAN--Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage Ali Darabi has underscored the importance of completing the Bonab Kebab world registration dossier.

16th-century Ardabil carpets lie far from home in London and Los Angeles

TEHRAN - Two monumental 16th-century Ardabil carpets--woven in the Safavid court for the shrine of Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili--now lie thousands of kilometers from their home, housed separately in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

Lufthansa to resume flights to Iran from January 16, 2026

TEHRAN – Lufthansa said it is set to resume flights to Iran on Jan. 16, 2026, following security and operational assessments carried out in coordination with Iranian aviation authorities.

Groundbreaking research reveals two-thirds of Babylonian Bisotun inscription may be lost

A new study published in the journal IRAQ has cast doubt on the long-accepted completeness of the Babylonian version of the famous Bisotun (Behistun) Inscription, one of the most important trilingual records of the ancient world.

Tourism investors exempt from land use change fees, deputy minister says

TEHRAN-- Deputy Tourism Minister Ali-Asghar Shalbafian has announced the exemption of investors from paying land use change fees.

Tourism minister delivers Pezeshkian’s message calling for enhanced ties with China

TEHRAN--Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Reza Salehi-Amiri has delivered a message from President Masoud Pezeshkian to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, which emphasized the need to further strengthen relations between the two countries in cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts.

Third excavation season begins at Zel Hastijan cave

TEHRAN-- The third excavation season has begun in Zel Hastijan Cave, in the city of Delijan, Markazi province.

Cultural Heritage Ministry, Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order sign MoU

TEHRAN--A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and the Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order (EIKO) to strengthen sustainable employment through handicrafts and tourism.

Iran to promote tourism, cultural ties with China, minister says

TEHRAN--Tourism and cultural heritage relations with China will be elevated to a strategic level given Iran’s cultural and historical attractions, said Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri on the sidelines of the Second General Assembly of the Asian Cultural Heritage Association (ACHA) on Wednesday.

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Isfahan opens intl. tourism exhibition, officials say event marks new phase in sector

TEHRAN – Officials in Iran’s central province of Isfahan said on Tuesday that the 15th Isfahan International Exhibition of Tourism, Handicrafts and Hoteling would help launch a new phase in the region’s tourism development.

Media tour explores historic sites across Semnan province

TEHRAN – A media tour in Semnan province on Wednesday took journalists to five historic and cultural sites, offering an overview of the city’s architectural heritage and preservation efforts, IRNA reported.

Ardabil to present over 100 tourism investment opportunities at intl. forum

TEHRAN - Ardabil province is set to present 112 investment opportunities in tourism, handicrafts and related services at an international on Thursday, a provincial official said.

Sistan-Baluchestan to host conference dedicated to desert hiking

TEHRAN – Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province is set to hold a special conference on desert attractions for hikers on Nov. 27–28.

Iranian ambassador emphasizes promoting medical tourism with Tajikistan

TEHRAN--Iranian Ambassador to Tajikistan Alireza Haqiqian emphasized the need to design a sustainable framework for joint cooperation and the development of medical tourism with Tajikistan.

National Museum to host conference on human living spaces

TEHRAN – The National Museum of Iran is scheduled to hold a national conference on human living spaces on Feb. 15, 2026.

UNESCO-listed Susa completes protection work on 253 Apadana Palace remains

TEHRAN – Conservation teams in the UNESCO-registered Susa have completed a project to safeguard and protect 253 architectural remains from the Achaemenid-era Apadana Palace, the head of the Susa World Heritage base said on Tuesday.

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Authenticity is key for foreign buyers of Persian handicrafts, exporter says

TEHRAN-- Foreign buyers are looking for the authenticity of handicrafts, not mass production, so work that has a soul is more valuable to them, a handicraft exporter in Yazd has said.

Restoration of world’s only historic mosque with four minarets begins in Darab

TEHRAN--Restoration operation of Jameh Mosque of Darab in Fars province, the only historical four-minaret mosque in the world, has begun, head of Darab Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department has said.

UNESCO-listed Chah-Kouran caravanserai undergoes restoration

TEHRAN - Restoration work has begun on the Chah-Kouran caravanserai, a UNESCO-listed heritage site located in Ravar county of Kerman province, provincial cultural officials said on Sunday.

Mashhad hosting 4,000 pilgrims arriving on foot for Hazrat Fatemeh mourning

TEHRAN - More than 2,500 pilgrims arriving on foot entered Mashhad on Sunday to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Hazrat Fatemeh Zahra (SA), the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Local officials expect the number of pilgrims entering the holy city on foot may reach 4,000.

‘Narrators of Ancient Iran’ extended after popular demand

TEHRAN - Due to “its great success”, the exhibition “Narrators of Ancient Iran: A Selection of Objects from the National Museum” has been extended for one month and will now remain open to the public until December 21.

Minister emphasizes restoration of UNESCO-registered Soltaniyeh Dome

TEHRAN—Minister of Cultural Heritage Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri has emphasized restoration of the UNESCO-registered Sotalniyeh Dome in Zanjan during his visit to this province.

Isfahan firms to promote Iran’s heritage at Madrid’s Fitur fair

TEHRAN--Five travel agencies from Isfahan province have been selected to participate in the Iranian pavilion at the Madrid International Fitur 2026 exhibition to introduce the city's cultural and historical capacities to the global tourists, said Amir Karamzadeh, tourism chief of the province.

3.5 million religious tourists visited Iran last year

TEHRAN – Tourism Minister Reza Salehi-Amiri has said that 3.5 million religious tourists from Iraq, the Persian Gulf region, Central Asia, and the Caucasus traveled to Iran during the past Persian year (1403), which ended on March 20, 2025.

South Korean ambassador says southeast Iran visit enriched his heritage insight

TEHRAN - The South Korean ambassador to Iran has said his recent personal visit to southeastern Iran, including a tour of the regional museum in Zahedan, gave him a deeper insight into the area’s cultural legacy and its connections to ancient Iranian traditions.