Iranians observe Mehregan aiming to renew friendship

TEHRAN – Yesterday evening, clusters of Iranian Zoroastrians came together in various reunions across the country to celebrate Mehregan, an ancient Persian festival that marks friendship, affection and love.

Azerbaijan offers facilities for Iranian tour operators

TEHRAN – The Republic of Azerbaijan has offered facilities for Iranian tour operators in a bid to widen travel businesses in the northern neighbor.

Isfahan’s foreign tourist arrivals break 40-year-record

TEHRAN – Some 85 thousand foreign travelers visited Isfahan during the first Iranian month of Farvardin (Mar. 21 to Apr. 20), setting a new record for the past 40 years, Isfahan Governor General says.

Azerbaijan seeks to bolster tourism ties with Iran

TEHRAN – The deputy culture and tourism minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan has held talks with provincial authorities of East Azarbaijan in northwest Iran, laying out a roadmap for widening cooperation thanks to countless mutual commonalities, CHTN reported on Saturday.

Annual handicraft exports at $237m: tourism chief

TEHRAN – Iran exported $237 million of handicrafts in the past Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 20, IRNA quoted the head of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Organization as saying.

Visits to Fars historical sites up 7% during Noruz 

TEHRAN - Various historical sites across the southern province of Fars attracted over 1.6 million visitors during Noruz holidays from March 15 to April 2, up seven percent from the same period in the year earlier. 

Noruz in snapshot

The hands of young ladies is seen tying together blades of grass in hope of finding their ideal husbands as a tradition to mark Sizdah Bedar.

In praise of Noruz: A glimpse at myths encircling Iranian New Year

Like many other ancient traditions, Noruz is associated with heroes of myths and legends that revolve around such a cherished festival in the Persian calendar.

Plastic industries, environmental bodies campaign for litter-free Nature Day  

TEHRAN —A group of plastic industry owners in association with Tehran Province Department of Environment have joined hands to campaign for a litter-free Nature Day observed on April 2.

By Ali Kushki

Envoy talks about Noruz in Tajikistan

TEHRAN – While New Year's Day in Tajikistan has been celebrated on January 1 nearly for the past hundred years, similar to other countries which secured independence from the Soviet Union, still Noruz has a matchless status throughout the history of Tajikistan.

Noruz in snapshot

A woman passes by a flower garden during Noruz when the air boasts of its blossoming lilies, roses, and daffodils.

Noruz in snapshot

An Iranian woman buys flowers ahead of celebrations in Tehran for Persian New Year, or Noruz (Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images)

Noruz in Snapshot

Aside from paying visit to the relatives and friends the two-week holidays are great opportunities to take trips to different cities and take advantage of the spring beauties.

Ali Kushki

Noruz symbolizes historical equilibrium between change and stability

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari believes that the Iranian nation has historically been a textbook example of ongoing adaptability to ever-changing situations in its environs.

Double-decker bus offers hop-on, hop-off tour in Tehran

An open-top double-decker tourist bus is seen before Azadi Tower in western Tehran on March 23, 2017.

UNESCO chief calls Noruz cradle of confidence, belonging for all

TEHRAN - The head of the United Nations cultural agency has said that amid global challenges such as violent extremism, Noruz is a source of confidence and belonging for all.

By Samaneh Aboutalebi

“Faces from Places” director eager to visit Iran during Noruz

TEHRAN -- Bastien Dubois, the French director of the 2013 animated TV series “Faces from Places”, one of whose episodes centers on Noruz, has said that he is eager to visit Iran during the ancient celebration of the New Year beginning on the first day of spring.

Noruz in snapshot

Iranians pay respect to the graves of soldiers who were martyred during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, in an undated photo in Mashhad. (Photo: Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua Press/Corbis)

Germany’s Steinmeier congratulates Rouhani on Noruz

TEHRAN - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier congratulated President Hassan Rouhani on Noruz, Iran’s ancient festive which marks the beginning of the New Year in the country.

Intl. figures to celebrate Noruz at Golestan Palace

TEHRAN – Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization will host an international celebration of Noruz on March 26 at the historical Golestan Palace in downtown Tehran. 

Noruz in snapshot

Turkmen nomads take part in a wedding ceremony in northern Iran. The upper part of Gonbad-e Qabus, a UNESCO-inscribed tower, is seen in the foreground.

By Manijeh Rezapoor

Haji Firuz depicted down in Shohreh Ghanbari’s new collection

TEHRAN – Painter Shohreh Ghanbari’s new collection “Haji Firuz” shows the venerable harbinger of Noruz in a gloomy mood despite the philosophy of the occasion.

Zarif congratulates fellow Iranians on Noruz

TEHRAN – In a message hours before Noruz, Iran’s national festive, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wished all Iranians across the world a happy New Year.

Noruz in snapshot

Iranians, wearing red clothes and black make-up, as a symbol of the Iranian New Year, called Haji Firuz, sing and dance in a street, hoping to earn money from passers-by in northern Tehran .(Photo: Vahid Salemi/AP)

By Afshin Majlesi

Time to see another face of Tehran during Noruz

TEHRAN – Noruz, the ancient, national festive of the Iranians, is the right time for those who have been for long fancying being in Tehran.

Noruz in snapshot

Green sprouts are sold in small clay containers at a market in Tehran for Noruz, the Persian New Year

Haji Firuz & Amoo Noruz, the Persian troubadour & Santa Claus

Haji Firuz, a troubadour sporting a red costume, black make-up and a tambourine and a red costume ushers in the Iranian New Year with a song and dance.

By Mehdi Sepahvand

Iran’s rite of house cleaning before Noruz

As the Noruz approaches, Iranians make attempt to renew their living environment. This is done by cleaning their houses spick and span in what is called “khooneh tekooni”. Iranians spend the few weeks to the New Year doing this. They remove the carpets, wash them, mop the floor, the walls, furniture, and everything else.

Iran’s cultural offices in 31 countries to celebrate Noruz 

TEHRAN – Iran’s cultural offices in 31 countries are scheduled to observe Noruz, the celebration Persian New Year from March 20 to April 2.

Traffic police, relief organizations all set for Noruz holidays

TEHRAN — Traffic police and relief organizations are all primed to offer services to the public during the Noruz holidays (March 15 to April 3), the traffic police chief said on Tuesday.