Iran celebrates Hyrcanian Forests becoming World Heritage

TEHRAN – Iran on Thursday held a ceremony to officially celebrate Hyrcanian Forests for being designated as a World Heritage site. Experts say that parts of the woodland date back some 50 million years.

WCC experts visit weavers, workshops in Iranian village

TEHRAN - World Crafts Council-Asia Pacific Region Director Ghada Hijavi along with her fellow experts arrived in Qassemabad village on Wednesday to follow up on their assessment to name the northern Iranian rural area a world hub of handicrafts.

Gilan province selected to start Iran’s comprehensive tourism plan

TEHRAN – The northern province of Gilan has been selected as the first province to start the country’s comprehensive tourism plan, which is to be developed under the auspices of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

President Rouhani invited to Hyrcanian Forest World Heritage celebration

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani has been invited to attend a ceremony to celebrate registration of Hyrcanian Forest as a UNESCO World Heritage.

Anzali hosts over five million travelers in H1

TEHRAN – Over five million travelers visited Iran’s Bandar-e Anzali, a port city located in the northern Gilan province, during the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2019).

New postal stamp marks UNESCO’s designation of Hyrcanian Forest

TEHRAN – Iran has issued a new commemorative postal stamp to mark UNESCO’s designation of Hyrcanian Forest, which form a green arc of jungle, separated from the Caucasus to the west and from semi-desert areas to the east.

Gilan province’s foreign tourist arrivals rise 10%

TEHRAN – Foreign arrivals in the northern province of Gilan has increased by 10 percent since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21), from the corresponding period a year earlier.

Foreign arrivals in Gilan province jump 93% in 3 months on year

TEHRAN - The number of foreign arrivals in Gilan province soared 93 percent in the first three months of the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 21) from a year earlier, a provincial tourism official has said.

Festival of local games held in Javaher Dasht

A traditional festival of local games was held in the northern village of Javaher Dasht on July 25 and 26, 2019, highlighted by various outdoor games, competitions, and entertaining programs.

Tea harvest festival brings travelers, nature lovers together 

Farmers, clad in colorful traditional outfits, are seen during a tea harvest festival in Darbaq village, northern Iran, July 14, 2019. 

UNESCO is to assess Iran’s Hyrcanian Forest for World Heritage

TEHRAN – On June 30, the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee kicked off in Baku, Azerbaijan, to assess 36 nominees, including Iran’s Hyrcanian Forest, for possible inscription on the World Heritage list.

By Zahra Mirzafarjouyan

Rudkhan Castle, marvelous stronghold on peak of mountain

TEHRAN - Rudkhan Castle is a brick and stone medieval castle in Iran. It is 30 km away from the city of Fuman and just nearby its hiking starting point, lays the village of Rudkhan. To reach the castle, there are hundreds of stairs to climb and that is one of the reasons this castle is also known as “The Thousand Step Castle”.

Eco-park opened in northern city of Astara 

TEHRAN — A wildlife eco-park was inaugurated in the northern city of Astara, Gilan province, on Friday, ISNA news agency reported.

Iron-Age skeleton, objects unearthed in Gilan

TEHRAN – A human skeleton and objects, dating from the Iron Age, have recently been unearthed from an ancient graveyard in Rostamabad, Gilan province, northern Iran.

Gilan hosts national mat weaving festival

Iranian craftswomen weave traditional baskets during a national mat weaving festival in Fashtakeh village, northern Gilan province, on September 6, 2018. 

Olasbelangah, a piece of heaven on Earth!

Picture depicts a view of Olasbelangah, a mountainous landscape in the province of Gilan, northern Iran, August 5, 2018.

A peek into Estil Lagoon

Photo depicts a view of Estil Lagoon in Astara, northern Iranian province of Gilan, July 8, 2018.

Archaeology team probe Amlash settlements 

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian archaeologists and researches have resumed exploration activity in the Amlash region to find further clues about its ancient culture.

CHHTO breaks ground on anthropology museum

TEHRAN – The Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization on Sunday broke ground on an archeology and anthropology museum in the city of Masal, northern Gilan province.

Iron-Age collection takes center stage at Rasht museum

TEHRAN – An exhibition of Iron-Age artifacts, known as Marlik collection, has opened its doors to the public at a museum in the city of Rasht, northern Gilan province.

On the degradation of Anzali wetland

TEHRAN – There are many reasons behind Anzali Wetland’s degradation in recent years among which one can refer to poor waste management policies and locals’ lack of knowledge regarding benefits of the wetland.

No human cases of avian flu reported in Iran

TEHRAN — Despite the outbreak of avian flu among the birds in the northern province of Gilan and also Tehran, no human cases of avian flu has been reported in Iran, head of communicable diseases department of the Ministry of Health has said.

Sorkhrud wetland, a refuge for migratory birds

TEHRAN - Flocks of migratory birds particularly geese have taken refuge at Sorkhrud wetland in the northern Iranian province of Mazandaran.

Colorful Iran

Gahvareh-bandan ritual in Gilan

Gahvareh-bandan ritual is held on the tenth day after the birth of a baby in Gilan province, northern Iran.

PERSIAN STYLE

Men’s costume in Gilan Province

Men living in highlands and lowlands of the northern province of Gilan wear very different outfits.

PERSIAN STYLE

Women’s costume in Gilan province

In Gilan province, northern Iran, women traditionally cover their head and hairs with ‘lachak’, which is a kind of scarf.

Roudsar leopard released back to wild

TEHRAN — A Persian leopard that had been severely injured by getting caught in snare in February was fully recovered and released back to wild on Sunday.

Tehran exhibit features wooden handcrafted vessels, utensils

TEHRAN – A patchwork of wooden vessels and utensils, handcrafted by Iranian artisan Sajjad Badkoubeh, has been put on show at the headquarters of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Organization in Tehran.