Zarif says U.S. travel curbs on Iranian diplomats 'inhuman'

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Wednesday that tight U.S. travel restrictions on Iranian diplomats and their families living in New York are “basically inhuman.”

Iranian flatbread inseparable from three-course meals in Kuwait

TEHRAN – Iranian flatbread has long been a permanent guest at Kuwaiti tables.

Ayenedar festival puts focus on Turkmen music

TEHRAN – The 6th edition of the Ayenedar Regional and Ritual Music Festival has put its focus on Turkmen music this year.

By M.A. Saki

“We’ll see how it goes”

Here is the deal: President Trump lifted waivers on Iranian oil to strangle the country’s oil-dependent economy under the “maximum pressure” policy. Tehran won relief from international sanctions following a multilateral accord with six world powers, including the U.S., in 2015.

By Fatemeh Salehi

Al Arabiya’s new blunder rose tensions: unprofessionalism of Bin Salman’s media 

TEHRAN - Al Arabiya channel has recently made a terrible new blunder that has infuriated the Kuwaitis. This is a new mistake of Al Arabiya which was already famous for fueling tension and hatred by spreading false news. 

Bahrain recruited al-Qaeda operatives to target dissidents, Iran: Documentary

A documentary by Qatar’s pan-Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera has revealed that Bahrain recruited al-Qaeda terrorists to take out dissidents inside the Arab country and conduct terrorist attacks in Iran.

Iran to export $5b of gas, electricity to Iraq by March 2020

TEHRAN – The value of Iran’s gas and electricity exports to Iraq are expected to reach $5 billion by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2020), Meh news agency quoted an official with the Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce as saying.

By staff and agency

China blames U.S. for causing tension with Iran, says JCPOA is ‘irreplaceable’

Chinese Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Tuesday that U.S. should stop exerting pressure on Iran and blamed Washington for causing the current tensions.

Foreign visits to Sacred Defense Museum jumps 80 percent

TEHRAN - The number of foreign tourists visiting the Sacred Defense Museum in Tehran in the past Iranian calendar year (March 2018-19) jumped 80 percent compared with a year earlier.

By Afshin Majlesi

Iran travel sector: Ups and downs since U.S. reimposed sanctions

TEHRAN – Last November, the Trump administration reinstated sanctions on Iran, mainly the ones that had been lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal, in order to batter Iran’s economy, however, according to official data, they have so far failed to lessen foreign arrivals to the Islamic Republic.

By Afshin Majlesi

Islamic architecture? Sure, but Na’in’s old mosque offers so much more

Well regarded for its hospitable people, handicrafts, and ancient qanats (manmade subterranean aqueducts that brings water from the mountains), Na’in dates back to nearly 2000 years, which makes it one of the oldest continuously settled towns in the Iranian plateau.

12% rise in foreign tourist visits to historical sites in Fars

TEHRAN – Visits by international travelers to historical sites in Fars province rose 12 percent during the first three months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21) compared to the same period a year earlier.

Defense chief says Iran to continue boosting defense power

TEHRAN – Iranian military forces will continue promoting their defense power, Defense Minister Amir Hatami said on Monday.

By Ramin Hossein Abadian

Details of Mogherini’s trip to Baghdad: Iraq’s clear messages about Iran

TEHRAN - Federica Mogherini, the high representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, heading a diplomatic delegation, arrived in Baghdad on Saturday. This was Mogherini’s first trip to Iraq since 2014. 

Preliminary studies start on fossilized skull found in western Iran

TEHRAN – Preliminary studies have been started on pieces of a fossilized skull, which was untethered earlier in western Iran. The skull is attributed to Homo sapiens.

Retrospective shows delicacy of mirrorwork in Iranian architecture

TEHRAN – Delicacy of mirrorwork in Iranian architecture is in the limelight at the UNESCO-registered Golestan Palace in downtown Tehran, where a retrospective of a veteran Iranian artisan is underway.

Chinese museum to showcase celadons from Iran, other countries

TEHRAN – On Saturday, a collection of centuries-old celadons, on loan from the National Museum of Iran, reached Beijing’s Palace Museum, which is to host a vast exhibit of such potteries from several countries.

“Driving Lessons” named best short at Golden Apricot festival

TEHRAN – Iranian filmmaker Marzieh Riahi’s acclaimed movie “Driving Lessons” won the Golden Apricot for best short film at the 16th Golden Apricot International Film Festival in Yerevan, Armenia, the organizers announced on Saturday.

Major gun-smuggling team disbanded in Golestan

TEHRAN – Iranian intelligence forces have dismantled a gun-smuggling team in the northern  province of Golestan, the Intelligence Ministry has announced.

Hacking your way to book a hotel room in Iran

TEHRAN – In spite of U.S. trade and economic sanctions, it still seems easy to get the best hotel deal for your stay in Iran.

‘Jahangiri, Aref, Shariatmadari, Dehqan, and Ghazizadeh Hashemi preparing to contest 2021 presidential election’

TEHRAN – Hossein Mar’ashi, a senior member of the Servants of Construction Party, has said Es’haq Jahangiri, Mohammad Reza Aref, Mohammad Shariatmadari, Hossein Dehqan, Ghazizadeh Hashemi are preparing themselves to run for the 2021 presidential election, the Sharq newspaper reported on Saturday.

The story of Hezbollah anti-aircraft missile

TEHRAN –Secretary-General of Hezbollah Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah revealed two strategic surprises for the military and intelligence services of the West, especially the Zionists in the anniversary of 33-day Israeli war.

Detained crew of supertanker released on bail

TEHRAN - The crew member of supertanker who were arrested off the coast of Gibraltar have been conditionally bailed without charge, Sky News reported on Saturday.

Iran On Map

Iran is a country in Western Asia, the Middle East to be exact. Turkey and Iraq are its neighbors to the west, Pakistan and Afghanistan to the east, Armenia and Republic of Azerbaijan to the northwest, and Turkmenistan to the northeast. Iran shares maritime borders with some countries to the north by the Caspian Sea and to the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman

Successful Iranian Entrepreneurs You Should Know About

There are many people who have had a great influence on Iran’s startup ecosystem since the early days of its inception. Here are 5 successful Iranian entrepreneurs that you should know about.

44 martyrs of sacred defense transferred to Iran via Shalamcheh border

The remains of 44 soldiers martyred during Saddam Hussein’s war against Iran in the 1980s were transferred to Iran via the Shalamcheh border on Thursday and were honored by the people of the border cities of Abadan and Khorramshahr in Khuzestan Province. 

By Daniel Dale, Nicole Gaouette and Zachary Cohen

Fact check: Trump wrong on all 3 claims in tweet on Iran deal

WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Donald Trump's Wednesday tweet on the Iran nuclear deal contained three inaccurate claims.

Animation, puppet festival underway in Kermanshah 

A group students performs a puppet show during the opening ceremony of the 2nd Iran Animation and TV Puppet Show Festival in the western Iranian city of Kermanshah on July 9, 2019.

Iraqi arrivals in Iran gaining momentum

TEHRAN - The number of Iraqi nationals visiting Iran is gaining momentum this year as the Islamic Republic endeavors to boost its tourism revenues in the face of U.S.-led sanctions.