Persian handicrafts: 13th-century panel of three tiles from frieze

TEHRAN - These tiles, being kept and displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, were once part of a magnificent frieze in a very important religious shrine in Mashhad, northeast Iran.

Mourners hold "Khotbeh Khani" ritual in Mashhad

A traditional ritual dubbed "Khotbeh Khani" was held at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad on Friday evening to mark the martyrdom anniversary of the eighth Shia Imam. Khotbeh Khani (mourning plus eulogy while carrying candles) ceremony is held every year at the courtyards and porticos of the holy shrine.

Rare postal stamps, envelops and postcards on show at Mashhad museum

TEHRAN – An exhibition of rare postal stamps, envelops and postcards from around the world has opened its doors to the public at the Astan Quds Razavi Museum in Mashhad, northeast Iran.

Rasht-Mashhad five-star train to resume service today

TEHRAN – A 5-star train will resume service between Rasht and Mashhad on Wednesday evening. The train is scheduled to leave Rasht at 19:00 local time towards the holy city of Mashhad, which embraces the shrine complex of Imam Reza (AS).

Collector donates Sassanid silver coins to national museum

TEHRAN – An Iranian collector has donated over 50 silver coins dating back to the Sassanid era (224 CE–651) to the Astan Quds Razavi Museum, a vast cultural heritage exhibition located in the holy shrine complex of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad, northeast Iran.

Private sector investing $7.3b in Khorasan Razavi tourism projects

TEHRAN – Currently, 243 tourism-related projects worth 310 trillion rials (around $7.3 billion at the official rate of 42,000 rials) are currently being developed in Khorasan Razavi province by private investors. 

(Part 8/8) 

A glimpse of Muharram mourning rituals across Iran: Sham-e Ghariban

The night of Ashura in Iran is called Shaam-e Ghariban, meaning “the night of strangers” and those who are far from home and help. People light candles in holy places and gatherings in every corner of the country.

Pilgrimage to holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) added to cultural heritage list

TEHRAN – The spiritual tradition of pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) has been registered on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.

Turkish Airlines to resume flights to five Iranian cities, including Tehran

TEHRAN – Turkey's flag carrier Turkish Airlines has announced that it is scheduled to resume its flights to Tehran and four other major Iranian cities in September.

Safavid-era caravanserai in Semnan being restored

TEHRAN – A team of cultural heritage experts and restorers has commenced work on a Safavid-era (1501-1736) caravanserai, which is located in Lasjerd, north-central Semnan province.

Survey to examine role of saffron in tourism development

TEHRAN – A case study is being carried out on the central city of Natanz to find out how saffron farming may contribute to the development of agritourism in the region.

Mashhad museum sets up exhibit dedicated to journalism

TEHRAN – An exhibition dedicated to media correspondents and the history of journalism in Iran will open to the public at Khorasan Great Museum, which is located in Mashhad, northeast Iran.

Tilework master Elhaminia, famed for decorating Imam Reza holy shrine, passes away

TEHRAN- Mohammad Ali Elhaminia, who was the oldest master of tilework at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in the city of Mashhad, has died at the age of 86.

Tourism projects worth $3.8b underway in Khorasan Razavi

TEHRAN – A total of 248 tourism-related projects worth 162 trillion rials (around $3.8 billion at the official rate of 42,000 rials) are currently underway in Khorasan Razavi province, which is a top destination both for pilgrims and holidaymakers.

Poet Reza Afzali dies at 72

TEHRAN – Poet Reza Afzali died of a stroke in a hospital in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad on Thursday. He was 72.

Hotel occupancy rate plunges to 10% in Khorasan Razavi

TEHRAN – The occupancy rate of hotels in the northeastern Khorasan Razavi province, one of Iran’s giant travel destinations, has plummeted to 10 percent, ILNA quoted Abolfazl Mokaramifar, the provincial tourism chief, as saying on Monday.

Coronavirus cuts medical tourists in Mashhad by 95%

TEHRAN – The coronavirus pandemic has slashed the number of travelers visiting the city of Mashhad for medical purposes by 95 percent over the past few months, IRNA reported.

Dam spills out water after 21 years

Toroq Dam, which is one of the main sources of supplying drinking water to the metropolis of Mashhad, the capital of northeastern Khorasan Razavi province, has spilled for the first time since it was built 21 years ago thanks to heavy rainfalls in recent months. Some experts believe that Iran has entered a period of wet spell after experiencing dry spells over the past few decades as rainfall in the past three years has met normal and above normal levels.

Flash floods reveal archaeological site in northeast Iran

TEHRAN – An archaeological site has recently been unearthed on the outskirts of Torbat-e Heydarieh after torrential rains washed the soil away in the northeastern Iranian region.

100 pieces of historical ceramics, glazed pottery restored

TEHRAN – A total of 100 pieces of historical ceramics and glazed pottery were restored in the laboratory of Khorasan Great Museum, northeastern city of Mashhad, during the past Iranian calendar year (ended March 20).

Leader’s New Year speech canceled over coronavirus outbreak

TEHRAN — Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s annual New Year speech at the Imam Reza holy shrine in the northeastern city of Mashhad will not be held due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

A glimpse of The Met’s excavations at Neyshabur once home to many Iranian scholars, traders and artisans

TEHRAN – Beginning in 1935, a team from the Department of Near Eastern Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially “The Met”, excavated for several seasons at Neyshabur (Nishapur), which is one of flourishing towns of medieval times now situated northeast of modern Iran.

Hadadi assures of winning second Olympics medal

TEHRAN – Iranian discus thrower Ehsan Hadadi says that he can win his second medal in the Olympic Games.

Visit village where all structures are made of timber

Serenely sprawling in a well-watered and fertile plain at the southern foot of the Binalud Mountains, Choobin (“Wooden”) village is a special tourist destination situated near Neyshabur, northeast Iran.

Intl. Quran Competition postponed until end of Ramadan

TEHRAN – The 37th International Quran Competition has been postponed to a time after the holy month of Ramadan due to the new coronavirus epidemic in the country.

Iran-Turkmenistan border crossing to host Noruz celebration

TEHRAN – Iran and Turkmenistan are scheduled to celebrate Noruz, the Persian New Year traditions shared between the two nations, during a joint event at their border crossing on March 27, CHTN reported.

Police seize narcotic drugs in northeastern Iran

TEHRAN – Anti-drug police forces have seized illicit drugs after disbanding a gang of drug traffickers in the northeastern city of Mashhad, local sources announced on Sunday.