Sasanian-era pottery jar discovered in southern Iran

TEHRAN – A pottery jar dating back to the Sasanian era has recently been discovered in Dehqaed village of Bushehr province, southern Iran, following recent rainfall, the provincial tourism chief said on Tuesday.

Dome of Shah Nematollah Vali Shrine restored

TEHRAN – A restoration and conservation work has been completed for on the dome of the Shah Nematollah Vali shrine in the city of Mahan in Kerman province, the provincial tourism chief said on Monday.

Nahavand’s tumulus-shaped tomb could shed light on Seleucid era: archaeologist

TEHRAN – An Iranian archaeologist has said the discovery of a tumulus-shaped ancient tomb near the city of Nahavand could reveal new details about the Seleucid period, citing it as the only known tumulus in Iran dated to that era.

Afghan migrants mark Yalda Night in Mashhad ceremony

MASHHAD – A number of Afghan migrants and local residents gathered in Mashhad on Sunday evening to mark the ancient festivity of Yalda Night at a cultural program held at the Persian Gulf Complex, organizers said.

Parthian-Sasanian artifacts from Amlash culture made national heritage

TEHRAN - Iran has added three Parthian-Sasanian period artifacts discovered in Amlash county in Gilan province to its national heritage list, the provincial head of cultural heritage said on Saturday.

Tajik ambassador underscores cultural convergence between Iran and Central Asia

TEHRAN – Tajikistan’s ambassador to Iran, Nizamuddin Zahedi, has said Iran’s festival of tribal culture reflects cultural convergence between the Islamic Republic and Central Asian countries.

Academic meeting examines role of narrative in museums

TEHRAN – An academic meeting titled “Narrative in the Museum: From Representation to Education” was held on Saturday at the Faculty of Art and Architecture of Tarbiat Modares University, organizers said.

Central Asian writers, poets and physicians visit historical sites in Hamedan

TEHRAN - A delegation of 23 poets, writers and medical professionals from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan visited historical sites and medical facilities in Iran’s western province of Hamedan as part of a cultural and scientific exchange program.

Tehran to host Yalda festival across 22 districts

TEHRAN - Tehran will hold Yalda festival events across its 22 municipal districts through Sunday, Dec. 21, the head of the Tehran Municipality Tourism Headquarters said.

Persepolis to host Yalda Night ceremony

TEHRAN - The UNESCO-registered Persepolis will host a ceremony of Yalda Night on Sunday to mark the winter solstice and celebrate one of the country’s oldest cultural traditions, site officials said.

Gorgan hosts intl. tribal culture festival highlighting regional ties

GORGAN - Iran’s Golestan province hosted the 17th International Festival of Tribal Culture this week, with officials saying the event reflects Iran’s historical links with neighboring countries.

Iran’s Ilam, Iraq’s Karbala discuss joint tourism exhibition

TEHRAN - Iranian and Iraqi officials have reached an initial agreement to hold a joint handicrafts and tourism exhibition in Iraq, Ilam’s cultural heritage chief said, following talks between provincial authorities.

Tourism minister says Yalda can serve as platform for regional dialogue

TEHRAN - Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, has said that the ancient festivity of Yalda should be viewed as a shared cultural framework for dialogue, cohesion and civilizational convergence across the region.

By Afshin Majlesi

Golestan at a glance: forests, ancient monuments and Caspian landscapes

GORGAN - Golestan is one of the least visited provinces in Iran, yet for many travelers who take the time to explore it, the region may quickly become a favorite destination.

Iran-Uzbekistan cultural ties seen as opening markets for Iranian handicrafts

TEHRAN – Uzbek artist and carpet researcher Farrokh Manhal said on Thursday that deep historical and cultural links between Iran and Uzbekistan provide a strategic basis for expanding cultural diplomacy and markets for Iranian handicrafts in Central Asia.

Iran, Georgia sign MoU in motor racing, tourism fields

TEHRAN-- Touring & Automobile Club of the Islamic Republic of Iran (TACI) and Georgian Automobile Sport Federation signed a memorandum of understanding with the aim of developing bilateral cooperation in the field of motor racing and land tourism.

Iranian artists showcase traditional arts in India exhibitions

TEHRAN - Iranian artists are presenting traditional arts at a series of exhibitions in India under a cultural memorandum of understanding between Shiraz’s Setaiesh art house and the Jaipur Art Summit institute.

Global tourist arrivals rise 5% in first nine months of 2025

TEHRAN - International tourist arrivals rose 5% in the first nine months of 2025 from a year earlier, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to data released by UN Tourism.

Zoroastrian lawmaker highlights restoration of historic fire temples

TEHRAN — An Iranian lawmaker representing the Zoroastrian community has called for continued restoration and protection of historic fire temples in the central province of Isfahan.

Iran’s Khoy and Turkey’s Konya sign sister-city agreement

TEHRAN - The Iranian city of Khoy and Turkey’s Konya have signed a sister-city agreement, committing to expand cooperation in spiritual tourism, cultural exchanges, urban management and sustainable infrastructure development, officials said.

Sassanid-era inscription referring to royal festival discovered

TEHRAN — An Iranian archaeologist said a Sassanid-era inscription referring to the calendar of a royal festival has recently been discovered on rock cliffs in the Marvdasht Plain in southern Iran.

Digi and glimpses of culinary heritage in Qaleh Bala village

TEHRAN – A traditional dish known as Digi, prepared using a centuries-old method in Iran’s Qaleh Bala village, offers insight into the area’s indigenous culinary culture, reflecting local knowledge, communal practices and social traditions passed down through generations.

By Afshin Majlesi

An inside look at Gorgan’s tribal festival

The 17th International Festival of Tribal Culture, scheduled to take place in Gorgan, the capital of Iran’s Golestan province, from Dec. 16 to 19, is often described as a celebration. But to see it only as a cultural event is to miss its deeper significance.

Nowruz-observing countries meet in New Delhi on safeguarding shared heritage

TEHRAN – A number of cultural officials from countries where Nowruz is observed met in New Delhi on the sidelines of a UNESCO meeting to discuss coordination among member states of the UNESCO-registered festival.

Iran, India discuss expanding cultural heritage cooperation

TEHRAN – Ali Darabi, Iran’s deputy minister for cultural heritage, has met with Vivek Agarwal, India’s deputy minister of culture, in New Delhi to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in the field of cultural heritage.

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Iran proposes academic cooperation council at Ancient Civilizations Forum in Athens

TEHRAN - Iran’s minister of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts on Friday urged ancient nations to develop joint mechanisms to protect cultural heritage, warning that armed conflicts and neglect of historical identity pose the greatest threats.

Persian art of Ayeneh-Kari added to UNESCO intangible heritage list

TEHRAN — Ayeneh-Kari, the art of mirror-work in Persian architecture, was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Thursday following a decision by the Intergovernmental Committee meeting in New Delhi.

Facial reconstruction portrays man lived c. 10,000 years ago in western Iran

TEHRAN – An international team of archaeologists and researchers has produced a facial reconstruction of a young man who lived around 10,000 years ago at Ganj Dareh, a Neolithic site in western Iran.