151 Iranian artifacts to return from China after ‘Land of Kindness’ exhibit

TEHRAN – Following an extended loan exhibition in China aimed at strengthening cultural ties, Iran is arranging the return of 151 artifacts to the country, a senior cultural heritage official announced on Saturday.

Chinese audience embraces Iran’s Golestan Palace in TV program

TEHRAN - A video showcasing Iran’s UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace has drawn engagement from Chinese audiences after being broadcast by China’s state-owned broadcaster China Global Television Network as part of a program marking International Museum Day.

UK academics warn of war damage to Iran’s cultural heritage

TEHRAN – A group of prominent British academics, museum curators, and fellows of the British Academy has expressed deep concern over reported damage to Iran’s UNESCO-registered world heritage sites amid war with the US and Israeli regime.

European tourists shift travel plans closer to home amid West Asia conflict

TEHRAN - European tourists are increasingly choosing destinations closer to home as conflict in West Asia raises security concerns and drives up the cost of long-haul travel, affecting tourism flows across parts of Asia and the Middle East while benefiting southern European countries, industry officials and analysts said.

National, regional railway museums planned to preserve industrial heritage

TEHRAN - Iran’s railway authority plans to establish five national and regional railway museums and expand rail tourism projects as part of efforts to preserve the country’s industrial heritage, officials said on Tuesday.

By Afshin Majlesi

Iran government pledges support for rural eco-lodges, village revival

TEHRAN - Iran’s government will continue efforts to remove barriers to rural development and support operators of eco-lodges as part of a broader strategy to revive villages and strengthen local economies and cultural identity, senior officials said on Tuesday at a national conference marking eco-lodge day.

Riab cited as model for community-based tourism

TEHRAN - The village of Riab in eastern Iran has emerged as a model for community-based tourism development and has been nominated as one of Iran’s candidates for the Best Tourism Villages program organized by the UN Tourism.

Exhibition ‘Hormuz: The Maritime Highway’ to be held online

TEHRAN – A virtual exhibition titled "Hormuz: The Maritime Highway – A Narrative of Thousands of Years of Human Presence on the Shores of the Persian Sea" will open online on May 23, at 11:00 a. m., according to the National Museum of Iran.

Tehran launches metro-based tourism plan after wartime disruption

TEHRAN - Tehran municipality has launched a new tourism initiative allowing residents and visitors to explore the Iranian capital through its metro network, following disruptions to the tourism sector during the recent war, the head of Tehran Municipality’s Tourism Headquarters said.

By Mojtaba Gahestuni

Pamenar: Where painted doors speak the language of identity

TEHRAN - Nestled in the northern reaches of Dezful in southwestern Khuzestan province, the ancient village of Pamenar has emerged as one of Iran’s most distinctive rural destinations, blending cultural heritage, environmental identity, and community-based tourism into a living narrative of local memory. In recent years, the village has increasingly drawn attention as a candidate for future international heritage recognition, not only because of its natural beauty and historical character, but also due to innovative efforts by residents to preserve and showcase their cultural identity.

Iran president cites ancient Abarkuh cypress in message aimed at Trump

TEHRAN - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has invoked the 4,500-year-old Abarkuh cypress tree in central Iran in remarks directed at US President Donald Trump, using the ancient tree as a symbol of Iran’s historical continuity and civilization.

By Afshin Majlesi

Riab assessed against UN Tourism criteria for global recognition

TEHRAN - Officials in Iran’s Khorasan Razavi province said the village of Riab in Gonabad County is being evaluated according to criteria set by the United Nations tourism body as part of its bid to be recognized among the world’s best tourism villages.

Kerman advances bid for UNESCO recognition of historic urban area

TEHRAN - Authorities in Kerman are moving forward with plans to seek UNESCO World Heritage recognition for a 70-hectare section of the city’s historical core, provincial officials said on Saturday.

Tehran to host fifth intl. conference on tourism and spirituality

TEHRAN - The fifth International Conference on Tourism and Spirituality will be held on May 20 at the University of Science and Culture, bringing together Iranian and foreign scholars to discuss the role of spirituality in modern tourism, organizers said. The conference is being organized through cooperation among researchers and academics from several Iranian universities, according to conference officials.

Clues of Parthian-Sasanian tomb complex discovered in central Iran

TEHRAN - Iranian cultural heritage officials said they have identified traces of a tomb complex dating back to the Parthian-Sasanian period in Tiran-Karvan county of Isfahan province, central Iran, marking what authorities described as the first known burial complex of its kind discovered in the area.

Beyond modern life: discovering Iran’s tribal worlds

TEHRAN - Under the vast Iranian sky, where mountains stretch into the horizon and rivers carve their way through ancient valleys, a different rhythm of life quietly endures. For travelers weary of crowded cities and hurried itineraries, tribal tourism in Iran offers something rare: a journey not only across landscapes, but into a living, breathing past.

17th Gol Ghaltan festival underway with new community-focused approach

TEHRAN - The city of Amirieh in Semnan province has launched its 17th edition of its nationally recognized Gol Ghaltan ritual, introducing a more traditional, community-based approach to the centuries-old ceremony, local officials said.

Sustainable desert tourism with educational campaign promoted in Mesr Village

TEHRAN – An educational campaign aimed at promoting sustainable tourism and protecting fragile desert ecosystems has been held in the scenic Mesr Village, which is situated in central Iran.

Iran registers 400 cultural elements linked to Persian Gulf

TEHRAN - Iran has recently registered more than 400 cultural and heritage elements that are connected to the Persian Gulf, a senior official said, underscoring efforts to preserve the historical and cultural significance of one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.

Warnings raised over threats to UNESCO-listed Sassanid landscape in southern Iran

TEHRAN - Iranian cultural heritage authorities have issued a warning over a series of escalating threats facing the UNESCO-listed Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region, citing structural decay, incomplete excavations, and ongoing legal and management challenges that risk undermining one of the country’s most significant historical ensembles.

A living museum: The cultural and natural wonders of West Azarbaijan province

Situated in the northwest of Iran, West Azarbaijan province is a region where history, culture, and nature converge to create one of the country’s most compelling tourist destinations. Bordering several countries and shaped by centuries of interaction among civilizations, the province has long served as a crossroads of cultural exchange and human settlement.

By Sepehr Zarei

Rethinking the Persian Gulf’s role in deep time human history

In contemporary political rhetoric, “returning to the Stone Age” is often invoked as a metaphor for collapse and backwardness—a phrase occasionally directed at Iran. Yet, from an archaeological perspective, this term carries a fundamentally different meaning.