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2025-07-02 16:27
Most world heritage sites at risk from drought or flooding: UNESCO
TEHRAN – Nearly three-quarters of the world’s cultural and natural heritage sites are under threat due to either drought or flooding, according to a report released Tuesday by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
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2025-07-01 17:35
Alamut Castle nears UNESCO World Heritage status, tourism minister says
TEHRAN - Iran's Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts announced on Tuesday that the historic Alamut Castle is on the verge of possibly being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
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2025-06-27 16:56
Shushtar water structures, a ground for sustainable tourism
TEHRAN—The governor of Shushtar, an ancient city in southwest Iran, has said that modeling water resources management, sustainable tourism, and linking industry with culture can be learned from the capacity of Shushtar's historical water structures.
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2025-06-27 16:52
NGOs urge UNESCO to act against Israeli attacks threatening Iran’s cultural heritage
TEHRAN - A coalition of 51 Iranian non-governmental organizations dedicated to cultural heritage and tourism has sent a formal letter to UNESCO’s Director-General Audrey Azoulay, condemning Israeli airstrikes on Iran and warning of their severe threat to the country’s invaluable cultural and historical sites.
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2025-06-24 17:57
Tourism site inspired by UNESCO-listed Persian Garden design inaugurated
TEHRAN – On Tuesday, a new tourism attraction modeled on the core principles of the UNESCO-recognized Persian Garden was officially inaugurated in the city of Shahrekord, the capital of Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari province, western Iran.
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2025-06-24 17:54
Heritage specialists condemn Israeli attacks as assault on cultural legacy
TEHRAN - In a public appeal, a group of Iranian museum professionals has condemned Israel’s recent military strikes against Iran, describing the attacks as a grave violation of international law and an assault on the shared cultural heritage of humanity.
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2025-06-20 14:05
Science minister writes letter to UNESCO chief over assassination of Iranian scientists
TEHRAN –Science Minister Hossein Simaei-Sarraf has written a letter to Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, condemning the killing of Iranian scientists in Zionist regime’s terrorist attacks.
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2025-06-15 17:39
Israeli airstrikes near Taq-e Bostan threaten Iran’s ancient heritage
TEHRAN - Over the past two days (Saturday and Sunday), multiple Israeli missile strikes targeted areas within three kilometers of Taq-e Bostan, one of Iran’s most significant Sasanian-era archaeological complexes near Kermanshah.
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2025-06-09 18:05
By Leila Ajdari
Post-sanctions tourism development in Iran: lessons from Turkey and prospects for the future
As someone who has spent decades working in tourism policy and planning in Iran, I have never seen a more critical moment for our industry than now.
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2025-06-07 19:12
Echoes of the past: Plaster Bust of Shapur II
This 50 cm plaster bust depicts Shapur II of the Sassanian dynasty. It was recovered during excavations at the Hajjiabad manor complex near Darab, in Fars province, southern Iran."
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2025-06-06 17:52
Over 6,000 people visit Sassanid-era Falak-ol-Aflak fortress in single day
TEHRAN - More than 6,000 people visited the historic Falak-ol-Aflak fortress in Khorramabad, the capital of Lorestan province, on Thursday.
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2025-06-06 17:46
Human remains and pottery fragments unearthed in Isfahan’s utility excavation
TEHRAN - A routine utility excavation in the historical city of Isfahan has led to the unexpected discovery of human skeletal remains and fragments of pottery, prompting an immediate halt to construction work and renewed attention to the area’s archaeological significance.
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2025-06-06 17:26
By Afshin Majlesi
Soheili village: a model of sustainable tourism in southern Iran
QESHM ISLAND - As a journalist focused on tourism and cultural heritage, my recent journey to Soheili village, located on the sun-kissed Qeshm Island in southern Iran, felt less like a reporting mission and more like uncovering a hidden gem with astonishing potential.
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2025-06-03 21:52
Second phase of Iran-China studies launches in Masouleh to examine ancient metallurgy
The second phase of joint archaeological research by Iranian and Chinese teams has commenced at the historical site of Masouleh, which is situated in northern Iran.
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2025-05-31 18:21
Esfahak village gains UNESCO research chair for earth architecture
TEHRAN - The village of Esfahak in South Khorasan province has been awarded one of UNESCO’s 34 prestigious research chairs, marking an achievement for the local and national cultural heritage and scientific communities.
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2025-05-26 16:15
Bangladesh ambassador visits historical attractions in Urmia, northwest Iran
TEHRAN - The Ambassador of Bangladesh to Iran, Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury, has visited the city of Urmia in northwest Iran, where he toured several of its prominent historical and cultural landmarks.
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2025-05-25 17:53
Water history in Iran: Qanats behind expansion of the Achaemenid Empire
TEHRAN—An expert on qanat (an ancient underground water network) who has conducted extensive studies on the remaining qanats of Iran believes that the great emperors of Iran during Achaemenid and Sassanid eras were indebted to the Iranians' aqueducts and hydrological knowledge, ILNA wrote.
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2025-05-25 17:46
Symbolic Chogan match held in Naqsh-e Jahan Sq. to celebrate Cultural Heritage Week
TEHRAN - A symbolic match of Chogan, the ancient Iranian horse-riding game accompanied by music and storytelling, was held inside the gigantic UNESCO-listed Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan on Saturday.
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2025-05-25 17:40
Land subsidence threatens Achaemenid sites in southern Iran
TEHRAN - Experts have raised alarms over accelerating land subsidence near two of Iran’s most iconic archaeological sites – Naqsh-e Rostam, the necropolis of the Achaemenid kings, and Persepolis, the UNESCO-registered ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire – as unsustainable agricultural practices continue in the fertile plains of Fars province.
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2025-05-23 15:29
UNESCO invites Iran to attend 5th World Congress on Biosphere Reserves
TEHRAN – The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Tehran Office, Ieng Srong, has invited the country to participate in the 5th World Congress on Biosphere Reserves (WCBR), which is scheduled to be held from Sept. 22-26, in Hangzho, China.
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2025-05-20 15:03
UNESCO programs in Iran to include environmental education
TEHRAN –Environmental education is placed among the list of major programs of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Iran, aiming to develop sustainable solutions and international cooperation to address environmental challenges.
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2025-05-13 17:19
Temple within UNESCO-listed Tchogha Zanbil restored
TEHRAN – The first phase of a specialized conservation and restoration project on the Inshushinak Temple, located on the first floor of the Tchogha Zanbil Ziggurat in Khuzestan province, has been successfully completed, a cultural heritage official announced on Monday.
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2025-05-12 18:12
Archaeological survey reveals evidence of Paleolithic human presence in Kerman plain
TEHRAN - An archaeological team has uncovered evidence of continuous human presence in the central plains of Kerman, southern Iran, stretching from the Paleolithic period to modern times.
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2025-05-09 17:21
By Afshin Majlesi
Preserving the past, building the future: Kandelous and the path to sustainable tourism
KANDELOUS (Mazandaran province) – Nestled in the heart of Iran’s Alborz mountain range and just 35 kilometers from the Caspian Sea, the ancient village of Kandelous offers an authentic rural escape for those in search of tradition, tranquility, and natural beauty.
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2025-05-06 18:32
Iran eases visas, but media misinformation still a barrier to tourism
TEHRAN – A senior Iranian tourism official has said that the spread of negative media narratives about Iran – commonly referred to as Iranophobia – poses a significant challenge to the country’s tourism sector, even as visa requirements for most travelers have been eased or eliminated.
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2025-05-03 17:52
Soltaniyeh, a UNESCO-listed mausoleum of the 14th century, undergoes restoration
TEHRAN – Phase two of a restoration and conservation project on the southern gate of the UNESCO-listed Soltaniyeh Dome has commenced, according to the director of the World Heritage site.
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2025-05-03 17:47
Locals revive tradition of cherishing ancient qanats with flowers and rosewater
TEHRAN - After more than five decades of silence, the people of Bam in southeastern Iran have revived an ancient tradition honoring qanats – the man-made subterranean aqueducts that sustained life in this arid region for centuries.
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2025-04-29 17:48
Subsidence threats prompt new study on UNESCO-listed square in Isfahan
TEHRAN - Authorities in Isfahan plan to conduct a comprehensive study to assess the extent of land subsidence at the UNESCO-listed Naqsh-e Jahan Square, amid growing concerns that the phenomenon is threatening some of Iran’s most treasured architectural heritage.
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2025-04-22 17:56
Yazd recognized as world city of traditional jewelry by World Crafts Council
TEHRAN – The historic city of Yazd has been officially designated as the world city of traditional and handcrafted jewelry by the World Crafts Council (WCC), marking another significant international cultural achievement for Iran.
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2025-04-19 18:34
Iran seeks UNESCO labels for mirrorwork art and Falak-ol-Aflak fortress
TEHRAN – Iran has formally submitted two major cultural heritage dossiers to UNESCO for potential inscription on the World Heritage List: the ancient decorative art of mirrorwork, known as Ayeneh-kari, and the historic Falak-ol-Aflak Fortress along with its surrounding cultural landscape in Lorestan province.