Iran calls for closer cultural, economic cooperation with Bashkortostan through handicrafts

TEHRAN — Iran’s deputy minister for handicrafts and traditional arts said on Saturday that handicrafts can serve as a tool for developing the creative economy and cultural diplomacy, proposing joint initiatives with Russia’s Republic of Bashkortostan.

Iran enters a new level of ties with Armenia, tourism minister says

TEHRAN- Iran has reached a new level of leapfrogging relations with Armenia, said Minister of Cultural Heritage Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri.

Iran pushes for UNESCO recognition of its ancient windmills

TEHRAN – Iran is seeking UNESCO World Heritage status for its centuries-old Asbads, traditional vertical-axis windmills primarily located in South Khorasan province, a senior official underlined on Saturday.

‘ICIMWB is a successful center under auspices of UNESCO’

TEHRAN – The International Center for Integrated Management of Watershed and Bio-Resources in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions (ICIMWB), as one of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) category 2 centers in the field of water and natural sciences, has managed to gain an important position in implementing scientific and educational programs related to comprehensive watershed management, Hamid Nouri, the head of ICIMWB has said.

Commemorative stamp unveiled to mark Khorramabad’s UNESCO World Heritage inscription

KHORRAMABAD — In a landmark celebration of Iran’s deep prehistory, a commemorative stamp honoring the Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley has officially been unveiled at Falak-ol-Aflak Castle.

Iran seeks to expand tourism ties with Iraq

TEHRAN – Iran aims to broaden tourism cooperation with Iraq across four sectors, a senior industry official said.

Scaffolding taken down from Qazvin Jameh Mosque after 15 years

TEHRAN – Scaffolding has been removed from the southern iwan of Qazvin’s Jameh Mosque after nearly 15 years, marking the completion of a major restoration project, the provincial cultural heritage chief said on Thursday.

Tehran to host conference on UNESCO listing of Khorramabad Valley sites

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister has said a national conference will be held in Tehran to celebrate and promote the UNESCO inscription of the Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley, which were added to the World Heritage list in July.

Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra to perform at Persepolis, minister confirms

TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts has said that the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra will stage a concert on Sept. 6 at Persepolis, the UNESCO World Heritage site near Shiraz, to mark the orchestra’s 100th anniversary.

House of Forough Farrokhzad to turn into museum after restoration

TEHRAN--Mohammad Nazem Razavi, the CEO of Tehran Municipality Cultural Spaces Development Company, announced the approval of the plan to restore the house of the famed poet Forough Farrokhzad, and convert it into a museum.

‘Oldest handicrafts’ traced to Lorestan, local official says

TEHRAN – Iran’s oldest known handicrafts have been traced to its Lorestan province, according to a local official.

Iran to host intl. Lut Desert tourism conference focused on investment, sustainability

TEHRAN – An international conference on tourism in Iran’s Lut Desert will be held with a focus on investment and sustainable development, a provincial tourism official said on Wednesday.

Trans-Iranian Railway among top 5 registered by UNESCO

TEHRAN—Only five railways are on the UNESCO list, which are from Austria, India, Switzerland, Italy, and Iran, said Vahidali Qardashi, head of the World Heritage Site of the Trans-Iranian Railway.

Study of ancient rock-carved structures launched in Kermanshah

TEHRAN – A project to study, document, and conduct laboratory research on ancient rock-carved structures in Kermanshah province has begun, an archaeologist who leads the project said on Monday.

Fars province, cradle of the Achaemenid Empire, seeks tourism rise

TEHRAN – Iran’s Fars province, home to ancient Achaemenid sites including Persepolis and Pasargadae, recorded 7.4 million tourist visits last year, officials said, as the government steps up efforts to position the region as a leading cultural tourism hub.

Royal Ilkhanid cemetery unearthed near UNESCO-listed Soltaniyeh Dome

TEHRAN – Archaeologists have uncovered parts of a royal Ilkhanid cemetery adjacent to the UNESCO-listed Soltaniyeh Dome in west-central Iran, the head of the excavation team said on Sunday.

Iran monitors subsidence at UNESCO-listed Gonbad-e Qabus tower

TEHRAN – Iranian heritage authorities are carrying out subsidence monitoring and technology studies on the UNESCO-listed Gonbad-e Qabus tower in Golestan province, the provincial tourism chief said on Saturday.

Sassanid-era Vigol fire temple undergoes restoration

TEHRAN – Restoration work has commenced on the Vigol fire temple, a rare archaeological site from the Sassanid era located in the central province of Isfahan, the provincial tourism chief said on Saturday.

8,000-year-old Tepe Sialk proposed for UNESCO World Heritage listing

TEHRAN - Tepe Sialk, a c. 8,000-year-old archaeological site in Kashan, central Iran, has been placed on Iran’s shortlist of potential UNESCO World Heritage sites, an official said, as efforts to resolve legal and conservation issues around the site’s protected area gain momentum.

National Museum of Iran celebrates UNESCO inscription of Khorramabad Valley Prehistoric Sites

TEHRAN – A ceremony marking the UNESCO World Heritage inscription of the Prehistoric Sites of Khorramabad Valley took place on Tuesday at the National Museum of Iran.

By Afshin Majlesi

Restoration of Arnaldo Pomodoro’s 3-ton bronze sphere underway in Tehran

TEHRAN - Conservation work has begun on a 3,000-kilogram bronze sculpture by the late Italian artist Arnaldo Pomodoro at a museum in northern Tehran.

1000-year-old carved tombstone discovered in UNESCO-listed Yazd

TEHRAN - A historic tombstone dating back almost 1,000 years has been uncovered during restoration work at Dowlatshahi Mosque in the UNESCO-listed city of Yazd, central Iran.

Expert calls for four-year plan to restore historic bazaar in Lar

TEHRAN - A senior regional development planning expert has proposed the development of a four-year restoration plan for the Qeysarieh Bazaar in Lar, southern Iran, involving private sector participation and non-governmental organizations.

Centuries-old qanats in Ardakan undergo restoration

TEHRAN – Restoration and rehabilitation work has begun on a series of historic qanats located in the old urban fabric of Ardakan, Yazd province, as part of a preservation initiative for the region’s ancient water infrastructure, local officials said.

Discover Qeshm, the largest island of the Persian Gulf

TEHRAN - Qeshm Island, the largest island in the Persian Gulf, is where natural wonders, strategic geography, and ancient culture intersect.

Continuous human settlement in Hamedan confirmed from Achaemenid era to Present

THERAN – Archaeologists conducting excavations at the Baba Taher pedestrian pathway in Hamedan have uncovered evidence of continuous human settlement in the area dating from the Achaemenid period (circa 550–330 BC) to the present day, according to local experts.

Over 3,000 historical photographs at Golestan Palace classified in new project

TEHRAN – More than 3,000 historical photographs being kept at the UNESCO-registered Golestan Palace have been classified under an extensive new project called “Awakened Mirrors,” the palace’s director announced on Saturday.