Total:257
-
2026-10-07 21:20
15 destinations to discover the soul of Iran
TEHRAN - Iran is a country of striking contrasts. In one journey, travelers can move from bustling historic bazaars to quiet desert towns, from ancient archaeological sites to misty Caspian forests and from the mountains of the Zagros to the warm waters of the Persian Gulf.
-
2026-10-05 17:03
Heritage is identity: Iranian archaeologist exposes scale of war destruction to historic sites
TEHRAN – An Iranian archaeologist, Sonia Shidrang, highlighted in a global webinar hosted by the International Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management (ICAHM), a scientific committee under ICOMOS, that the 40-day war with the United States and the Israeli regime left 149 historical sites across 20 provinces damaged, and that Iran's cultural heritage now demands a response grounded in international law, rigorous documentation, and a concrete protection plan.
-
2026-10-04 16:54
By Afshin Majlesi
Iran has the attractions, the challenge is turning them into tourism: Javad Gharaei
TEHRAN - Iran does not lack tourism attractions. What it has struggled to do, says Iranian traveler and documentary filmmaker Javad Gharaei, is turn the country’s extraordinary natural and cultural diversity into a tourism industry capable of attracting visitors, generating revenue and properly introducing the ancient country to the world.
-
2026-10-04 15:21
Iran urges UNESCO to help restore scientific infrastructure damaged in war
TEHRAN – The head of the National Committee for Management of Social Transformations (MOST) has called for UNESCO to play an effective role in safeguarding knowledge, ensuring uninterrupted access to learning, and rebuilding academic centers damaged during the US-Israeli imposed war against the country.
-
2026-10-03 10:43
Resilience key to Iran’s tourism survival under difficult conditions: HEGTA chief
TEHRAN - Resilience and a fundamental rethink of planning are essential for Iran’s tourism sector as rising travel costs, transport and investment constraints, sanctions and regional conditions put pressure on the industry, the head of the Tourism Group of Iran’s Social Security Organization (HEGTA) said on Friday.
-
2026-10-03 00:56
Iran, UNESCO discuss stronger intl. cooperation to protect World Heritage sites
TEHRAN - Iran and UNESCO have discussed expanding technical and international cooperation to assess, document, restore and protect Iran’s World Heritage sites, including properties reportedly damaged during the recent war.
-
2026-09-29 18:17
Archaeological remains from Italian excavations at Isfahan mosque to be reassessed
ISFAHAN – Archaeological findings uncovered by Italian archaeologists at Isfahan’s historic Jameh Mosque about six decades ago are set to undergo a new review, the director of the UNESCO-listed site has announced.
-
2026-09-28 16:51
By Afshin Majlesi
Tehran gallery traces capital’s past, explores future of smart tourism
TEHRAN – A new gallery in Tehran is taking visitors on a journey through the capital’s political, social, cultural and artistic history while using digital technology and artificial intelligence to offer a glimpse of how tourism in the city could evolve in the future.
-
2026/09/27
By Afshin Majlesi
Where the road became a destination: Iran’s historical caravanserais
TEHRAN - For centuries, crossing Iran was as much a test of endurance as it was a journey of discovery. Merchants moved goods between distant markets, pilgrims traveled toward sacred places, and ordinary travelers followed routes across deserts, mountains and plains. Between these long stretches of road stood caravanserais, places where a journey could pause, animals could be rested, goods could be protected and strangers could share food, stories and news.
-
2026-09-26 17:31
Conservation project launched for Sasanian King Shapur I statue in southern Iran
TEHRAN – The first phase of a new conservation and rehabilitation project has begun on the monumental statue of Sasanian King Shapur I in Shapur Cave, near Kazerun in southern Iran, the head of the Sasanian Archaeological Landscape of Fars said.
-
2026-09-25 14:56
UNESCO chair in disaster risk reduction, resilience engineering inaugurated
TEHRAN – Minister of Science, Research, and Technology Hossein, Simaei-Sarraf, and the Secretary-General of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO, Hassan Fartousi, inaugurated the UNESCO Chair in Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Engineering at Kharazmi University on Tuesday.
-
2026-09-23 21:03
Iranian president addresses UN General Assembly
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, September 23, outlining Iran’s positions on the war with the United States, regional tensions, diplomacy and the country’s peaceful nuclear program.
-
2026-09-20 14:16
By Afshin Majlesi
In Urmia, the grape is more than a fruit
URMIA, West Azarbaijan Province - By late afternoon, the road out of Urmia was beginning to clog. Our flight had landed around 5 p.m., and after a quick check-in at the hotel, we set off for Chi Chest Coastal Village, near Lake Urmia, where the 9th Urmia Grape Festival was underway from Sep.10 to 20.
-
2026-09-18 21:12
The pomegranate: A fruit at the heart of Iran’s cultural heritage
TEHRAN – The annual pomegranate harvest feast, one of Iran’s oldest agricultural celebrations, brings together villagers, visitors and returning residents in a traditional ceremony that combines fruit picking with music, local customs and cultural activities.
-
2026-09-16 12:37
Ancient iron-smelting site discovered in Hyrcanian forests of northern Iran
TEHRAN – Archaeologists have discovered the remains of an ancient metal-smelting site in the forested highlands of Sowme’eh Sara in northern Iran, a find that could shed new light on the history of metallurgy in the western Alborz Mountains.
-
2026-09-15 20:48
UN fact-finding mission holds US responsible for deadly attack on Kuhestak wedding
TEHRAN — The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran has held the United States responsible for a deadly airstrike on a wedding celebration in Kuhestak, Hormozgan Province, warning that repeated attacks causing civilian casualties raise serious questions about Washington’s compliance with international humanitarian law.
-
2026-09-14 17:31
Iran ranks 10th with 30 UNESCO World Heritage sites
TEHRAN - Iran ranks 10th worldwide with 30 properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, according to the UN cultural body, placing the country among the world's leading holders of internationally recognized cultural and natural heritage.
-
2026-09-14 15:43
Iran censures US deliberate destruction of development at Human Rights Council
TEHRAN –The Secretary-General of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO has elaborated on the deliberate destruction of development by the US through adopting coercive sanctions and launching military aggressions against the country.
-
2026-09-13 17:14
By Afshin Majlesi
A different way to travel: Azadeh Abedinzadeh explains
TEHRAN - Tourism is often measured by the visitors it attracts and the income they generate. But what if its success could also be measured by the forests it helps protect, the traditions it keeps alive and the opportunities it creates for local communities? This is the thinking behind regenerative tourism, an approach that seeks to move beyond reducing tourism’s negative impacts and toward restoring and strengthening the places people visit.
-
2026-09-09 16:21
UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace undergoes emergency restoration
TEHRAN – The second phase of a comprehensive conservation and restoration program at Tehran’s Golestan Palace has begun, with priority given to preventing further damage before the onset of the rainy season, the head of the UNESCO-listed complex said on Wednesday.
-
2026-09-06 20:06
Restoration work continues at Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili shrine complex
TEHRAN – Conservation, restoration and infrastructure projects are underway at the UNESCO-registered Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble in northwestern Iran, the head of the World Heritage site said.
-
2026-09-02 15:32
Mining activity halted near Persepolis following heritage site intervention
TEHRAN – Mining operations at a sand and gravel quarry near the UNESCO-listed Persepolis have been halted following efforts by the World Heritage Site’s office and an order from the prosecutor of Marvdasht county, the head of the site has said.
-
2026-09-02 15:31
4,600-year-old board game, decorated bone comb unearthed at Burnt City in southeast Iran
TEHRAN - Archaeologists excavating the ancient Burnt City in southeastern Iran have unearthed a 4,600-year-old board game, a decorated bone comb and exceptionally well-preserved organic remains, offering new clues about the social and everyday lives of the city’s inhabitants during the third millennium BC.
-
2026-08-31 14:14
By Afshin Majlesi
From rail to coast and wellness: A new tourism chain takes shape in northern Iran
TEHRAN - Traveling with a group of fellow journalists from Tehran to Bandar-e Anzali recently offered us more than a two-day tour of tourism projects under development. The journey was designed to show how railway travel, coastal destinations, accommodation, recreation and wellness services could be brought together to form a single tourism experience.
-
2026-08-30 15:39
New conservation and infrastructure projects underway at Persepolis
TEHRAN – A series of new conservation and infrastructure projects are underway at the UNESCO-registered Persepolis in southern Iran, including fencing of some 70 hectares of surrounding land, the director of World Heritage site has said.
-
2026-08-30 15:39
‘Eagles’ Castle’ photo exhibition brings Alamut heritage to Tehran Metro
TEHRAN – A photo exhibition showcasing the historic and architectural features of Alamut and Lambsar castles has opened at Tehran’s Mirdamad Metro Station, following the inscription of Alamut Castle and Related Fortifications on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
-
2026-08-25 18:12
Tehran, Dushanbe open virtual exhibition highlighting shared decorative arts
TEHRAN – A joint virtual exhibition showcasing Iran’s Qajar-era tilework and Tajikistan’s traditional Kundal decorative art has opened simultaneously at the Golestan Palace World Heritage site in Tehran and the National Museum of Tajikistan.
-
2026-08-23 16:20
By Afshin Majlesi
Pomodoro’s masterpiece gets new lease of life in Tehran museum
TEHRAN – A monumental bronze sphere by late Italian sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro has been unveiled at Tehran’s Time Museum following months of conservation and restoration project, marking the centenary of the artist’s birth.
-
2026-08-22 17:47
Tehran, New Delhi seek stronger tourism co-op
TEHRAN – Iran and India have discussed closer tourism cooperation, stronger air links, private-sector partnerships, joint UNESCO nominations and expanded medical tourism.
-
2026-08-21 17:39
Iran urges BRICS to build resilient and sustainable tourism sector
TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts has called for a new definition of resilience in tourism, saying the sector should help connect nations, revive hope, support communities and contribute to lasting peace.