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2025-07-23 17:01
By Afshin Majlesi
World Heritage listing validates Iran’s commitment to preserving Paleolithic past
TEHRAN – The recent inscription of the Prehistoric Sites of Khorramabad Valley on UNESCO’s World Heritage List marks a significant achievement for Iranian archaeology, capping over fifty years of dedicated research and excavation.
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2025-07-22 21:55
Trump pulls US out of UN cultural agency UNESCO for second time
President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the U.N. culture and education agency UNESCO on Tuesday, repeating a move he had already ordered during his first term, which had been reversed under Joe Biden, Reuters reported.
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2025-07-22 16:54
Taq-e Bostan sign installed in Turkey’s Gaziantep
TEHRAN - A sign representing Taq-e Bostan, one of Iran’s most significant Sasanian archaeological sites near Kermanshah, has been installed in a prominent square leading to the city’s airport in Gaziantep.
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2025-07-21 17:17
Lighting upgrade begins at majestic Chehel Sotoun Palace
TEHRAN – Authorities have started modern lighting installation at the Chehel Sotoun Palace complex in Isfahan, provincial cultural officials announced on Sunday.
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2025-07-20 18:10
Restoration work begins on Palace of Ardashir Papakan
TEHRAN – Restoration work has started on parts of the historic Palace of Ardashir Papakan near Firuzabad in Fars province, a cultural heritage official said on Sunday.
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2025-07-19 17:04
Tehran to host meeting of UNESCO-affiliated centers
TEHRAN - Iran has officially been selected to host the 2026 annual meeting of UNESCO Category 2 Centers active in the field of intangible cultural heritage.
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2025-07-18 19:40
UNESCO condemns Israeli strike on IRIB headquarters as violation of international law
TEHRAN — The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has strongly condemned the killing of two Iranian media workers in last month’s Israeli airstrike on the headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) in Tehran.
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2025-07-15 22:19
By Afshin Majlesi
Iran’s recent UNESCO label was a combined effort of archaeology and cultural diplomacy
TEHRAN – Iran’s latest addition to the UNESCO World Heritage list highlights a successful blend of archaeology and cultural diplomacy, which helps promote the nation’s rich historical and cultural legacy, officials said on Monday.
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2025-07-14 18:02
University of Michigan professor congratulates Iran on UNESCO designation of Paleolithic caves
TEHRAN - Professor John D. Speth, a distinguished anthropologist and emeritus faculty member at the University of Michigan, has warmly congratulated the recent inscription of the Paleolithic caves of Iran’s Khorramabad Valley on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
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2025-07-12 17:54
Tourism minister visits Great Wall of Gorgan in northern Iran
TEHRAN - Iran’s tourism minister, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, paid a visit to the Great Wall of Gorgan on Thursday, where he inaugurated construction on the site’s first official visitor information center, which is regarded as a key milestone toward the wall’s eventual nomination for UNESCO World Heritage status.
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2025-07-12 17:36
By Afshin Majlesi
A journey beyond the misconceptions
TEHRAN - For those who dare to look beyond the headlines, Iran unveils a spectacular array of treasures. From the ancient ruins of Persepolis, once the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire, to the winding alleyways and wind towers of Yazd, a UNESCO-listed desert city, the country is a living museum.
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2025-07-12 02:56
Milestone recognition marks Iran’s first Paleolithic World Heritage site
TEHRAN - In a landmark announcement during the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on Friday, in Paris, the Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley were officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
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2025-07-09 16:40
By Afshin Majlesi
Cultural heritage is a voice against hostile narratives, Iran tourism minister says
TEHRAN – In a press conference held on Tuesday afternoon, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, along with his deputies, addressed the ministry’s role in shaping cultural resilience during the recent 12-day conflict with Israel.
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2025-07-08 17:45
Rab'-e Rashidi: restoration campaign, land acquisition drive launched
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2025-07-06 17:21
Shush: from global heritage to civilizational capacity
TEHRAN—Shush, which embraces UNESCO-listed Susa in southwestern Iran, is considered one of history’s beating hearts and one of the most ancient human settlements not only for Khuzestan people but also for all Iranians, wrote a Shush lawmaker in Majlis.
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2025-07-06 17:21
Early Islamic metallurgical complex discovered at Masouleh; strengthens revised World Heritage file
TEHRAN - A joint Iranian-Chinese archaeological team has uncovered a significant early Islamic-era settlement and a sponge iron smelting workshop at the Khanbaji Sara site within the Cultural Landscape of Masouleh in northern Iran.
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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.