Development projects worth $1b inaugurated

TEHRAN- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani launched and inaugurated some development, service, and infrastructure projects worth 44.65 trillion rials (about $1.063 billion) in West Azarbaijan Province.

Northwestern Kani Barazan Wetland play host to 30,000 migratory birds

TEHRAN — Some 30,000 migratory birds have winged their ways to Kani Barazan Wetland, located in northwestern province of West Azarbaijan, Mahabad chief of department of environment has said.

Silent death: Zagros Mountains forest plagued by deforestation, degradation 

TEHRAN — Deforestation and degradation are gravely threating the Zagros Mountains forest and the current trend can seriously harm the ecology of the region and its biodiversity in the near future. 

Iran will sell its oil despite U.S. sanctions, Rouhani insists

Rouhani: Iran won’t yield to economic war

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that Iranians will not surrender to those who have started economic war on the country.

Tourism gains momentum in West Azarbaijan province

TEHRAN – Some one million people stayed at tourist accommodations across northwestern West Azarbaijan province during the first seven months of the current Iranian calendar year (starred March 21), which shows 10 percent year-on-year growth, provincial tourism chief said on Monday.

‘Salt particles raising from Lake Urmia contained by 80%’

TEHRAN – Salt particles raising from the catchment basin of Lake Urmia has been contained by nearly 80 percent, Farhad Sarkhosh, head of the provincial department for the Lake Urmia restoration program at West Azarbaijan has said.

Frescos of Saint George Church restored

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian restores have completed restoration of historical murals and frescos at the Saint George Church, which is located in Haftvan village, northwestern West Azarbaijan province of Iran.

Urmia to host crafts exhibit

TEHRAN – A sales exhibition of handicrafts is due to open on Monday in the northwestern city of Urmia, the capital of West Azarbaijan province.

3000-year-old seeds unearthed in northwest Iran

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian archaeologists has recently found some wheat and weed seeds which are estimated to date from some 3,000 years ago.

Millennia-old Hasanlu under restoration, landscaping project

TEHRAN – A restoration and landscaping project on Iran’s Teppe Hasanlu has been completed some 70 percent, CHTN reported on Wednesday.

IRGC kills 10 militants in northwest Iran

TEHRAN – The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force has succeeded to smash a terrorist cell in Oshnavieh, the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan, killing at least 10 militants, Tasnim reported on Saturday.

Iron Age remains unearthed in northwest Iran 

TEHRAN – Iranian archaeologists have recently unearthed vestiges of architectural elements, potteries and stone tools, which are estimated to date from the Iron Age, IRNA reported.

Restoration commences on St. George Church

TEHRAN – A new round of restoration project has recently started on the centuries-old Saint George Church, which is located in Haftvan village, northwestern West Azarbaijan province.

Lake Urmia likely to revive in 10 years; building our hopes up?

TEHRAN — Chief of West Azarbaijan province’s Department of Environment, Parviz Arasteh, has said that Lake Urmia will be revived within the next 10 years, but is he building our hopes up?

Traces of ancient smelting discovered in northwest Iran  

TEHRAN – A team of archaeologists and researchers has recently found remnants of ancient metal smelting across two villages in northwest Iran.

Two border guards killed in clashes with gunmen in NW Iran

Two Iranian border guards have been killed during clashes with armed bandits in the northwest of the country near the border with Iraq.

Ancient Armenian sites being restored in northwest Iran

TEHRAN – Restoration work has commenced for three Armenian sites that stand adjacent to the UNESCO-registered Monastery of Saint Thaddeus (Qareh Klise) in West Azarbaijan province, northwest Iran.

By Mohammad Ali Haqshenas

Salt mining in Lake Urmia: Opportunity vs. threat

The dryness of Lake Urmia in recent decades has revealed great salt reserves in its bed. Estimations for the amount of salt in the lake varies from 6 to 10 billion tons. That’s certainly a great potential for mining and has already tempted some individuals to extract some salt, however, there are different views on salt mining in the region.

‘Without restoration plan, Lake Urmia would have been fully drained by now’

TEHRAN – If there had not been any plan to restore Lake Urmia, it would have been completely drained by now, Department of Environment chief Isa Kalantari said on Wednesday.

West Azarbaijan hotels to offer special discounts in Noruz

TEHRAN – Hotels across West Azarbaijan province of Iran will give special discounts to their foreign and domestic customers on the occasion of Noruz - the Iranian new year - starting March 21.

Khoy, city of colors and flowers

Encircled with vast sunflower farms and snowcapped towering mountains, khoy has long been a destination for those who are interested in its virgin nature, genuine culture and architecture.

Historical bazaar rehabilitated in Khoy

TEHRAN – The centuries-old bazaar of Khoy, a tourist destination in a city of the same name in northwest Iran, has been restored to its former glory.

Rehabilitation work restarts at Takht-e Soleyman

TEHRAN – A new round of restoration works on the UNESCO-registered Takht-e Soleyman (“Solomon’s Throne”) in northwest Iran has recently been commenced by a team of Iranian and German experts.

Grape festival time in northwest Iran

TEHRAN – The fifth grape festival of Iran kicks off today in Urmia, the capital of West Azarbaijan province, with variety of parades, exhibits of grapes and grape products planned.

Takht-e Soleyman: Harmonious sanctuary inspired by natural context

TEHRAN – Overlooking a lake with a backdrop of a snowcapped mountain range in northwest Iran, lies the UNESCO-registered Takht-e Soleyman (“Solomon’s Throne”), an archeological and touristic site that bears testimony to various eras of the nation’s history.

Iran to restore its UNESCO-inscribed churches

In line with the goal of jumpstarting the tourism industry, Iran has allotted some $370,000 to the restoration of the UNESCO-inscribed churches that are located in northwest of the country.

Urmia gears up for major handicrafts exhibit

TEHRAN – Urmia, the capital of northwestern West Ararzbaijan Province, will host a major handicrafts exhibit from July 31 to August 4.

Under tourists’ eyes: Challenging Babak fortress

TEHRAN – High in the mountains at an altitude of 2,300 meters lies the relatively well-preserved Babak fortress, a tourist destination near Kaleybar in West Azarbaijan Province, northwest Iran.

UNESCO experts to assess Iran’s natural, historical sites

TEHRAN – A delegation of the UNESCO World Heritage specialists is scheduled to travel to Iran in summer in order to assess Arasbaran Protected Area in the northeast and the Ensemble of Historical Sassanid Cities in the south of the country.