By Afshin Majlesi

Tehran municipality official highlights restoration of war-damaged heritage sites

TEHRAN – Ali Shamsipour, head of the Urban Research and Planning Center of Tehran Municipality, has highlighted plans and ongoing efforts to restore heritage sites damaged during the recent war involving the United States and the Israeli regime.

Iranian culinary team wins multiple medals at Armenian festival

TٍEHRAN - An Iranian culinary team won several gold, silver and bronze medals at the fifth edition of the Navasard festival in Armenia, highlighting the country’s culinary heritage and its potential for international food tourism, Mehr news agency reported on Sunday.

Archaeological survey in Taft identifies ruined structures, stone tools

TEHRAN - The first systematic archaeological survey of the Nir and Garizat districts in Taft county, central Iran, has been completed, identifying ancient sites, historic fortifications, water-management structures, cemeteries and stone tools, a provincial heritage official said.

Better use of books is essential to cultural diplomacy, tourism minister says

TEHRAN - Iran should make better use of books, literature and publishing as key tools to present its history, culture and civilization to international audiences, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri said on Saturday.

Iran has 58 sites on UNESCO tentative list, heritage official says

TEHRAN - Iran currently has 58 cultural and natural properties and heritage collections on the UNESCO Tentative List, according to the director general of registration of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.

Echoes of the past: Golden-lustre ceramic bowl

The pictured golden-lustre ceramic bowl, which dates from the 7th century AH (13th–14th century CE), is made of a stone-paste (glass-paste) body. It is deep-bodied, with a flat rim, an elongated profile, and a tall, rounded, concave base. Decorative inscriptions adorn both its interior and exterior surfaces.

Four Iranian historic water structures selected for global irrigation heritage recognition

TEHRAN - Four historic Iranian water and irrigation structures -- Si-o-se-pol in Isfahan, Band-e Amir in Fars, the Shadorvan Grand Weir in Khuzestan and the historic hydraulic structures of Siraf in Bushehr -- have been selected for recognition under the World Heritage Irrigation Structures (WHIS) program of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID).

Alamut’s World Heritage status opens new chapter for tourism and local growth

TEHRAN - Alamut region could become a strategic hub for social cohesion, hope, tourism thrive, and local development following its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, a senior official at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts said.

Mashhad to get handicrafts township as Iran seeks to expand sector’s export potential

TEHRAN — Iran plans to establish a dedicated handicrafts township in Mashhad as a pilot project that could eventually be replicated across the country, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri said on Friday.

Iranian actor calls for artists to become cultural ambassadors for tourism

TEHRAN – Veteran Iranian actor and cultural heritage advocate Majid Mozaffari has called for greater use of the country’s artistic and cultural figures to promote Iran’s cultural heritage, historical and natural attractions and handicrafts to domestic and international audiences.

Restoration of historical alleyways begins in Abarkuh

TEHRAN - Restoration and rehabilitation of alleyways and urban spaces in the historical district of Abarkuh has begun under a cooperation agreement between the local Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department and Abarkuh Municipality, an official said.

Sistan-Baluchestan advances UNESCO bid for historic Asbads

TEHRAN – Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan is stepping up efforts to secure UNESCO World Heritage status for its historic Asbads, with officials planning a dedicated task force to strengthen the nomination dossier and highlight the province’s rich historical and cultural heritage.

Monitoring begins at centuries-old sites in UNESCO-listed city of Yazd

TEHRAN — Monitoring of centuries-old monuments in the UNESCO-listed Historic City of Yazd has begun as part of an ongoing effort to strengthen conservation and management of the Iranian oasis city, a local official has said.

Isfahan heritage records undergo digital preservation

TEHRAN - Isfahan’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department has begun digitizing around 2,000 documents and records held by the province’s cultural heritage documentation center, an official said on Saturday.

UNESCO-listed Soltaniyeh to undergo restoration

TEHRAN – Restoration work on the interior of the UNESCO-listed Soltaniyeh dome in northwestern Iran will begin soon after a contractor is selected in the coming days, a provincial cultural heritage official said.

Ancient Iranian wind towers inspire Italian designer for overheated cities

TEHRAN - An Italian designer is developing a concept for mobile wind towers inspired by Iran’s centuries-old wind catchers, locally named a Badgir, aiming to reduce urban heat by directing natural air flows into streets and public spaces affected by rising temperatures.

New reference work on Linear Elamite inscriptions published by international research team

TEHRAN – A comprehensive scholarly volume on Linear Elamite inscriptions and related cuneiform texts has recently been published, offering a detailed corpus and analysis of ancient Iranian writings from Susa and shedding new light on one of the earliest writing systems of the Iranian Plateau.

FM backs scientific conservation during visit to centuries-old cannon project

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi has stressed the importance of scientifically preserving the country's cultural heritage during a visit to the restoration workshop of the historic Pearl Cannon (Toop-e Morvarid), describing the protection of historical monuments as safeguarding Iran's identity, historical memory and civilizational legacy.

UNESCO committee approves conservation report for Iran's Hegmataneh

TEHRAN – The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has approved Iran's conservation report for the World Heritage site of Hegmataneh, confirming that the site's protection, management and restoration measures comply with the committee's requirements, provincial heritage officials said on Wednesday.

University of Tehran archaeologist warns against repeat of Jiroft civilization looting

TEHRAN – A University of Tehran archaeologist has warned of a rise in illegal excavations at archaeological sites in Iran’s Jiroft plain, urging authorities to take immediate action to prevent further damage to one of the country’s most significant ancient heritage areas.

French archaeologist calls for more research into Sasanian military architecture

TEHRAN – French architectural researcher and archaeologist Jean-Claude Voisin has highlighted the need for further studies on Sasanian military architecture, describing it as a field that reflects interactions among Roman, Byzantine and Central Asian traditions while remaining one of the less explored areas of ancient Iranian studies.

Heritage benefactor steps forward to restore Isfahan's historic Sheikh Bahai Bathhouse

TEHRAN – The first private philanthropist to support the restoration of a historical monument in Iran's central province of Isfahan has pledged about 60 billion rials (some $33,000) to help revive the centuries-old Sheikh Bahai Bathhouse, provincial cultural heritage officials said on Monday.

HEGTA chief highlights Ardabil’s potential as a storytelling destination

TEHRAN – Alireza Tabesh, chief executive of the Tourism Group of the Social Security Organization (HEGTA), has described Ardabil as a destination that needs to be introduced through storytelling, saying the province’s rich historical, cultural, natural and spiritual capacities have yet to be presented to visitors as a coherent tourism experience.

Blue Shield markers being installed on ancient bridges in Lorestan

TEHRAN - Blue Shield emblems are being installed on historic bridges in the western province of Lorestan as part of efforts to protect cultural heritage sites during armed conflict, the provincial cultural heritage chief said.