By Afshin Majlesi

Vacations on the edge: a glance of war tourism in Iran

On one hand, even talking about war is bitter, particularly for those who went to the second-longest war of the 20th-century after the Vietnam War. On the other, walking through former battlefields or visiting war ruins and relics at a museum may give you a profound impression over the grimy face of war, and deeper insight to whom once involved in the battle.

‘World’s biggest’ pictorial carpet pops up in Tehran

TEHRAN – A massive handwoven carpet, which according to a senior Iranian expert is ‘the biggest and oldest pictorial carpet in the world’ has recently been unveiled in the UNESCO-registered Golestan Palace in downtown Tehran.

E3 should reject U.S. economic terrorism against Iran, says foreign minister

Zarif: Iran rejects nukes for religious, strategic reasons

TEHRAN — Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran rejects nuclear weapons for religious and strategic reasons, calling on the three European parties to the 2015 nuclear pact to reject the U.S. economic terrorism against Iran.

By Afshin Majlesi

On the occasion of national day against British colonialism

Shahrivar 12th (which falls on Sept. 2 this year) marks the national day against British colonialism in Iran, remembering the martyrdom anniversary of Ra’is Ali Delvari, the great hero of the anti-colonial struggle in southern Iran.

Centuries-old subterranean shelter found during well drilling

TEHRAN – A relatively-vast underground shelter which is estimated to date back to 250 years ago was accidentally found during a well drilling process at the premises of a private house in a village in Gonabad county, northeast Iran.

Discover how pinnacle of art, genius of ancient architects turned natural arch into full-fledged stronghold

TEHRAN – A good amalgam of natural landscape and human genius has created what modern visitors witness at Sepahbod Khorshid Cave, which was once a unique defensive architecture during the Sassanid era (224–651 CE).

Experts necessitate elimination of all nuclear weapons

Deployment of nearly 15,000 nuclear weapons in certain countries, unreliable safety system in nuclear sites, possibility of cyber attacks on the sites and emotionally unstable rulers' threats have altogether necessitated the elimination of entire nuclear arms across the world if the humankind still intends to live on the earth, experts warned.

Iran will give ‘decisive response’ to any U.S. provocation, top MP warns

TEHRAN — Chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has warned the U.S. that any provocative action in the region with the purpose of fomenting insecurity will draw a “decisive response” from Iran.

How a Rockefeller by-birth man initiates legal path to bypass U.S. Congress to make key decisions!

The founding fathers of the War Powers Resolution, including George D. O’Neill, once embarked vigilantly on initiating a faction-like group consisting of the wings of the Democratic and Republican parties to ultimately marginalize the Congress in making very important decisions, including declaring or ending a war.  

Trump must do everything possible to avoid war with Iran: National Interest

TEHRAN — In an article published on the National Interest, David Axe argued that U.S. President Donald Trump must do everything possible to avoid war with Iran.

Experts urge maritime boundary agreement in Eastern Mediterranean to prevent possible war 

The Eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, whose energy resources and geopolitical importance can't be ignored, should be regarded internationally to prevent the sea's littoral states from engaging in any possible dispute over maritime boundary delimitation, geopolitical experts urged, noting that a comprehensive agreement can act as a precautionary measure to block way on a new probable bloody crisis in the region. 

Zarif to Trump: 'Iran starts no war, but teaches lessons to those who do'

TEHRAN - Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday warned U.S. President Donald Trump that Iran does not start a war but will give a lesson to those who start.

Iran says welcomes any initiative that stops war in Yemen

TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Tehran welcomes any initiative that leads to stopping war in Yemen and ends the blockade on the country.

Top Persian Gulf airlines continue using Iranian airspace

TEHRAN – Qatar Airways, Emirates and several other Persian Gulf airlines have been continuing to use Iranian airspace despite propaganda over security issues in the region.

Iran’s flag carrier seeking to re-establish flights to Sweden    

TEHRAN – Iran’s flag carrier is seeking a way for restoring direct flights connecting Tehran to Stockholm and Gothenburg, which have recently come to a halt.

By Salman Parviz

No winners in any war

Latest U-turn from war, first real chance for de-escalation of tensions

In a rare accident during my last year’s trip to India, a cobra managed to sneak into a jaguar’s enclosure in one of the country’s oldest and most popular zoo in the southwestern city of Mysuru. As the Jaguar, named Raja saw the cobra, the two pounced at each other.

U.S. unlikely to target Iran’s cultural sites, tourism minister says

TEHRAN - Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan said on Wednesday that a U.S. attack of Iran’s cultural heritage is ‘unlikely’ to happen. 

Beijing envoy slams Trump for threatening Iran’s cultural sites, saying they belong to all humanity

TEHRAN – China’s ambassador to Iran has censured U.S. President Donald Trump for threatening to launch attacks on Iran’s cultural sites, saying the Iranian cultural heritage belongs to the entire global community.

ICOM, ICOMOS dismiss Trump’s comments on targeting Iranian culture sites

TEHRAN – Since Saturday night, U.S. President Donald Trump has come under fire for threating to target Iranian cultural sites by many international cultural figures, organizations, scholars, artists and politicians, and recently by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

Trump’s threat to target Iranian cultural sites ‘a huge crime against the worldwide civilization’

TEHRAN - Cultural and tourism officials, activists and fans across Iran, have signed petitions and issued statements in the past two days over Donald Trump’s threat to target Iranian cultural sites, emphasizing that it equals a huge crime against the worldwide civilization.

By Afshin Majlesi

World reacts to Trump’s threat to raid Iranian culture targets as ‘a war crime’

TEHRAN - Donald Trump’s new threat to attack 52 important targets in Iran, including cultural sites, has provoked a strong backlash worldwide, with many calling it a “war crime.”

Iran proposes a world day for ancient civilizations

TEHRAN – Iranian tourism minister on Friday proposed a world day for ancient civilizations as he was addressing the third ministerial meeting of the Ancient Civilizations Forum in Beijing, China.

*By Mohammad Ghaderi

Propaganda war against Iran: Objectives, techniques and tactics 

TEHRAN – Rancorous satellite networks as well as a number of official and private accounts in social networks, especially in Twitter, have embarked on waging a full-scale war of attrition against the Islamic Revolution’s media outlets.

U.S. wars have killed 8.5 million people in last 40 years, says IRGC chief

TEHRAN – Chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami said on Saturday that Washington’s wars have claimed the lives of 8.5 million people during the past 40 years, Mehr reported.

By staff and agency

U.S. Congress redoubles efforts to limit Trump’s Iran war powers

Twenty-eight lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties are pushing legislation to ban the use of funds for military action against Iran without congressional authorization, according to an internal letter obtained by Foreign Policy.

Rouhani says war with Iran will be ‘mother of all wars’ and peace ‘mother of all peace’

“Iran won’t talk to a criminal committing economic terrorism against Iranians”

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that peace with Iran will be “mother of all peace” and war with Iran will be “mother of all wars”.

Zarif to Trump: Iranians have outlasted aggressors for millennia

Zarif reminds Trump about U.S. defeats in Iraq and Afghanistan after Vietnam

TEHRAN – In response to a tweet by Donald Trump who on Monday said “the Iranians never won a war, but never lost a negotiation”, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote a post on his Twitter page saying that “for millennia, Iranians have outlasted every aggressor.”

We are actually in all-out war with the enemy, says General Salami

IRGC chief: We will not be overcome in any war

TEHRAN – Commander of the IRGC, Major General Hossein Salami, said on Tuesday that Iran is in an “all-out war” with the enemy, Mehr reported.

Tulsi Gabbard: Neocons, Netanyahu, and Saudi Arabia have made it difficult for Trump to avoid war with Iran

TEHRAN - Democratic candidate and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has weighed in on foreign policy and her performance in the first primary debate on Thursday’s edition of FNC’s ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight.’