Iran prioritizes branding and regulation in health tourism sector

TEHRAN – Iran is focusing on branding and regulatory reforms in its health tourism industry as part of plans to expand the sector, Deputy Tourism Minister Anoushirvan Mohseni-Bandpey has said.

Iran earns $7.4 billion from foreign tourism in past year

TEHRAN – Iran generated about $7.4 billion from foreign tourism in the past Iranian calendar year (ended in March 2025), with more than 7 million international visitors arriving in the country, the culture minister said on Thursday.

Archaeologists uncover lusterware fragments, Islamic-era ruins in Isfahan excavation

TEHRAN – Archaeologists in Iran have recently unearthed fragments of Persian lusterware ceramics, historical coins, and remnants of Islamic-era architecture during the second phase of excavations at Kamar-Zarrin passage in Isfahan, a local official said on Thursday.

Iran to host intl. Lut Desert tourism conference focused on investment, sustainability

TEHRAN – An international conference on tourism in Iran’s Lut Desert will be held with a focus on investment and sustainable development, a provincial tourism official said on Wednesday.

6,000-year-old fishing village reveals ancient maritime diet and fishing technology in Iran’s Makran

TEHRAN - Archaeologists working at the Koupal site in Dashtyari county, southeast Iran, have uncovered remarkable evidence of a 6,000-year-old fishing settlement, providing detailed insights into ancient maritime subsistence strategies.

Azerbaijan Airlines to resume Tehran flights, launch new Tabriz route in September

TEHRAN – Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) is set to expand its services to Iran by resuming flights to Tehran and launching a new route to Tabriz in September, aimed at improving connectivity between the two neighboring countries.

Shiraz emerges as key health tourism hub

TEHRAN – Shiraz, one of Iran’s main cultural and tourism destinations, has become a leading center for regional medical tourism, local and national officials said.

Study of ancient rock-carved structures launched in Kermanshah

TEHRAN – A project to study, document, and conduct laboratory research on ancient rock-carved structures in Kermanshah province has begun, an archaeologist who leads the project said on Monday.

'Iran, The Land of Legends' hits bookstore shelves

TEHRAN – “Iran, The Land of Legends” is the latest publication by acclaimed photographer and artist Davoud Vakilzadeh, produced in collaboration with the National Museum of Iran.

Iran to open five new ‘sacred defense’ museums dedicated to 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War

TEHRAN – Iran plans to open five new museums dedicated to the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, known domestically as the “sacred defense,” by late this year or by May 2026 at the latest, an official said on Saturday.

Mashhad is to host over 6.5 million pilgrims, governor-general says

TEHRAN – Mashhad, Iran’s holiest city, is expected to host between 6.5 million and 7 million pilgrims during the last ten days of the Islamic lunar month of Safar, the governor-general of Khorasan Razavi province said.

Fars province, cradle of the Achaemenid Empire, seeks tourism rise

TEHRAN – Iran’s Fars province, home to ancient Achaemenid sites including Persepolis and Pasargadae, recorded 7.4 million tourist visits last year, officials said, as the government steps up efforts to position the region as a leading cultural tourism hub.

By Nafise Hajati

Iranian influencers highlight India’s heritage at Tehran event

TEHRAN – “Iran and India share a timeless heritage, reflected in Bihar’s ancient sites,” the Indian ambassador to Iran said at a recent cultural gathering in Tehran.

Ancient carving shows Assyrian soldiers using goat skins to cross river 2,900 years ago

TEHRAN – A 2,900-year-old carved panel from the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud shows soldiers swimming across a river using inflatable goat skins, according to the British Museum.

Tehran launches China-focused tourism marketing course with UN support

TEHRAN – Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has launched an online training program on tourism marketing aimed at attracting Chinese visitors, with support from the UN Tourism (United Nations World Tourism Organization), an official said on Thursday.

Sasanian ossuary inscription discovered at Naqsh-e Rostam

TEHRAN – Archaeologists have uncovered a funerary inscription linked to an ossuary from the late Sasanian period at the Naqsh-e Rostam archaeological site in Marvdasht, southern Iran.

Iran’s culture minister calls for accelerated excavations at ancient city of Istakhr

TEHRAN – Iran’s minister of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts has urged faster archaeological excavations at the ancient city of Istakhr in southern Iran, citing the site’s historical importance and the need for stronger protection against illegal digging.

Iran monitors subsidence at UNESCO-listed Gonbad-e Qabus tower

TEHRAN – Iranian heritage authorities are carrying out subsidence monitoring and technology studies on the UNESCO-listed Gonbad-e Qabus tower in Golestan province, the provincial tourism chief said on Saturday.

Gorgan–Aktau flights to resume after weeks of halt

TEHRAN – Flights between Gorgan in northern Iran and Aktau in Kazakhstan is scheduled to resume after a temporary suspension caused by regional conflict and security concerns.

Sassanid-era Vigol fire temple undergoes restoration

TEHRAN – Restoration work has commenced on the Vigol fire temple, a rare archaeological site from the Sassanid era located in the central province of Isfahan, the provincial tourism chief said on Saturday.

Over 2.6 million Arbaeen pilgrims exit Iran via land borders; Mehran most crowded

TEHRAN – More than 2.6 million pilgrims crossed Iran’s six land borders to enter Iraq for Arbaeen between July 26 and August 8, Iranian road management officials reported on Saturday.

8,000-year-old Tepe Sialk proposed for UNESCO World Heritage listing

TEHRAN - Tepe Sialk, a c. 8,000-year-old archaeological site in Kashan, central Iran, has been placed on Iran’s shortlist of potential UNESCO World Heritage sites, an official said, as efforts to resolve legal and conservation issues around the site’s protected area gain momentum.

National Museum of Iran celebrates UNESCO inscription of Khorramabad Valley Prehistoric Sites

TEHRAN – A ceremony marking the UNESCO World Heritage inscription of the Prehistoric Sites of Khorramabad Valley took place on Tuesday at the National Museum of Iran.

By Afshin Majlesi

Restoration of Arnaldo Pomodoro’s 3-ton bronze sphere underway in Tehran

TEHRAN - Conservation work has begun on a 3,000-kilogram bronze sculpture by the late Italian artist Arnaldo Pomodoro at a museum in northern Tehran.

1000-year-old carved tombstone discovered in UNESCO-listed Yazd

TEHRAN - A historic tombstone dating back almost 1,000 years has been uncovered during restoration work at Dowlatshahi Mosque in the UNESCO-listed city of Yazd, central Iran.

Expert calls for four-year plan to restore historic bazaar in Lar

TEHRAN - A senior regional development planning expert has proposed the development of a four-year restoration plan for the Qeysarieh Bazaar in Lar, southern Iran, involving private sector participation and non-governmental organizations.

Centuries-old qanats in Ardakan undergo restoration

TEHRAN – Restoration and rehabilitation work has begun on a series of historic qanats located in the old urban fabric of Ardakan, Yazd province, as part of a preservation initiative for the region’s ancient water infrastructure, local officials said.

Discover Qeshm, the largest island of the Persian Gulf

TEHRAN - Qeshm Island, the largest island in the Persian Gulf, is where natural wonders, strategic geography, and ancient culture intersect.