Memoir writings will be removed from Si-o-Se Pol face in Isfahan

TEHRAN - Si-o-Se Pol cleanup has been started by Isfahan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department, said Hadi Allahyari, an official responsible for monitoring Isfahan’s historical bridges.

Fahraj recognized as Iran’s first accessible tourism village

TEHRAN - The historic village of Fahraj in Yazd province has been officially recognized as Iran’s first accessible tourism village.

Iran advances cultural diplomacy at UAE investment forum

TEHRAN – Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, has emphasized the strategic significance of Iran’s participation in the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) Congress 2025, held last week in the United Arab Emirates. In a recent statement, the minister described the event as a vital platform for advancing Iran’s cultural diplomacy and promoting the country’s rich civilizational identity on the global stage.

4,000 visits registered for Rey historical attractions during Nowruz holidays

TEHRAN - Over 4,000 Nowruz tourists visited historical attractions of the ancient city of Rey in Tehran province from March 15 to April 4, according to the Director of Rey National Heritage Base, Qadir Afrovand.

Dinosaur footprint discovered in Zarand becomes county’s top tourist attraction

TEHRAN - A recently discovered dinosaur footprint in the Deh-Alireza region of Dashtkhak, located in northern Zarand county in Iran’s Kerman province, has been identified as the area's most significant emerging tourist attraction, according to local heritage and academic officials.

Minister hails ‘successful’ Nowruz travel season, highlights growth in domestic tourism

TEHRAN - Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, praised the success of the 1404 (2025) Nowruz travel season, describing it as one of the most satisfying and least problematic in recent years.

Lenj boats: guardians of maritime heritage in Persian Gulf

Tehran – Construction of Lenj boats is an ancient indigenous craft along the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf that has historically played an important role in navigation, trade, and the livelihoods of southern Iran's people.

Iran’s Central Bank introduces rial debit cards for tourists, foreign nationals

TEHRAN - The Central Bank of Iran has officially issued a directive to the national banking network outlining the procedures for providing Iranian rial-denominated bank cards to foreign tourists and non-resident individuals.

Lost quarry believed to supply Achaemenid palace in Susa discovered in western Iran

TEHRAN - In a landmark archaeological breakthrough, Iranian researchers have discovered what is believed to be the long-lost quarry used to source the massive stones for Achaemenid-era masterpieces such as the palace of Darius the Great in the ancient city of Susa.

Tourism Desk

Iran’s tourist villages introduced for possible global registration

TEHRAN - The director-general of the Domestic Tourism Development Office, Mostafa Fatemi, said a list of 130 tourist villages has been prepared. He added that given the prerequisites declared by the UN Tourism, eight villages were shortlisted as final candidates for the Best Tourism Villages, IRNA reported.

Takht-e Rostam was once on Caspian Sea’s southern edge

TEHRAN – Rounds of paleontological research in Iran have uncovered significant evidence of the Caspian Sea's shoreline dating back over 31,000 years, suggesting that the sea once extended much further than its current boundaries.

Tehran, Astana agree on joint exhibitions and museum collaborations

TEHRAN - National Museum of Iran Director Jebrael Nokandeh and his Kazakh counterpart have arranged to expand joint exhibitions and museum collaborations.

ECO member states advance regional sustainable tourism standards for accommodation facilities

TEHRAN - Member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) came together virtually for the 6th Meeting of the ECO Working Group on Tourism Standardization (WGTS), focusing on finalizing a comprehensive set of sustainable tourism criteria for accommodation facilities across the region.

Iranian minister highlights opportunities for stronger cultural cooperation with China

TEHRAN - Iran’s tourism minister has underscored the long-standing cultural and economic ties between the Islamic Republic and China, emphasizing their strategic partnership in heritage promotion and the potential for further collaboration.

Another section of 1,200-year-old mosque of Jiroft unearthed

TEHRAN - Director of the archaeological team working on the ancient city of Jiroft (Daqyanoos), Hamideh Choubak, said on Tuesday: “We have found another section in this area which shows the spread of a mosque. It is around 1,000 square meters. We guess that it is more than this.”

Tourism minister attends global investment forum in UAE to promote cooperation

TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Monday evening to participate in the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) Congress 2025, one of the world’s leading platforms for international investment and economic dialogue.

Giant ‘Sasanian-era’ jar unearthed in southern Iran

TEHRAN - An ancient earthenware jar believed to date back to the Sasanian era has been unearthed during a routine excavation in a village in southern Iran, according to local heritage authorities.

Bangladeshi envoy calls for promotion of Ali-Sadr Cave

TEHRAN - Bangladesh's ambassador to Iran Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury has stressed the need for further promotion of Ali-Sadr Cave, one of the world's largest water caves, among foreign tourists.

Restoration work resumes on Apadana Palace and tomb of Artaxerxes III in Persepolis

TEHRAN - Restoration efforts have officially resumed at several key heritage sites within Persepolis, a famed UNESCO World Heritage site in southern Iran, following a temporary pause during the Nowruz holidays.

Iran is world’s oldest country based on organized government

TEHRAN - In a newly revisited global ranking published by the World Population Review, Iran has been officially recognized as the oldest country in the world in terms of its earliest known organized government and sovereign identity, dating back to 3200 BC.

Archaeological excavations begin at Iran's ‘largest’ Neolithic site

TEHRAN - The third season of archaeological excavations has officially begun at Chogha Golan, a significant Neolithic site in the foothills of the Zagros Mountains, near Mehran in Ilam province.

Iran tourism minister, Kazakh envoy discuss ways to expand cultural ties

TEHRAN – Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri and Kazakh ambassador to the Islamic Republic have discussed avenues to enhance cultural cooperation between the two nations.

40% of Iranians travel during Nowruz holidays, tourism minister says

TEHRAN – Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri on Friday said 40 percent of the country’s population traveled during the Nowruz Holidays.

Iranian embassy in Budapest holds Nowruz celebration

TEHRAN - A special celebration of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, was held at the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Budapest, coinciding with the arrival of spring and the 1404 solar year.

UN headquarters in Geneva hosts Nowruz celebration led by Iran

TEHRAN - A special celebration marking Nowruz -- the Persian New Year -- was held at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva on Friday, April 4.

Iranian tourism ministry seeks to expand international outreach

TEHRAN– Iran’s Deputy Minister of Tourism, Anoushirvan Mohseni-Bandpey, has highlighted ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts to enhance tourism and facilitate travel for Iranian expatriates and foreign visitors.

Visits to Iran’s historical sites soar 28 percent y/y during Nowruz holidays

TEHRAN - During the two-week Nowruz holidays, which officially began on March 20, visitor numbers to Iran’s cultural heritage sites, museums, and historical landmarks saw a remarkable 28% year-on-year increase.

Efforts underway to restore historical relics in Mazandaran

TEHRAN - Experts from Mazandaran province’s Cultural Heritage Department are working diligently to restore and preserve historical and cultural artifacts in a dedicated laboratory and workshop at a museum in Sari, the provincial capital.