Protection boundaries approved for eight historical sites in Khuzestan province

TEHRAN – Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts has approved protection boundaries and preservation regulations for eight historical and archaeological sites in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, the provincial tourism chief said on Monday.

Quri Qaleh: Discover one of Asia’s longest water caves in western Iran

TEHRAN - Nestled in the foothills of the Shaho mountain range in western Iran, Quri Qaleh Cave stands as one of the country’s most remarkable natural attractions. Located near the village of Quri Qaleh, approximately 86 to 90 kilometers northwest of the city of Kermanshah and about 10 kilometers from Paveh, the cave is a geological masterpiece that combines natural beauty, ancient history, and ecological significance.

Iranian researchers uncover likely image of last Sasanian king

TEHRAN - Researchers from University of Tehran have identified what they believe may be the last known portrait of Yazdegerd III, the final king of the Sasanian Empire, following archaeological excavations at the ancient Bazeh Hur fire temple in northeastern Iran, according to a study published in the Italian academic journal East and West.

Shushtar aims to become global model for linking heritage and economy

TEHRAN - The director of the UNESCO-listed Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System has called for the ancient Iranian city of Shushtar to become a global model for linking culture, history and economic development, following ceremonies marking Iran’s Cultural Heritage Week.

Study examines four ancient metal smelting sites in central Iran

TEHRAN – A new research project has examined four ancient metal smelting sites in Yazd province, central Iran, shedding light on early metallurgical practices and identifying the types of metals extracted and processed at the locations, researchers said.

Ecbatana’s layered past reveals early urban planning and imperial legacy in west-central Iran

TEHRAN – The ancient city of Ecbatana, located partly beneath the modern city of Hamadan, remains one of the most significant archaeological sites in Iran, offering evidence of early urban planning and continuous occupation across multiple historical eras.

Historic Owltan Castle seen as tourism hub in northwest Iran, official says

TEHRAN – A senior provincial official said the historic Owltan Castle in Parsabad county has the potential to become a center for cultural and tourism development in the region, according to remarks reported on Friday.

Makran Coast: archaeological evidence confirms repeated early human occupations in southeastern Iran

TEHRAN – Archaeologists have uncovered compelling evidence that some of the earliest human ancestors, originally migrating from Africa, not only passed through but also settled and flourished along the southern coast of present-day Iran, specifically within the natural corridor known as the Makran Coast. The findings have been published in the Journal of Sistan and Baluchistan Studies.

Study sheds new light on UNESCO-listed Khorramabad Valley Prehistoric Sites

TEHRAN – A new scientific article on the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age periods in the Khorramabad Valley has been published in the latest issue of the journal of the National Museum of Iran, the head of Lorestan’s Cultural Heritage Department said on Friday.

Safavid-era cannon to undergo conservation process

TEHRAN – A Safavid-era cannon in Isfahan’s 17th-century Chehel Sotoun Palace has entered a process of conservation and revised display after years of being kept in unsuitable conditions, the site’s director said.

Museum director commemorates Arfa’i as pioneer of Elamite, Old Babylonian studies

TEHRAN – The head of the museum at Persepolis on Thursday marked the memory of professor Abdolmajid Arfa’i, an Elamite scholar and researcher of ancient Elamite and Akkadian languages, who died on Wednesday at the age of 86 after a period of illness.

Seymareh Valley landscape seeks UNESCO tentative listing

TEHRAN – The cultural heritage chief of Ilam province said on Monday plans to submit a preliminary dossier for the natural and historical landscape of Seymareh Valley to the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts for review and placement on the country’s tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage status.

Nowruz travel monitoring teams, 24-hour complaint system, activated across Iran

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism ministry has launched provincial monitoring teams and activated a 24-hour complaint mechanism ahead of the Nowruz 1405 travel season.

Excavation begins to identify cause of drying at Cheshmeh-Ali in Rey

TEHRAN – Excavation operations have begun at the historical Cheshmeh-Ali spring in Rey, southern Tehran, to identify the source of its water and examine the condition of its water bed in a bid to determine the causes of its drying and propose revival measures, a local cultural heritage official said.

Khalid Nabi cemetery blends archaeology and pilgrimage

TEHRAN – Surrounded by vast skies, green hills in spring, and golden grasses in late summer, Khalid Nabi Cemetery stands as one of northern Iran’s most distinctive heritage destinations. It embodies a convergence of myth, memory, landscape, and identity—where pilgrimage, archaeology, and tourism meet on a remote mountain ridge overlooking Turkmen Sahra.

Iran’s Neolithic communities excelled in antler craft, research shows

TEHRAN - A recent archaeological study published in the journal Anthropozoologica sheds new light on the sophisticated craftsmanship and resource strategies of early human societies on the Iranian Plateau.

Damghan proposed as hub for eastern Iran civilizational studies

TEHRAN– Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts on Thursday called for Damghan in Semnan province to be developed into a center for civilizational studies in eastern Iran, stressing the need for scientific protection and integrated management of two major historical sites in the city.

By Maryam Rostami

Before refrigerators, Iran had Yakhchals: Where did summer ice come from?

GONABAD – Have you ever paused, while sipping a chilled sharbat or juice with ice cubes floating inside, or enjoying an iced tea or iced coffee, to wonder how people kept their drinks and food cool before modern refrigerators and ice makers existed? Did they have access to cold water during the scorching days of summer? To find the answers, one can look to the heart of Iran’s desert cities—places where architectural ingenuity and human adaptation to nature gave rise to remarkable structures known as yakhchals, or icehouses.

Work on Xerxes I tomb at Naqsh-e Rostam nears completion

TEHRAN – Restoration work on the rock-cut tomb of Achaemenid king Xerxes I is nearing completion after years of conservation efforts, a local official has said.

Ancient Sadeh festival can reinforce social cohesion and unity, governor-general says

TEHRAN – Kerman’s governor-general Mohammad-Ali Talebi said on Wednesday that the ancient Sadeh festival is a national ritual belonging to all Iranians and can contribute to social cohesion and unity.