TEHRAN – Researchers and artists studying the carved motifs of an ancient cemetery near Qale-Shadab mountain, southwestern Iran, say the unique designs found on centuries-old tombstones could provide inspiration for contemporary textile design, handicrafts and local cultural industries.

Until recently, few imagined human presence on Iran’s Persian Gulf islands extended beyond the last millennium. But archaeological research has transformed this understanding. Excavations on Qeshm Island pushed settlement back nearly 5,000 years, while stone tools on Bam-e Qeshm hinted at an even older past. The discovery of Paleolithic sites on Hormuz Island—Chand-Derakht and Sang-e Ghorab—revealed that Middle Paleolithic populations lived there between 150,000 and 40,000 years ago, highlighting the Persian Gulf’s role in early human migrations. Long before these scientific findings, Master Mohammad Zobeiri had already grasped this deep historical continuity, preserving it in the Deyrestan Anthropology Museum and his book Ganz-e Bapu.

TEHRAN – The historical village of Riab in eastern Iran is emerging as a leading example of heritage preservation, sustainable tourism and community participation as it seeks international recognition through the United Nations Tourism (UN Tourism) Best Tourism Villages initiative.

TEHRAN - European tourists are increasingly choosing destinations closer to home as conflict in West Asia raises security concerns and drives up the cost of long-haul travel, affecting tourism flows across parts of Asia and the Middle East while benefiting southern European countries, industry officials and analysts said.

TEHRAN - Iran’s railway authority plans to establish five national and regional railway museums and expand rail tourism projects as part of efforts to preserve the country’s industrial heritage, officials said on Tuesday.

TEHRAN - Iran’s government will continue efforts to remove barriers to rural development and support operators of eco-lodges as part of a broader strategy to revive villages and strengthen local economies and cultural identity, senior officials said on Tuesday at a national conference marking eco-lodge day.

TEHRAN – The Zagros Paleolithic Museum in Kermanshah, the first specialized museum of its kind in the region, has sustained damage from a blast wave generated by recent US airstrikes on the city’s historical center. The museum is housed within the historic Biglar Beigi Tekyeh (also known as Biglarbaigi), a Qajar-era Hosseinieh that is a recognized national heritage site.

TEHRAN – The cultural landscape of western province of Kordestan province has suffered a severe blow following recent military strikes by the US and the Zionist regime, with early estimates placing the financial toll on historical monuments between 700 to 800 billion rials (approximately $388,000 to $444,000).

TEHRAN – Large crowds gathered on Friday at the ancient sites of Persepolis and Naqsh-e Rostam to commemorate the anniversary of a visit by the martyred Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, to Fars province.

TEHRAN – Iran on April 30 marked the Persian Gulf National Day, commemorating a significant moment in 1622 when Safavid forces expelled Portuguese troops from the Strait of Hormuz, an event widely regarded in the country as a milestone in the restoration of sovereignty over its southern waters.

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Cultural Heritage announced that the site where US aircraft were shot down in the Dasht-e Mahyar area has been officially registered on Iran’s National Heritage List of Sacred Defense sites.

TEHRAN – A two-day motorcycle rally was launched in Iran on Thursday to protest damage to historical sites during recent military strikes, with participants set to gather at Falak-ol-Aflak Castle, a landmark reported to have been affected.

TEHRAN – Iran’s Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution has approved a “National Museums Document,” a senior cultural heritage official said, outlining a comprehensive framework to guide the country’s museum sector.

TEHRAN – Iran’s Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution has approved a “National Museums Document,” a senior cultural heritage official said, outlining a comprehensive framework to guide the country’s museum sector.

TEHRAN – Iran is observing early signs of a return in foreign tourist arrivals as conditions stabilize following recent conflict, a senior tourism official said on Wednesday, adding that infrastructure and planning are in place to support a broader recovery in the sector.

TEHRAN – Iran’s cultural heritage authorities have initiated procedures to register the official residence and administrative office of the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, better known as “Beit-e Rahbari”, as a national heritage site.