Wednesday, August 19, 2026

New York Prosecutors Return Ancient Persian Artifact Worth $1.2 Million to Iran

A twice-stolen ancient Persian artifact worth an estimated $1.2 million is back in Tehran’s national museum after a New York court ordered its return to Iran. The limestone bas-relief of a Persian soldier with shield and...

Devastated by 2003 Earthquake, Ancient City of Bam Still Awaits Reconstruction

By Firouzeh Nordstrom In the early hours of Dec. 26, 2003, a 6.6 magnitude earthquake levelled the ancient Iranian city of Bam in a matter of seconds. Bam, which traces its origins back to the...

Ownership Disputes Over Royal Palaces

By Firoozeh Ramezanzadeh Legal disputes over the rightful ownership of Sa’dabad Royal Complex continue between the Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) and Bonyad-e Mostazafan va Janbazan (Foundation of the Oppressed and Disabled...

Nowruz Events in Europe

By Tara Biglari Nowruz, the Persian New Year, marks the first day of spring and is an Iranian word that translates as "New Day." The holiday is celebrated by Iranians across the globe with week-long...

U.S. Top Court Wary Over Allowing Seizure of Ancient Persian Artifacts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism on Monday over whether ancient Persian artifacts held in a Chicago museum can be seized to pay for a $71 million court judgment against Iran...

Iran’s Lut Desert: Now On UNESCO’s World Heritage List

Question: which geographical area has become the first Iranian site to be inscribed on UNESCO's natural heritage list? Answer: The Lut desert, or Dasht-e-Lut. Located in the southeast of the country, this is the 27th...
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Tehran’s Chronic Mismanagement and Illegal Land Grabs Drive UNESCO Forests Toward Collapse

DUBAI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Iran has sought help to fight a devastating fire in UNESCO-listed forests in its north, with neighbouring Turkey sending firefighting planes, Iran's top environmental official said on Saturday. The fire threatens the Hyrcanian forests,...

Iran’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Chogha Zanbil

  Earlier this month, the ancient city of Yazd became the 22nd site in Iran to be inscribed by UNESCO on its World Heritage List, which distinguishes places deemed "of outstanding value to humanity." To mark the event, Kayhan...

Millions of Iranians Get Ready to Celebrate Yalda, Longest Night of Year

By Nazanine Nouri Millions of Iranians and people of Iranian descent around the world are preparing to celebrate the ancient Persian festival of Shab e Yalda, the longest and darkest night of the year — or...

Aga Khan Award for Architecture Recognizes Two Iranian Architecture Practices

By Nazanine Nouri Two Iranian architecture practices are among the seven winners of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA), which was announced on September 2. They are ZAV Architects/ Mohamadreza Ghodousi, who won the...