Photos: Persian Gulf Shores, Bandar Abbas
Bandar Abbas is a port city and capital of Hormozgn Province on the southern coast of Iran, on the Persian Gulf. The city occupies a strategic position on the narrow Straits of Hormuz, and it is the location of the main base of the Iranian Navy. It had an estimated population of 352,173 in 2005. - 4/29/08
Photos: Gachsar Tulip Field, Iran
The Festival of Tulips is held every year in the Garmab Gachsar village, located near the satellite city of Karaj. -Photos by Erfan Dadkhah, ISNA - 4/27/08
Iran Air shares to go on sale: Minister
Iran's road and transportation minister here on Sunday voiced the ministry's readiness to privatize Iran Air (HOMA) airline. The official noted Iran Air is a profitable company stating the company operates with over 55 airplanes and owns 44 of them. - 4/27/08
Iran's 4500-year-old cypress tree nominated for addition to the World Heritage list
A 4500-year-old cypress tree in Iran's southeastern province of Yazd is to be soon protected as one of the world's biggest living organisms. The tree, gracefully standing in the city of Abarku, located in the southwest of the Yazd Province is one of the region's seven historical and natural sites and is nominated to be added to the World Heritage list. - 4/25/08
Photos: Horse Racing in Gonbad-e Qabus, Iran
Gonbad-e Qbus or Gonbad-e Kvus (also transcribed Gonbad-e Ghbus or Gonbad-i Ghboos) is a city in the province of Golestan in Iran. It had an estimated population of 135,868 in 2005. The city is famous for a historic brick tower by the same name. - 4/20/08
Iran to expand first international geopark of the Middle East on Qeshm island
Qeshm geopark has been registered as the Middle East first of the kind in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2006. - 4/20/08
A walk with Emma on the east side of Tehran
I love Tehran and as the weather has become more tolerable I have been able to take some walks around town. Last week I took my friend Emma on a walk through the central east side of Tehran. We met near the central bank and started our walk from Berlin Street - so-called because it is next to the German embassy - where they sell all sorts of fashion and clothing items. -Syma Sayyah, Tehran - 4/10/08
German cruise ship to dock at Iranian port of Bandar Abbas
A cruise ship with 200 foreign tourists on board is to dock at Iranian southern port of Bandar Abbas, Hormuzgan province, on April 12, it was reported on Sunday. -IRNA - 4/6/08
The Road to Esfahan
I'm in Shiraz, on the way to Esfahan... Iranians are among the most gracious and hospitable people I've ever met. The question, of course, is whether we should bomb these people? -Larry Beinhart, OpEdNews - 4/3/08
Iran's Beautiful Nature: Caspian Sea of Clouds
The 4030 m (13222 ft) Mt. Veravasht (a.k.a. Dehla) rises to the southeast of the Chalus River Gorge in the Central Alborz Mountains of northern Iran. The distance between the summit of Veravasht and the Caspian Sea shore is only 42 Km (26 miles). The western slopes of Veravasht drop 3000 vertical meters (10 000 ft) to the bottom of the Chalus River Gorge -Nader Honarkhah - 3/31/08
Siraf port introduced as Iran's National Port
Siraf Bandar, called Taheri Bandar today, was one the biggest and the most prosperous ports in Persian Gulf Zone during the second and fifth centuries of lunar calendar. -IRNA - 3/31/08
Over 23,000 foreign tourists visited Iran during Noruz holidays
Director General of Foreign Tourist Promotion Department Mohammad Ali Pakdasht said that tourists from Europe, the Middle East, South East Asia and the American Continent visited Iran during March 16-23. - 3/29/08
Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia hold railway conference
The conference is to conduct preliminary survey and studies on running an electronic trains connecting Tabriz, Azarshahr as well as construction of new rail track connecting Ghazvin, Rasht and Astara. -IRNA - 3/29/08
Ananda: A quiet vegetarian restaurant in Tehran's south Ekhtiyarieh
Just south of Ekhtiyarieh square on the corner of Behestan 10th Street there is a nice and quiet place to eat and you would appreciate it even more if you are vegetarian. The restaurant is called Ananda and it has been there for a few years and although I have mentioned Ananda in my articles in the past I have not written specifically about it. -Syma Sayyah, Tehran - 3/26/08
15 million tourists visit different parts of Iran in 6 days
Fifteen million tourists have visited different parts of the country in six days (March 17-22), i.e. in three days (March 17-19) before Noruz (New Year) and in the first three days (March 20-22) of Noruz. -IRNA - 3/24/08
Iran: Tourists Attractions
Iran is a country with enormous cultural and historical attractions which draw in landmark number of tourists in different seasons of the year, especially in spring and at time of Noruz, marking start of the New Year. - 3/23/08
Iran: 649 road accidents in first 3 days of New Year
Head of Police Traffic Control Center Colonel Hossein Alishahi said Sunday that since March 19, when Noruz (New Year) holidays started, there have been 649 road accidents, killing 130 people. - 3/23/08
Avicenna tomb in Hamedan draws in many tourists
Tomb of Muslim world's greatest physician, Avicenna, in Hamedan Province has these days been hosting large number of Iranian and foreign tourists. - 3/22/08
600,000 tourists visit Iran early Noruz - official
Some 600,000 foreign tourists arrived in Iran over the past few days for Noruz holiday making. -IRNA - 3/22/08
Safari to Lut Desert made easy by Shahdad-Nahbandan road
The world's most beautiful desert road, i.e. Shahdad-Nahbandan Road, will open up its hug to tourists who take resort in the area to visit nice Shahdad desert. - 3/22/08
Iran: Clocks to be pulled forward one hour on March 21
Summertime in Iran will start from 24:00 (20:30 GMT) March 21, on an energy saving basis, said government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham on Wednesday. - 3/20/08
Shiraz promotes World Poetry Day with week-long conference
Shiraz is celebrating World Poetry Day (March 21) during a week-long conference which commenced on March 16. The only city in the country which pays due attention to the celebration of world poetry day is Shiraz, said secretary of the conference Kavus Hassanli, adding, "This goes to show that the city possesses vigorous and active literary movements." - 3/16/08
Iranians: They're Just Like Us!
As a Western visitor, I was reminded to do as the Romans do. While chatting with friends at Iran's new television channel, Press TV, one of them scolded me for my overly conservative hijab. "It's too tight -- show some hair. Loosen up a bit. You look like an Islamic fundamentalist! We are not the Taliban here." -Trish Schuh, Esquire - 3/13/08
27 Iranian firms take part at 42nd Berlin Tourism Fair
27 Iranian firms are predicating at 42nd International Berlin Tourism Fair (ITB) putting on display tourism capabilities of our country. - 3/6/08
Arya Global Cuisine: Persian food trumps Italian at Arya
Owner and Executive Chef Mike Hashemi, an Iranian immigrant who owned a popular Italian restaurant in Orange County for nearly a decade, is taking no chances at his attractive new restaurant on Stevens Creek Boulevard. He wants to make everyone happy. -San Jose Mercury - 3/3/08
Iran: Karaj-Chalous Road blocked due to snow storm, avalanche threat
The part of Iran's South-North Karaj-Chalous Road in Mazandaran Province was blocked as of 7 pm Monday till further notice due to heavy snow storm and threat of falling avalanches. - 2/26/08
A Hidden elegant and Cosy Italian Oasis in North Tehran
We had heard about a new Italian restaurant from our good friends Mario and Fellicetta so with a few other friends we decided to try it out and last night despite the heavy snow showers we went to the Niloo Italian Restaurant which is part of the Niloo Hotel Apartments near Vanak Square. -Syma Sayyah, Tehran - 2/25/08
Photos: Migration of birds to Qeshm island in Persian Gulf
Qeshm is an island situated in the Strait of Hormuz off the south coast of Iran and east of the Persian Gulf (2650N, 560E). Khouran Strait separates mainland Iran from Qeshm Island. - 2/16/08
Photos: Snowman Festival in Hamedan, Iran
Hamadan or Hamedan is the capital city of Hamadan Province of Iran. It had an estimated population of 550,284 in 2005. Hamedan is believed to be amongst the oldest Iranian cities and one of the oldest in the world. - 2/16/08
The Other Iran
If youfre going to get lost, Esfahan (also spelled Isfahan), a city of 1.3 million about 200 miles south of Tehran in central Iran, is an extraordinary place to do it. Therefs a centuries-old saying that Esfahan is ghalf the world,h meaning it contains fully half of the earthfs wonders. -James Vlahos, New York Times - 2/11/08
Iran to create ME largest trade, tourist center by 2010
The largest commercial, recreational and tourist complex throughout the Middle East named Khalij-e Fars (the Persian Gulf), costing some 500 million dollars will be inaugurated by the early 2010 in the city of Shiraz, southern Iran, said the managing director of the project on Saturday. - 2/9/08
Iran: Blessed Food
For many Muslims one of the most poignant rituals connected with the month of mourning, Moharram, is the free distribution of food. During this period, a businessman from Tehran, Haji Loloi, offers food to some 1500 families. - 2/7/08
The New and Enhanced Website Aims to Promote Iran as a Top Travel Destination for 2008
Tourism Industry Association of Iran (Irpedia) launched its new and enhanced website to promote Iran as a top travel destination for 2008. New site features, offer more resources for travelers to uncover trip activities and experiences around Iran. - 2/4/08
Heavy snow in Tehran causes flights delay
Heavy snowfall overnight blanketed the runaway of the airports and the bad weather have caused delay in routine flights from Tehran and some other provinces. -IRNA - 1/27/08
Tourists coming to Iran to be offered insurance
All foreign tourists would be provided with health and accident insurance upon arrival in Iran, an insurance official said on Wednesday. -IRNA - 1/16/08
Teaching English in Tehran airport
When a friend of mine and her husband, who is a prominent scholar of Iran and Islam, arrived in Tehran at midnight last summer, she was not sure what to expect. In the women's customs inspection room, the female customs officer took a look at her passport and asked: "Are you American?" -Fatemeh Keshavarz - 1/14/08
Tehran's cinemas closed due to gas cuts
Tehran's cinemas have been hit by cuts in gas supplies in the past few days as the result of the current cold weather conditions and sub-zero temperatures. - 1/12/08
Gilane (Zeyton): An enjoyable place to eat in Tehran
There are not that many inspiring and good restaurants in Tehran, besides some well-known chelo-kabab ones. So when you come across a decent, nice and a different type of restaurant it is a sort of novelty. -Syma Sayyah, Tehran - 1/10/08
Snow whitens Loot desert in central Iran
Governor of District of Shahdad in mid-southern province of Kerman said snow today for the first time whitened the central desert of Loot. -IRNA - 1/8/08
How we flew through the streets of Tehran
For over six years in the 1970s I worked at Kayhan newspaper in Atabak alley, right between Ferdowsi and Lalehzar streets. During this time, I visited Bank Melli in Ferdowsi avenue many times. I also passed the National Jewels Museum many times, but never paid a visit there. But as it's customary, we usually don't get to appreciate things until they are way out of reach! So after 30 years it was finally time to head to the Jewels Museum. -Ali Moayedian - 1/7/08
Tehran shuts down due to heavy snow
The cabinet on Sunday announced that all government offices, universities and schools would be closed in Tehran both on Monday and Tuesday due to 'continued heavy snowfall and drop in temperatures' in the coming days. - 1/7/08
Heavy snow blankets Iran, blocks major roads
Heavy overnight snowfalls covered most parts of Iran on Sunday, leading to closure of schools and major roads and cancelled domestic flights. Most of the Iranian cities, particularly those located in the northern parts of the country, were blanketed by non-stop snowfall which still continues. - 1/6/08
Basketball, Iranian Style
Everything was going pretty well for Josh Moore before he stopped off at Papa Pizza, a neon-lit restaurant in Babolsar, Iran. He left feeling sick, and it would take several weeks and one harrowing hospital visit before the New Jersey native was able to get back to doing what he was in Iran to do. -WSJ - 1/6/08
Plane skids off runway in Tehran's Mehrabad airport
An Iran Air plane carrying 100 passengers, heading from Tehran to the southern provincial capital, Shiraz, at 07:20 hours local time (0350 GMT) skidded off the runway while trying to takeoff. -IRNA - 1/2/08
An American in Iran
Imam Khomeini International in Tehran looks much like any big new airport, except that its long corridors bear posters declaring this the Year of National Unity and Islamic Solidarity, rather than ads for lipstick and perfume. Still, it does not take long for an American passport-holder to meet with deeper differences. -New York Review of Books - 12/31/07
Love From Stockholm: Beauty Of Nature
These pictures have an amazing message, a message of love & peace in the world. The beauty of nature should bring us closer together. It should help humans reach understanding and unite us to work for our safety and environment. -Jahan Arash Chaginy, Stockholm - 12/27/07
Horses and hunger, an American woman's life in Iran
American Louise Firouz made Iran her home half a century ago. Now 75, she runs a stud farm in the remote northeast and has watched the turbulent transformation of her adopted country from U.S.-ally to arch foe. -Reuters - 12/26/07
A Christian Christmas in Snowy Iran
Yep. That's Iran. Tehran, Iran. The Hub of Human Evil. According to American hate radio, anyway. Snowy Tehran on a peaceful winter day. Makes you think of Boulder, don't it? Surrounded by snow-covered mountains? Those are the Alborz Mountains. And they are higher than the Rockies. They are the highest peaks in Asia west of the Himalayas, in fact with skiing on the upper slopes all year round. -William Wedin - 12/24/07
Iran to buy $1b passenger jets
Iran's Supreme Council for Management and Economic Planning issued the permit for purchasing passenger aircraft up to one billion dollars. -MNA - 12/24/07
An Encounter With Morality Police In Tehran
On the third day of our visit to Iran, I, my wife and my relative Mina, a young woman, took a taxi to Enghelab (revolution) square by Tehran University. There are many bookstores there that are frequented by book lovers. That brought some old memories back. My wife told us how she had been arrested in the very same spot years back during the early years of revolution. Perhaps that was a moment for her to reconcile with the past? I had my own event to remember. -Ali Moayedian - 12/19/07
|
