Iran Articles

Majestic Naqsh-e Rostam under threat from climate change

TEHRAN - The hot summer, unauthorized deep-water drilling, and other challenges associated with the changing climate are threatening to destroy invaluable cultural landmarks including Naqsh-e Rostam, which is a majestic rock-hewn necropolis in...
Who are the Iranian People?

Who are the Iranian People?

In a landmark study, a team of international researchers with unrestricted access to local populations and fossilized genetic material in Iran, led by scientists from the University of Cologne...

Zoroastrians: Iran’s forgotten minority

Zoroastrians: Iran’s forgotten minority

The decline of this ancient community is a tragedy not just for Iran, but for human civilization writ large It is disheartening, but the adherents of the world’s first monotheistic religion appear...

The Art Of Being Persian

The Art Of Being Persian

It is sunset and I am standing on the top of one of the Towers of Silence — a massive rock citadel where the Zoroastrians once laid out their dead for the vultures, to avoid contaminating the air...

Manekji Limji Hataria

Manekji Limji Hataria

Tomorrow 15th February is the baj of Manekji Limji Hataria, the Parsi missionary to Iran. A jashan will be performed at Wadiaji Atash Behram 1st floor hall in the morning at 10 a.m.Below is an...

Iran’s ancient engineering marvel

Iran’s ancient engineering marvel

What on Earth are those? I thought to myself shortly before landing in the Iranian city of Esfahan one summer. From the aeroplane window, I could see what looked like a cross between freakishly...

The Persian Crosses: Naqsh-E-Rustam

The Persian Crosses: Naqsh-E-Rustam

Naqsh-e Rustam is an impressive necropolis that stands as a reminder of the once famous and powerful Achaemenid Persian Empire, which thrived between 500 BC and 330 BC when it was defeated by...

Fire and State: Living With The Gods

Fire and State: Living With The Gods

Neil MacGregor continues his series on the expression of shared beliefs in communities around the world and across time. In this podcast he also speaks with our Vada Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor, the...

The Religion that the Iranian Mullahs Fear Most

The Religion that the Iranian Mullahs Fear Most

Over the past few decades, Iran has seen a revival in the native religion that predates Islam—something that the ayatollahs desperately want to suppress. Article by Zenobia Ravji | The Tower This...

Iran’s Zoroastrians celebrate Persian roots

Iran’s Zoroastrians celebrate Persian roots

In this Saturday, June 14, 2014 photo, a Zoroastrian man prays in Setipir Shrine in Yazd about 405 miles (675 kilometers) southeast of the capital Tehran, Iran. Zoroastrianism is a monotheistic...

The Tradition of Indo-Persian Literature

The Tradition of Indo-Persian Literature

The recent removal of Persian, Arabic and Pali from the list of subjects in UPSC exams has given rise to the question of the validity of these languages. Article by Rana Safvi | DNA India The reason...

Persepolis – The Lost Worlds

Persepolis – The Lost Worlds

One of the impressive locations of the ancient world, Persepolis was burnt and destroyed by Alexander the Great in 330 BC and lay forgotten for over 2000 years. This film travels to Iran to bring...

The Cyrus Cylinder travels to the US

‘First declaration of human rights’ to tour five cities in the United States The British Museum today announces that one of its most iconic objects, the Cyrus Cylinder, will tour to five major...

How Iran persecutes its oldest religion

How Iran persecutes its oldest religion

Zoroastrian worshipers pray near the central Iranian city of Yazd in 2004. By Jamsheed K. Choksy , Special to CNN Editor's note: Jamsheed K. Choksy is professor of Iranian studies, senior fellow of...

Iran’s New Currency May be named Parsi

Preliminary results show name of currency will change and four zeros will be removed from value On Saturday, the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran launched a website allowing the public...

Iran rediscovers value of Persian roots

Iran rediscovers value of Persian roots

Over the weekend, Iran hosted the presidents of Iraq, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan to celebrate Nowruz, the ancient Persian new year marking the first day of spring that is celebrated by...

On the road in rural Iran

On the road in rural Iran

Rural Iran has startlingly beautiful landscapes that are largely unexplored by outsiders By Jini Reddy The Guardian, Saturday 12 September 2009 [Hat Tip: Jim Engineer via NextGenNow@Linkedin] I...

Iran: The Forgotten Glory: DVD

Iran: The Forgotten Glory: DVD

Iran: The Forgotten Glory is a two part DVD Movie about the Persia of yore. "Shot in over 60 locations in the province of FARS and 5 years in the making, “IRAN, The Forgotten Glory” is the first...

Navroze at Pasargade

Navroze at Pasargade

Here are some pictures of Navroze being celebrated in Pasargade. However I do not have the year this was. Probably 2009 or 2008.

The Persepolis Celebrations of 1971

The Persepolis Celebrations of 1971

From Teheran to Persepolis: All the Glitter of the Empire   This is the title of a fantastic website that has the entire event in photographs and text. A definite must read. Website Link