Islamic Republic of Iran

Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism & Handicrafts

IRAN at a Glance

Official Name: The Islamic Republic of Iran

Capital: Tehran

Official Language: Farsi ( Persian) Population : 86 Million

GDP : 359/713 m$ (2021) (Data world Bank) Area : 1,648,195 km2

Currency : Rial (IRR)

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Geography

The Islamic Republic of Iran located in West Asia .It’s borded with Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan in North, Afghanistan and Pakistan in East, Iraq in west and Turkey in Northwest .

In southern part the country is located by Persian Gulf and Oman sea .The country has been divided into five regions including 31 provinces.

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Climate

Iran is known for its climatic diversity It enjoys climates out of the world’s 11, ranging from arid and semi-arid in central part to subtropical climate along the Caspian coast and the Hyrcanian forest in northern part.

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Number of Country Inbound and Outbound tourists during the years 2008-2022

Iran Tourism Market Share

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Frequency of 3,4 and 5 star Hotels–2022

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•               

Air Lines:

International Air Lines: 33

Domestic Air Lines: 20

•               Airports: Total 75

International Airports: 10

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Ethnic and Cultural Diversity

tangibleOCSENU yb detsiL setiS egatireH

Handicrafts & Handmade Art

Hospitality

Unique Ancient & Historical Sites Health Tourism

The Lowest Tourism Cost

World Cities of Handicraft Safety

Incredible Architecture

Iranian Cities Selected as Tourism Capitals

Pleasant Accommodation

Persian Gardens

Iranian Cities Selected as UNESCO Creative Cities

Rich Museums

The Highest Gains with the Lowest Coasts

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Ethnic and Cultural Diversity

One of the most basic distinguishing characteristics of Iran's tourism

this is one of the first unique and distinct attractions that a foreign tourist experiences when encountering Iran.

Each of the ethnic, linguistic, cultural and artistic characteristics of Iranian peoples has been a part of the identity of Iran and Iranians, which after several millennia has been able to maintain its life and adapt to different conditions.

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Hospitality

Experience the real sense of hospitality You have never experienced elsewhere

The Iranians are of such an affable nature as to warm your heart

and make your travel more off beat.

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Legendary History & Civilization

•               home to one of the world’s oldest living civilizations

•               great many of historical and urban settlements dating back to more than 7000 BC.

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Experience a Pleasant Accommodation

•            the luxury accommodation experience in international hotels

•            restaurants with different nationalities and gyms and shopping centers,

•            traditional hotels that once had valuable houses (symbol of culture and architecture of each region)

•            experiencing hospitality in the traditional Iranian style.

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Incredible Architecture

The Fundamentals of all Architectural Styles in the World

Iranian architecture features a great variety, both structurally and aesthetically ,Rooting in incredible variety of traditions and experiences.

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Rich Museums

The Land of Golden Rhytons, Glorious Cups & Civilized Statues

Museums: 828 that offer a rich insight into thousands of years of national art and culture.

National Museum of Iran; the country’s largest museum in History and Archaeology, more than 80 years of activity, contains 300,000 objects in an area of more than 20,000 m2.

It stands among the world’s most prestigious museums in term of grandeur, scale, diversity and quality of its huge monuments.

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Health Tourism

Medical Tourism

•        Medical Equipment

•        Skillful & Experienced Doctors

•        Suitable Services & Advanced Treatments

•        Cost-effectiveness of Medical Costs & Services

Wellness & Curative Tourism

•        Mineral springs

•        Salt Caves and Salt Lake

•        The beaches

•        Deserts

•        Mudflows

Traditional Medicine & Medicinal Plants

•        With a history of several thousand

•        more than 8,000 plant species (of which more than 2,300 species are medicinal and 1,727 species are specific to the native regions of Iran

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Medical Tourism

The advantages of Iran in Health tourism

Since Iranian medical tourism holds a very rich history and provides quality services, affordable prices along with various historical, cultural, natural and recreational attractions, it has enough qualifications to attract health tourists from the region and around the world.

Traditional medicine

and medicinal plants

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Due to its geographical and climatic diversity, Iran is a land covered with unique landscapes and natural landscapes, beautiful beaches of the Caspian Sea in the north, the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman in the south, vast Hyrcanian forests in the north to mangrove forests (mangroves) on the southern coast, mountainous areas in the west and unique desert areas in the center and western margin, The Lut Desert, known as the largest clogged city in the world, with its international wetlands, caves, waterfalls and mineral springs.

With a history of several thousand years and in accordance with scientific and experimental principles, the traditional Iranian medicine is the result of great efforts such as Ibn Sina, Razi, Jorjani, etc., who led medical universities in the West and East for about eight centuries.

Cultivation of various medicinal and aromatic plants has always been a part of Iranian customs and traditions. Since Iran holds eleven of the thirteen world-known climates, it has a special place in terms of the diversity of medicinal plants. Due to the diversity of climate, more than 8,000 plant species have been identified in Iran, of which more than 2,300 species are medicinal and 1,727 species are specific to the native regions of Iran.

Medical Tourism

1 Medical Equipment

Doctors

Iran is famous for its up-to-date and modern hospital equipment and medical engineering. Hospitals, treatment centers and specialized laboratories in Iran are equipped with a wide range of advanced technologies and advanced medical technology and the most modern hospital equipment, including scanning, surgery, intensive care and advanced laboratories in providing diagnostic and therapeutic services and hospitalization.

Iran is known for having experienced and skilled doctors. Today, the level of knowledge and services of Iran’s physicians in the field of treatment and health care is such that patients from all over the world can consult with Iranian physicians about the steps and way of treatment and choose the best treatment options for their travel plan. The Iranian medical team will accompany the patient from the time of the patient›s arrival until the final recovery and, if necessary, after returning to the place of their residence

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Medical Tourism

3 Suitable Services

4 Advanced Treatments

As a medical tourist in Iran, you are considered as a VIP patient, you will never have to wait to find a specialist doctor and a suitable hospital; Everything you may need is provided before you reach your destination.

It is noteworthy that Iran has significant capacities in fundamental cells and Iran offers a wide range of medical services in the fields of beauty and treatment, including facial and limb beauty, cosmetic dentistry, infertility, alopecia surgery, orthopedics, heart surgery, ophthalmology. Furthermore, it completely covers the diagnosis and treatment of various types of cancer, tissue and organ transplants, neurosurgery, spinal cord injuries and many other medical services.

Cost-effectiveness of Medical Costs and Services on a global and regional scale is one of the important advantages of Iran in medical tourism.

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of medical tourism in Iran

•        Tehran, the heart of the Middle East

•        Shiraz, the center of liver transplantation in the Middle East

•        Yazd, the center of infertility treatment in the Middle East

•        Mashhad

•        Border provinces of Iran

•        Southern Khorasan

•        KhUzestan

•        Ilam

•        Hormozgan

•        Gilan

•        Eastern Azerbaijan

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•        Northern Khorasan

•        Mazandaran

•        Kurdistan

•        Kermanshah

•        Golestan

•        Ardebil

•        Western Azerbaijan

Wellness and curative tourism

Mineral springs

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In Iran, there are more than hundreds of hot and cold mineral water springs with different compounds located in most parts of the country. Iran's hot springs have significant geochemical diversity and have the ability to relieve and improve nerve, rheumatic, joint, muscle and skin diseases. Thus, they are used as a complementary treatment. In addition to its therapeutic properties, the location of these springs in areas with natural effects and picturesque views and pleasant climate as well as traditional and modern accommodation facilities and various services, Iran has always been the focus of many health tourists who annually travel to these areas.

Salt Caves

and Salt Lake

Iran has become a suitable destination for salt therapy and improvement of respiratory and skin diseases for health tourists for the sake of the existence of Urmia Salt Lake and salt caves including Garmsar salt cave, … . Lake Urmia, which has one hundred two large and small islands in its heart, is the second Salt Lake in the world, whose shores, salts, sludge and algae are effective in improving skin diseases and rheumatism.

The beaches

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The seashores of Caspian lake in the north and the navy blue seacoasts of Persian Gulf and Oman sea in the south of Iran have created a unique situation of health tourism in Iran including helping promote health and the immune system, strengthening muscles and relieving stress and absorbing the rare elements of the sea, and curing diseases by swimming in the warm sea water, walking on the beach and relaxing on the hot sands.

Mudflows

Mudflow is a natural phenomenon in which mud reaches the surface of the earth in the form of springs from the ground. When they accumulated on top of each other, they form small and large cones due to the presence of minerals and organic matters in the mud. Eucalyptus is effective as a complementary treatment for the treatment and cure of many skin diseases, vasoconstriction, joint pain, back pain and muscle stiffness. More than half of the world's about 800 volcanoes are located around the Caspian lake and the Sea of Oman. In the meantime, Pirgol Khash mudflow is the only offshore golf and the largest golf in Iran, and the coldness of the mud of this mudflow is another strange and unique point..

Deserts

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Iran's deserts attract many tourists for the sake of their therapeutic and recreational potentials such as sand therapy and sun therapy and meditation, starry sky observation and long walks on warm sand, and recreational facilities such as camel riding, safari, zip line attract many tourists.

The largest sand dunes in the world in Reagan region in Kerman province is a unique attraction in the field of health tourism tin which tourists sleep on the sand and gradually absorb the heat of desert sand, which is effective in improving skin and joint diseases.

Egyptian desert, Lut desert , Maranjab desert, Helwan desert, , Zardgah desert named the greenest desert in Iran, Matin Abad desert, Varzeneh desert with the largest desert recreation site in Iran, Zarrin sand desert is one of the most beautiful sand dunes in Iran, Shahdad desert with flowing sands and amazing phenomena of high ridges caused by years of water and wind erosion, Gandum Briyan plain as the warmest Ground point, volcanic cones, high sand pyramids, vast areas of gray and brown sand dunes, wavy sand dunes and the highest sand

Iranian Handicrafts & Handmade Art

•         Receiving 358 Seals of Excellence for

Handicrafts in 8 courses

•       299 Fields in Handicrafts, classified in 18 group

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Ecotourism Potentials (Magic of Iran’s Nature)

Nature lovers and interested people can enjoy visiting natural parts of the world, a splendid destination.

The exemplary geographical and seasonal diversity of Iran has provided very different species of flora and fauna thus paving a way for the country to avail the benefit of being one of the few countries in the world with such a rich biodiversity.

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have been registered in UNESCO

§   Arjan Protected Area and Lake Parishan

§   Geno

§   Golestan

§   Hara

§   Kavir

§   Lake Oromeeh

§   Miankaleh

§   Dena

§   Tang -e- Sayad & Sabzkuh

§   Hamoun

§   Kopet Dag

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3 Geoparks of Iran

in the UNESCO Global Geoparks

Tabas

UNESCO Global Geopark

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Qeshm Island

UNESCO Global Geopark

Aras

UNESCO Global Geopark

Iran

on the main route of

the Silk Road

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Tourism Capacities in Kish Island

•      50 hotels

•      More 16263 beds

•      3 ,4 & 5 star hotels

•        International airport

•          Trade – Industrial Free zone

•        Natural and man-made attractions

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Tourism Capacities in Qeshm Island

•               56 HOTEL with 6344 beds

•               104 Eco-lodge with 3358 beds

•            First Geo-park in th-e-- Middle East

•               International airport

•               Trade – Industrial Free zone

•               Natural and man-made attractions

Delicious Foods

Tasty Foods Enshrined in the Aura of History

Iran as a large country embracing different ethnicities with different cultures , so diverse in culinary that every city enjoys a large variety of a number of delicious and tasty foods unique to that area.

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3 Iranian frozen desserts

in the list of the world’s 50 best frozen desserts released by Taste Atlas

Bastani sonnati

Bastani sonnati is a unique saffron-infused Iranian ice cream that was invented at the beginning of the 20th century by Akbar Mashti, the first ice cream vendor in Tehran. This frozen treat is made with a creamy mixture of milk or cream, frozen custard, and sliced pistachios.

It is flavored with rose water and saffron and traditionally incorporates salep, an ingredient extracted from wild orchids. The vibrant yellow color and exotic flavors make bastani one of the favorite Iranian sweets. Iranians prefer to enjoy it in individual bowls, sprinkled with shredded pistachio, or served within two plain wafers, when it's known as bastani nooni ice cream sandwich.

Havij bastani

Havij bastani is a delicious and unusual Iranian take on an ice cream float. This refreshing dessert combines fresh carrot juice and a scoop of ice cream, preferably vanilla-flavored or more traditional saffron-infused version. Often considered as both a beverage and a dessert, havij bastani can be sipped or eaten with a spoon.

It is always served in a glass, and it is usually topped with crushed pistachios, as well as cardamom or cinnamon.

Faloodeh

Iranian faloodeh is a traditional sorbet which consists of frozen sugar syrup infused with rose water and mixed with thin vermicelli noodles. According to popular belief, faloodeh originated in Shiraz and is one of the first sorbet varieties in the world, dating back to 400 BC.

In Iran, it is usually served drizzled with fresh lime juice, chopped pistachios, or sweet cherry syrup, and enjoyed as a refreshing summer dessert.

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1192 Tourism Events

•            Festivals, rituals, events, and traditions are among the variety of interesting factors to make a distinction.

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Land of Four Seasons

Iran; Image of Global Climate

Iran enjoys 11 out of the world’s 13 most-known climatic conditions.

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Adventure

Persian Gardens

The Paradise on Earth

They are so remarkable that nine gardens out of great many are inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List.

These 9 gardens exemplify the diversity of Persian Garden designs that evolved and adapted to different climate conditions.

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Religious tourism

Iran host to religious monuments of different religions like Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Jewish holy places. There the pilgrims can find a combination of flourished Iranian- art and culture, magnificent architecture, decoration and art work . They welcome millions of the pilgrims from around the world annually.

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in 2017

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Tabriz

2018

Tourism

Hamadan

2018

Capitals

Sari

2022

by International Organizations

Ardabil

2023

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Hamadan

ACD City of Tourism in 2018

Sari

ECO Tourism Capital in 2022

Tabriz

OIC City of Tourism in 2018

Iran World Cities of Handicraft

14 cities and villages inscribed in WCC

Mashhad                 World Craft City For Gemstones

Tabriz                       World Carpet Weaving City

Kalporagan              World Craft Village For Hand-made Pottery Lalejin                      World Craft City For Pottery

Abadeh                    World Craft City For Woodcarving (Munabbat)

Marivan                   World Craft City For Kelash (Footwear/ Kind of Giveh) Stitching

Sirjan                       World Craft City For Kilim

Meybod                   World Craft City For Hand-Woven Floor Covering (Zilu) Isfahan     World Craft City

Khorashad              World Craft Village For Towel Weaving (Tow-Bafi) Shiraz                                World Craft City

Zanjan                     World Craft City For Filigree

Malayer                   World city for Woodcarving and Carved-Wood Furniture Ghasem Abad         World Village of Chador-shab Weaving

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Isfahan

WCC - World Crafts City 2015

•            one of the most important ancient cities of Iran, historical precedence of Isfahan dates back to the third millennium BC.

•            It was the first Iranian place included in WIPO for its different and vast artistic fields which are more than 130 until now.

•            In this city-museum and its jewel(Imam squar), the biggest production and supply market of handicrafts in Iranian territory can be seen.

•            With over 60 fields, ispahan is known as the first in the country from the

aspect of quantity and variety of the fields.

•            over 15000 workshops and more than 20000 artisans.

•            The most important existing fields in Isfahan: engraving, inlaying, enameling, traditional tile-making , etc.

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Tabriz

WCC – World Hand-Woven Carpet City 2015

•            Tabriz was chosen as the 2018 Capital of Islamic Tourism.

•            Tabriz is considered as one of the major and important Carpet weaving cities of the world.

•            With a variety of styles, recently combined with new technics, it has been the favorite choice of the market for its floriferous, colorful and inestimable.

Mashhad

WCC - World Gemstones City 2016

•        with 39 known different varieties of gemstone

•        More than 16 thousand registered artisans are busy in the field in nearly 500 different workshops.

•        With 9 tons of exploitation a year, Agate (Aghigh) is the most popular gemstone, following by 5 tons of turquoise (Firouzeh).

•        Mashhad has about 90 percent of gemstone workshops of the country

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Lalejin

WCC - World Pottery City 2016

•        situated only 25 kilometers away from Hamadan,

the ancient capital of Iran.

•        this place is famous for its unique ceramic and pottery handicrafts art, as it is known as the Capital of Middle-East Pottery.

•        About 80 percent of the nearly 20 thousand residents of Lalejin are busy in the field of pottery in about one thousand workshops.

•        In Lalejin, 5000 types of potteries are produced in 28 general

categories.

Kalporagan

Sirjan

WCC - World Kilim City 2017

Originates back to 7000 years ago.

•            The art of pottery without any pottery wheel has been inherited orally from one to another without any changes since then.

•            Kalpouregan Pottery museum established in 2009 as a living museum

•            The village hosts around 20 to 25 thousand tourists every year.

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•            With 12 thousand active weavers

•            a great diversity of techniques such as Shiriki Kilim which is unique hence every weaver uses their own personal tastes.

•            Motifs, combination and colors of each craft will be non-repetitive hence. it reflects thoughts and feelings of the artisan, inspired from nature, environment, believes, habits and traditions.

•            The history of this technique in Kerman & Sirjan region goes back to

the Safavid era.

Abadeh

WCC - World Monabbat City 2018

•               its origin goes back to 1000 B.C.

•               The most traditional style of Iranian woodcarving is done in Abadeh.

•               This small city is known as the birthplace of Munabbat-kari art in

Iran and the world

•               Abadeh woodcarving style can be classified as “low relief”

•               One of the most famous woodcarving products that produced in Abadeh, is wooden spoons which called “sherbet spoon”.

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Marivan

WCC - World Kalash City (Footwear/ Kind of Giveh)2017

•          With more than 10000 artisans

•          was designed as the “ NATIONAL Kalash weaving city” in 2016

•          more than 3000 active workshops in the field of weaving

•          Wearing Kalash due to its lightness, comfort, dynamic air flow, strength, flexibility and compliance with mountainous areas as well as its ceremonial importance along with local outfit, is generally considered as historical tradition and pat of local identity in Marivan and Kurdish areas.

•          With an equal design for right and left side

•          Most of the raw material is domestic and Klash is totally handmade.

Khorashad

WCC - World Tow-Bafi Village 2018

Meybod

WCC - World Zilou City 2018

•        a small Village at east of Iran, South-Khorasan Province.

•        This village was designed and registered as the first village of handicrafts destination in iran

•        Toe-Bafi is the skill of producing a variety of traditional cotton or silk cloth (fabric).

•        With a production of at least 1200 square meters per day, this product is the bestselling handicrafts production of the province after carpet and rug.

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•        Maybod is probably the origin of Zilou weaving art(one of the oldest

types of hand-woven carpet in iran)

•        Production process is complicated but the colors are so simple with minor variance.

•        There is a possibility to use both sides of Zilou with two completely different appearances.

•        The most important characteristics of zilou is its herbal material

•        famous as “Health carpet” ( Zilou does not cause static electricity, does

not produce aerosols, does not cause skin allergy).

•        It is estimated that more than 500 Zilou weavers live in Maybod now.

•        This city has training workshops, also a museum about Zilou. About 50 precious Zilous are kept in the museum and the eldest one is from the 15th century.

Shiraz

WCC - World Crafts City 2019

Zanjan

WCC - World Malileh City 2019

prosperity in Shiraz.

•        Shiraz is internationally renowned for its inlaid art which is the main focus of handicrafts activity in shiraz after weaving crafts.

•        13000 personal small workshops are active in shiraz

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•        One of the most important handicrafts and metal arts of Zanjan

•        Many active workshops in the fields of silver Malileh Kari

•        A large   number  of     Malileh  Karies  are  kept   on  Louvre, Hermitage and Metro Politan

•        Registrered as the “National Malileh City” by the National Evaluation Council” in 2018

Malayer

WCC - World Monabbat City 2019

Ghasem Abad

WCC - World Chadorshab Bafi Village 2019

•        The existence of a large inlaid furniture market in the city

•        The existence of more than 200 private shops and furniture exhibitions.

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•        The birthplace of Chador-Shab Bafi

•        Chador-shab motifs are the perfect reflection of the region’s natural surrondinds and cultural heritages(animals, plants, objects used in everyday life.

•        The unique motifs and the weaving technics (upside down)has made chadorshab distinguished from the other fabrics produced in other provinces.

5 Iranian Cities Selected as UNESCO Creative Cities(UCCN)

Out of

295 city

90 country worldwide

Rasht

The Creative City Of gastronomy (2015)

Isfahan

Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art (2015)

Bandar Abbas

city of “Crafts and Folk Art” (2019)

Sanandaj

city of “Music” (2019)

Kermanshah

The Creative City Of gastronomy (2021)

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Rasht

The Creative City Of gastronomy (2015)

it could be a perfect choice for people who have good

appetite.

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Isfahan

Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art (2015)

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Bandar Abbas

city of “Crafts and Folk Art” (2019)

Sanandaj

city of “Music” (2019)

Iran’s western city of Sanandaj for its contributions to music and southern city of Bandar Abbas for crafts and folk art inscribed in UNESCO.

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Kermanshah

The Creative City Of gastronomy (2021)

•        Kermanshah has been recognized as he 37th creative city of gastronomy by UNESCO.

•        Kermanshah Province in western Iran has about 80 types of food, 11 types of bread, 20 types of pastry, and various kinds of snack.

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10 inscriptions of Iran

In

the UNESCO's Memory of the World

(MoW)

Iran is the sixth country in the UNESCO world list

By registering 21 intangible or spiritual heritages

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Iranian Intangible Heritage Prescribed on UNESCO list

21 intangible or spiritual heritages have been registered in the UNESCO World List, of which 9 are multinational and 12 are mono-national.

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1.       Radif of Iranian Music(2009)

2.       Ritual Dramatic Art of Ta’ziye (2010)

3.       Pahlevani and Zoorkhanei Rituals (2010)

4.       Music of the Bakhshis of Khorasan (2010)

5.       Traditional Skills of Carpet Weaving in Fars (2010)

6.       Traditional Skills of Carpet Weaving in Kashan (2010)

7.       Traditional Skills of Building and Sailing Iranian Lenj Boats in the Persian Gulf (2011)

8.       Naqqali, Iranian Dramatic Story-telling (2011)

9.       Qalishuyan Rituals of Mashhad-e Ardehal in Kashan (2012)

10.    Nowrouz(2016)

11.    Flatbread Making and Sharing Culture: Lavash, Katyrma, Jupka, Yufka (2016)

12.    Chogan, a horse-riding game accompanied by music and Story-telling (2017)

13.    Art of Crafting and Playing with Kamantcheh/Kamancha (2017)

14.    Traditional skills of crafting and playing Dotar (2019)

15.    Pilgrimage to the St. Thaddeus Apostle Monastery (2020)

16.    Art of miniature (2020)

17.    National programme to safeguard the traditional art of calligraphy in Iran (2021)

18.    The skill of raising silkworms and traditional silk production for silk weaving (2022)

19.    Turkmen needlework art (2022)

20.    Yalda (2022)

21.    Making and playing Oud (2022)