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Kashan: A Major Tourist Attraction in Heart of Desert

March 27, 2019

Every year, large numbers of travelers go to Isfahan, the province where Kashan is located, to visit its invaluable monuments and scenic beauty.

Kashan’s beautiful scenery and suburbs which are home to the historical village of Abyaneh, Niasar, Qamsar, Kashan City and nearby villages, are accessible all year round.

Urban life has been going on in Kashan for 7,000 years. Kashan is one of the most beautiful cities of Iran. Antiquities dating back 40,000 years were dug out near the Fin Garden of Kashan in 2016. According to experts, the findings could revise up the history of Kashan from 7,000 to 40,000 years.

Kashan is especially known for its historical homes, which embody unique architectural features.

Khashan is on the list of most popular destinations for desert tourists, and can be an ideal destination for all those interested due to its stunning desert scenery.

Kashan has sisterhood agreements with some cities, namely Kazanlak in Bulgaria, Umeå in Sweden, and Sabzevar in Iran.

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Historical Attractions of Kashan

The city has an ancient history: every corner of it is littered with historical monuments.

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Fin Garden

It is the most important tourist attraction in Kashan. The Fin Garden is indeed the city’s only historical monument registered on UNESCO’s List of World Heritage Sites. It has witnessed numerous historical events, namely the murder of Amir Kabir in its bath.

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Kashan Historical Houses

Kashan is home to many ancient homes each of which depict specific features. The most famous one is the home of Tabatabaees known as the jewel of Iranian homes. The homes of Abbasids, Boroujerdis and Ameris are also among Kashan’s historical attractions.

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Bath of Soltan Amir Ahmad

The historical Soltan Amir Ahmad bath is one of the unique ancient baths in Iran and features a fabulous architecture and decorations. The bath measures more than 1,000 sq.m. and draws large numbers of visitors.

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Sialk Hill

It features the remains of a 7,500-year-old civilization.

The Niasar Fire Temple, the Great Mosque of Abyaneh, the tomb of contemporary poet Sohrab Sepehri, the Nooshabad subterranean city and Kashan’s historical bazaar are among other tourist attractions of the city.

Iran in Photos: Underground City of Nooshabad

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Natural Attractions of Kashan

Other than cultural, historical sites, there are several natural tourist attractions in Kashan:

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Niasar Cave

It is a very beautiful and interesting cave located near the Niasar village. The man-made cave is almost 2,000 years old.

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Niasar Waterfall

In May, it turns into one of Iran’s frequently visited tourist attractions. The area where the waterfall is located is one of the historical-cultural neighbourhoods of Niasar and features the waterfall bed, the local flora and a staircase leading up to the top of the waterfall. There is also an entrance to the side of the waterfall leading to the Niasar Cave.

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Qamsar

Qamsar is one of the most beautiful and most exciting locations in Iran. It is the land of roses used for producing high-quality rosewater.

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‌Customs & Traditions of Kashan

Different ceremonies and rituals are held in Kashan and nearby regions. Each of those ceremonies have a story and are held due to a specific reason:

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Nakhl Carrying

It is one of the religious rituals held in desert towns. “Nakhl” is a wooden structure symbolizing the coffin of Imam Hussein, the third Shiite Imam. On Ashura day and other mourning occasions, dozens of people carry it around the streets as a sign of mourning.

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Rug Washing

Rug Washing is the only religious ritual in the world of Islam for which a certain date has been specified based on the Solar Calendar. The ceremony remains glorious as ever after so many years. The ritual is to be registered on UNESCO’s list of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.

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Rosewater Extraction

‌It is one of the most famous ceremonies in Kashan. Each year, ceremonies are held in different parts of Kashan and nearby cities during the month of May to produce rosewater. The practice draws over one million visitors, who go there to see first-hand how rosewater is extracted.

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Souvenirs of Kashan

The souvenirs of Kashan include different types of herbal distillates, cookies, sweets and nuts.

Kashan’s major handicraft is the rug, which is registered on UNESCO‘s list of intangible cultural heritage. Pottery and different types of weaving arts are among other handicrafts of the city.

Armenia Says Ready to Assist Iran amid Deadly Flooding

IFP Editorial Staff

March 27, 2019

In a post on his twitter page, the Arminian premier wrote “death of tens of Iranians after the deadly flash floods deeply shocked us.”

Pashinyan also noted that Armenia is ready to support the friendly people of Iran in this difficult period and provide the necessary assistance to resolve the problems caused by the flood.

Earlier, Pashiniyan sent a condolence letter to President of Iran Hassan Rouhani.

Aid operations are underway in several Iranian provinces as floods have hit much of the country in recent days. The situation is now improving in some areas as heavy rains have let up.

Nearly two dozen people have lost their lives across the country. It is forecasted that more heavy showers and landslides are expected.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has travelled to the flood-hit province of Golestan in north of Iran. During his visit, Rouhani said his government will spare no effort to help the people in flood-stricken areas.

Iran Urges Closer Regional Cooperation against US

IFP Editorial Staff

March 27, 2019

Hassan Rouhani made the comment in a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on Tuesday.

Rouhani took a swipe at US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize the Israeli regime’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

“The Zionist regime [of Israel]’s excessive demands as well as Washington’s inappropriate decisions make it all the more necessary for regional countries to work together more closely,” the Iranian president noted.

“Worrying comments concerning the violation of Palestinian and Syrian nations’ rights, especially with regards to the Golan Heights, pose a serious danger to, and raise concerns about regional security,” said the president.

“I hope the promotion of regional cooperation will create a situation where we will no longer witness any new tension and instability in the region,” he said.

Rouhani also described Iran-Iraq relations as strategic, historic and very important.

“The further deepening and enhancement of ties between Tehran and Baghdad, which are exemplary at the moment, will be in the interest of both Iranian and Iraqi nations, and will not be detrimental to any country in the region,” said Rouhani.

“Iran is fully prepared to immediately implement the very significant and historic agreements reached during this trip (President Rouhani’s recent trip to Iraq), which can lead to a leap forward in relations between the two countries,” President Rouhani noted.

He also stressed the need for dredging the Arvand Rud (also known as Shatt al-Arab).

Elsewhere in his remarks, Rouhani stressed the importance of closer cooperation among Middle East countries.

“I won’t be possible to establish stability in the region unless all major regional countries stand side by side, so that differences will be resolved and we will see unity, stability and mutual cooperation among the countries in the region,” he said.

He also invited the Iraqi premier to pay an official visit to Iran.

The Iraqi prime minister, in turn, expressed congratulations to President Rouhani on the arrival of Nowruz (the holiday period marking the beginning of the Persian New Year). At the same time, he expressed condolences over the deaths of a number of Iranian people in the recent flooding which has affected most parts of Iran.

He also stressed the need for further enhancement of bilateral and regional cooperation. He said the potentialities of all regional countries should be utilized to settle the existing problems.

Search, Aid Operations Underway in Iran’s Flood-Hit Areas

IFP Editorial Staff

March 27, 2019

The situation is getting better in some areas as torrential rains have let up and water levels have subsided. Aid operations are also in full swing to reach out to flood-stricken people.

However, floods are persisting in several other areas and fresh warnings have been issued for a number of more cities and provinces.

One of the worst-hit areas was the city of Shiraz in southern Fars province where vacationers were caught unawares. 19 have been killed so far only in Shiraz.

Floods also wreaked havoc on northern provinces. In the latest development in Golestan province, a boat carrying voluntary aid workers capsized in Gamishan river. 18 were rescued, but three were killed and three others are still missing.

The weather office has forecast more heavy showers and warned of deluges and landslides. Officials have urged people to avoid nonessential travel to flood-prone regions and stay away from river banks.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in a message, expressed condolences on the deaths of a number of people due to flooding in Shiraz.

“I was saddened by the tragic incident of destructive flooding in Shiraz, which left a number of dear people dead, led to the bereavement of families, injured a number of others and inflicted damage and destruction on the city,” wrote the Leader in his message.

Ayatollah Khamenei also instructed his representative in Shiraz to condole with the flood-stricken people and work hand in hand with officials to reach out to the affected people.

Pamenar Village: A Source of Beauty in Southern Iran

IFP Editorial Staff

March 27, 2019

Located in the city of Dezful in southern Khuzestan province in an area between land and water, the village boasts a lake and one of the world’s tallest dams which, coupled with its beautiful nature, draws large numbers of visitors.

The Pamenar village lies between the Karkheh dam and the Dez river. The Dez dam also known as the Shahyoon lake lies in the north of Dezful behind the Shadab and Tangoon mountains.

The artificial lake is formed behind the Dez dam (the 50th tallest dam in the world). Various parts of the lake differ in depth. It is 50 meters deep at its deepest point.

The Shahyoon lake has a number of big and small islands. The biggest one has a surface area of around 60,000 square metres. These islands are mostly covered by jujube trees, Lentisque Bombay, willows and wild almond bushes. The plants are native to the area and are found in abundance there.

The fauna of the islands includes small animals such as foxes and rabbits as well as birds like see-see partridges, partridges and seabirds. Leopards have also been seen in hardly negotiable parts of the island.

Entertainment activities in the region include sailing on the lake and fishing. The fishes that live in the lake are very special and are probably very much different from ordinary river fishes such as the trout. The fishes in the lake are used to living in the sea and mineral-rich water, but they live in rivers, so they are different from other types of river fish.

You may also take a dip in the lake if you are good at swimming.

Another visitor attraction in the area is a small cemetery with standing tombstones bearing special carved-out designs. The images tell the story of those resting in peace there. The designs depict men and women some of whom are warriors or riding horses. Some are women climbing palm trees to pick dates. Some of them are dancers, potters, farmers and painters.

Next to the Pamenar village lies a straight, smooth wall which stretches for several kilometres. Thirty kilometres from the village and on the wall lies the Sahadab castle, which dates back to the Sassanid era. The castle covers an area measuring almost 12,000 square metres.

Villagers basically make a living through livestock breeding and bee farming (honey production). Tourism is also a source of income for locals.

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Adventure without Wheelchair in Rig-e Jenn Desert

IFP Editorial Staff

March 27, 2019

Alireza Mazlumian, a desert adventurer for about ten years, has already made many people interested in the area. He has now decided to share the joy of desert tours with the disabled who have trouble even in their daily trips in the city streets.

Mazlumian has learned tour guiding and planning skills from Saeed Zaroori who views life as an adventure. Despite suffering from dystrophy disability, Saeed has the record of kite riding, diving, free fall, cave trekking and desert trekking. Interestingly enough, he served as the leader of the new tour.

Below, you can find excerpts of Shahrvand newspaper’s interview with Alireza and Saeed.

Q: Why have you chosen desert adventure?

Alireza: I was born in 1971 in Damghan and spent my childhood in the city. During those days, desert occupied a big part of my life and I gradually developed an interest in it. That’s why off-road driving in desert has been part of my daily life.

Q: How was your recent desert tour in Rig-e Jenn?

Saeed: Before the recent tour, Alireza and I made a trip to Damghan desert. During the visit, I decided to organize a tour for a group of the disabled. I raised the idea and put forth my plans. And, now I’m serving as the tour leader.

Alireza: I’ve already visited most deserts in Iran. This time, I decided to do a different thing. That’s why I accompanied a group of people who always dreamt of such trips but their dream had never come true due to lack of logistic support. Through one of my friends, I found the disabled and informed them of our decision, saying that we are going to have a desert tour in Rig-e Jenn desert. Some of them welcomed our decision and finally we experienced three to four enjoyable days in the desert.

I’m not a tour leader. My desert adventure tours stem from my interest in the desert. We are the first people organizing such a tour. I was resolved to accomplish the project. Another reason motivating us further to accomplish the mission was that the disabled are usually pushed towards social isolation and solitude due to their special situation. This was not acceptable for us. And finally, another reason behind our decision was that given their special conditions, the disabled have to spend two to three times more money to have such trips. And as you know, most of the disabled can’t afford it. So, we decided to fulfill this far-fetched dream for them.

The disabled never thought they could experience such a great deal of excitement within this short span of time. They were highly excited and absorbed in the nature. They forgot their problems for some days. They never thought they could experience such moments in their lifetime. We have become good friends after the tour.

Saeed: Such trips are usually filled with excitement. Despite the difficulties we had during planning, our trip was highly enjoyable and we provided our friends with some good moments in the nature.

Q: Doubtlessly, traveling with the disabled requires special facilities. How did you come up with the issue?

Alireza: We had thought it through and provided all the required things. To this end, we also made some research to find out what the disabled may need during such trips. We needed some special facilities. We had to carry their wheelchairs, walkers, special WC and the like. We also ranked them based on the degree of their disability and paid special attentions so that they would not sustain any injury during the trip.

Q: One of your future plans is to let the disabled jump from the height. Can they attend the tour?

Alireza: One hundred percent, they can. God willing, we are going to organize the tour on Qeshm Island soon. Those interested can experience jumping from a height of 14 to 15 thousand feet during the tour and land with a parachute. We had the same experiences with Saeed and he managed to jump from such a height in Dubai. It goes without saying that we should have some extra points in mind during such trips given the degree of the disability they have, their weight and the speed of the wind during jumping. I should point it out that the jumping for the disabled should be carried out in two-member groups.

Persian Architecture in Photos: Historical House of Moshir-ol-Molk

IFP Editorial Staff

March 26, 2019

The mansion stands out when compared with its counterparts, thanks to its unique and royal architectural designs and avant-garde structure.

The house, which has the largest and most historical sash window in Iran, was officially registered as a national heritage site in 2009.

After the death of Moshir, it was used as the consulate of the Prussian kingdom. But now it is used as the Museum of Islamic Treasures.

The beautiful ancient house is located near Naqsh-e Jahan Square and on Yakhchal Street in the centre of Isfahan.

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Verni-Weaving; Nomadic Art Indigenous to Iran’s Ahar

Fatemeh Askarieh

March 26, 2019

Verni is the developed shape of Kilim but its history is relatively short compared with that of Kilim.

The warp and weft of Verni is made of cotton, woolen and silk yarn. Sometimes sheep wool, which is extensively found in East Azarbaijan province, is used for warping.

It is among the most significant and beautiful artifacts and exports of Iranian nomads and villagers.

The Verni is mainly woven in the Arasbaran or Qaradagh area, which includes the towns of Ahar and Kaleybar, by nomads and villagers.

Like other types of Kilim, Verni is woven using mental images without a pre-designed pattern.

The unique art of Ahar has been named a masterpiece of intangible heritage by the UNESCO. Ahar’s artists have also received 13 Symbols of National Quality for weaving and design.

Below you can see photos of the process of Verni weaving in Ahar retrieved from the IRIB News Agency:

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