Rafting in Iran

Rafting in Iran is a new sport.Although Iran is a desert country with low rivers, in the mountainous regions of Iran, there are several rivers that are very suitable for this sport.
Some of these areas are:

Armand river in the green city of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari
White River in the north of the country and in the beautiful province of Guilan,River with many rocks, Caesar in Lorestan province,Karaj River in Alborz Province,Sirvan River in Kurdistan Province, and the best area for this sport is Zayandeh Rood River in Isfahan Province and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari with numerous rivers and longer trails, and beautiful historical and natural landscapes that has given a very special effect to this area.

Rafting in Iran

Zayande Rood River
This river is one of the most important rivers in Isfahan and Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari province.The best time for this river is spring, especially in the months of March and April.The waves of the Zayanderroud River are at level 2 and 3.

Haraz River
This river is located in Mazandaran province in the north of Iran.Rafting will take about 3 hours and has waves of 2nd and 3rd level.Parts of this river have waves of grade 4.

Rafting in Iran

Sefid Rood River
The natural scenery of this river is very beautiful and pass throughout of the best green province of Iran “Guilan”.This river is the second longest river in Iran and has waves of grade 2 and 3 and is suitable for Rafting and Kayaking.

Rafting in Iran

Caesar River
This river is from the branches of the Dez River in Lorestan province, and it is suitable for both beginners and professionals due to its 2 to 4-degree waves.The length of the Caesar River is 515 km and its average slope is 0.4%.

Rafting in Iran

Armand River
Armand is one of the major rivers of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province and is considered as the main potential of this province because its catchment area includes more than 50% of the province.
The river has the capacity for running programs and races due to the topography of the route as well as the river water level.

Rafting in Iran

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Iran’s annual handicraft exports stand at $250m

Iran exports handicrafts valued at $250 million each year, said a top official in the handicrafts sector.

According to ifpnews.com, Deputy Head of Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) Bahman Namvar Motlaq further said, “Handicrafts exports have currently tripled and even within the country, there is a growing interest in handicrafts given the measures adopted.

“The handicrafts of every country are the first representation of that country’s culture for tourists, and, hence, are very important.”

He said roughly ten percent of the turnover in the handicrafts sector is associated with exhibitions, which not only serve as a forum for economic activity, but also provides an opportunity to make the public familiar with handicrafts.

He said the handicrafts sector can bring in money and create jobs.

“Official figures suggest the country’s handicrafts exports stand at $250 million annually. With just $1 million in the handicrafts sector, we can create ten times as many jobs as we can with one million petrodollars,” he said.

“Handicrafts have a very high added value, and this industry does not need contribution by foreign companies,” he noted.

He said Iran has the most diverse handicrafts in the world, adding, “We should use handicrafts in our homes to promote an Islamic-Iranian lifestyle. We should keep this culture and cultural diversity alive.”

 

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Iranian private sector opens hospital for medical tourists
The largest private hospital in western Iran is expected to open by March 2018 to provide medical services to Iranian and foreign medical tourists.

The construction of the Milad hospital as the largest private hospital in western Iran is now in its final phase, according to a Farsi report by Khabar online news agency.

The Milad hospital, which is under construction in the town of Orumiyeh in the western province of Azerbaijan, should be equipped with the most advanced medical technology.

Nearly $ 260 million has been invested to date to complete the first phase of the hospital’s main building, which has been built on an area of 26,000 m². Including the hospital complex, it occupies a 45,000 m² plot in Orumiyeh.

It has various neighborhoods, including maternity, surgery, physiotherapy as well as laboratories, administrative sections and specialized clinics.

The CEO and board member of the hospital, Kamran Jamshidi, said the construction project is underway with private investments from the country’s medical company.

“The idea of the project began to appear in 2010, but it officially began a year later after the purchase of a large land in Orumiyeh”.

He went on to say that the construction process has the full support of the Ministry of Health, the office of the governor of Azerbaijan West and the municipality of Orumiyeh.

Jamshidi also noted that the construction process has grown in particular last year and added the first phase of the project, which includes 100 beds, is already completed and will be operational in the near future.

The construction of the hospital with a capacity of 300 patients will be completed at the end of the current calendar year of Iran (March 20, 2018), he added.

On the main objective of the Medical Association to build the hospital, Jamshidi said that since the Western Azerbaijan suffered from a massive lack of medical equipment, the association decided to take a measure at In this regard and to remove at least a major part of the shortage of medicine in the province.

“Given the proximity of some regional countries such as Iraq and Turkey, Western Azerbaijan Province can offer services to foreign tourists and Milad hospital can offer services to patients from other countries, “He noted.

Jamshidi stressed that the provision of luxurious services to attract tourists is one of the main factors motivating investors of the Milad hospital.

He stated that the main shareholders of the project are members of the Medical Association.

“About 200 people are involved in the project and we hope that all the other members of the Association will participate in the struggle and will collaborate with the project,” he added.

Elsewhere in his statements, Jamshidi stated that 90% Of the hospital’s construction operations were carried out by the local chiefs and added about $ 270 million has been invested so far to operationalize the first phase of the project.

The end of the entire project will cost about $ 540 million, he added.

Another member of the board of directors of the Milad hospital, Hassan Entezami, said that the hospital is the first intelligent hospital in Iran that is equipped with optical fibers. “He is also able to have an online connection with other smart hospitals around the world,” he added.

“The board of directors has decided to employ skilled doctors and send them to countries like Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden for specialized training,” he said.

He went on to say that the council decided to set up a number of apartment hotels near the buildings to accommodate patients and offer them more services.

“So far, the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan has expressed interest in sending its patients to the Milad hospital for treatment,” he noted.

“The Milad hospital aims to provide medical services to foreigners in order to attract more tourists to the region,” he said.

The hospital also creates jobs for at least a thousand people, he concluded.

 

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Iran Bastan museum pictorial book (National museum of Iran), Selected for the best pictorial book of Iran by the Congress of Prominent figures of the tourism industry 2017.

Iran Bastan Museum (National museum)Through Reza Goudarzi’s lens.
(Selected for the best pictorial book of Iran by the Congress of Prominent figures of the tourism industry 2017 in the National library of Iran)

Mr. JIm mcIntosh from NewZeland, first recipient of the book outside of Iran.

All around the world museums are one of the most interesting places for tourists. However, there are so many different museums to visit with so many different objects in the museums that tourist never have enough time to waiting, look, read and save the informations and take photos. Some of the areas in the museums are missed or even forgotten to be looked at.

With museum tours, the tour guides tend to skip around to different areas or tend to rush to provide all the visitors with a small tour. They also want to make sure all the museums are visited before time runs out.

However, having a pictorial book of the museums with information on the items of museum can make your trip more enjoyable.  You can also share a part of Iran’s history with beautiful photos of monuments and natural sites. If you ever want to go back and revisit your trip, all you have to do is open the book and see the wonderful places you have visited.
National museums of Iran consist of Iran Bastan museum (Ancient Iran museum) and Islamic Museum. These complexes are the largest and most important museums in Iran.
The “Iran Bastan Museum Through Reza Goudarzi’s Lens” was published by Reza Goudarzi’s after Nowruz of 1396. It includes 152 pages of high glossy photos. The hard cover book is 24-34 centimeters thick with over 400 photos of items in the museum and 20 landscape shots of monumental places. The book includes both English and Persian language.
You can find the photos of the items and well as a short history of each era. The book include the Paleolithic, the Neolithic, the Bronza & Elamite age, the Iron age, the Achaemenids, the Seleucids, the Parthians and the Sasanids periods.
From the photos in the book you can point out the Statute of Darius, Human Headed Capital (Lamassu), the Audience Hall Scene (from Persepolis), Archer on Glazzed Bricks, Bronze Statue of a Parthian Nobelman, Salt man, Stucco & Musaics of Sasanids, Bones & tools from the Paleolithic and the Neolithic period, Pottery beakers of Susa, the Bull statue of Tchogha Zanbil, The first document navigation from Chogha Mish, Elamite Tablets, the First Animation of the world from Shahr-e-Sukhteh. You can also find objects from historical sites such as Jiroft, Shahdad and Sialk.

The 20 landscape photos (Full pages) in the book include monumental places such as Persepolis & Pasargadae (Pars), Bisotun (Kermanshah), Tapeh Sialk  (Kashan), Engravings of Naqsh-e-Rostam (Pars), The tower of silence of Zoroastrain (Yazd), Anahita temple (Bishapur), Sar-e-Yazd castle (Yazd), Takht-e-Soleyman (Takab city), Khorhe (Markazi province), Narin castle (Meybod), Anahita temple (Kangavar), Tappeh Hasanlu (Naqadeh), Ziggurat Chogha Zanbil (Khuzestan) and Shekarchian cave (Bisotun).

We hope this book will be as exciting and absorbing as the museum itself for those who will wish to learn about the Iranian culture and history.

This book is a great item to gift to family and friends or even something to show at home. To check out sample pages of this book please contact us or visit the following links:
www.persiaexpo.ir
www.instagram.com/persiaexpo

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An Iranian surgeon and entrepreneur says the country should prepare the grounds for attracting medical tourists who would like to receive VIP services.

Behnam Shakibaie, the founder of microscopic dental surgery in Iran, says VIP services should also be offered to travellers.

“It shouldn’t always be the case that tourists come to Iran for treatment because medical services are cheap here; rather, we should prepare the ground for attracting patients who would like to receive VIP services,” he noted, according to a Farsi report by the Mehr News Agency.

Speaking in a recent conference on medical tourism in Tehran, Shakibaie said the VIP Medical Tourism Plan focuses on VIPs.

He said there are individuals in the world who want the best specialists to give them medical services regardless of the costs.

“The necessary infrastructure should be provided for such tourists,” he said.

He said the stage should be set for attracting travellers demanding VIP medical services.

Meanwhile, Tourism activist Jalil Tabatabai says Iran has great potential to render medical services to foreign travellers and can be a good destination for patients from other countries.

He said most foreign travellers who need medical services have been coming to Iran with tourist visas, which enable them to stay in the country for a long time.

Tabatabai urged organizations in charge to work more professionally and make the necessary arrangements and plans to attract more foreign travellers demanding medical treatment.

He said one of the areas in which Iran offers services is the treatment of infertility.

“Given the high quality and good services in the country in the field of treating infertility, the nationals of Persian Gulf littoral states and Lebanon are keen to come to Iran for treatment,” he noted.

He said most of the travellers coming to Iran demand services in the areas of treating eye diseases, infertility, heart surgery, and plastic surgery.

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Official statistics show that the number of tourists from Iraq and the Persian Gulf littoral states visiting Iran has decreased in 2016 and 2017, while that of European and American visitors to the country has witnessed a remarkable growth since August 2015.

Although, compared to last year’s figure, the overall number of foreign tourists to Iran has reduced 6.9 percent in the current Iranian year (started mid-March 2017), statistics indicate that the decrease pertains to the number of visitors from the Persian Gulf littoral states, and not that of the European and American ones.

According to a Farsi report by ISNA, the director-general of Iran’s Office for Planning and Supporting Expansion of Tourism Industry, Abdolreza Mohajeri-Nejad, said over 1.14 million foreign tourists travelled to Iran during March 21-June 21, 2017.

This comes as, in the same period last year, the figure stood at more than 1.18 million, up by 6.9 percent, he added.

Mohajeri-Nejad said the decline in the number of tourists from the Persian Gulf littoral states and Iraq is the main reason for the drop in the average number of foreign visitors to the country during the three-month period.

“The number of visitors from these states to Iran was subject to a 9-percent decrease, year-on-year, in the said timespan, under the impact of the country’s weakened ties with the Persian Gulf littoral states – following the attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Embassy and diplomatic mission in Tehran and Mashhad (eastern Iran) in early 2016 – insecurities in the regional states and unfavorable economic condition in Iraq and Syria.”

The downward trend has continued in the past two years, he added.

Mohajeri-Nejad said from March 2016 to March 2017, the average total number of foreign tourists to Iran (over 4.91 million) was also 5.2 percent less than that of the same 12-month period ending mid-March 2016.

However, he said, despite the decrease in the number of tourists from regional countries to Iran during the 15-month period to June 21, 2017, that of European and American visitors to the country has grown 56.6 percent in the same duration.

“The increase has occurred as a result of the going into effect of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) [signed in July 2015 between Tehran and the P5+1].”

Mohajeri-Nejad added from August 2015 to March 2017, a total of 478,826 tourists from western states, particularly Europe, travelled to Iran. This is while, prior to the signing of the JCPOA, from December 2013 to June 2015, the figure stood at 35,852, he said.

He expressed the hope that in case the upward trend in the number of European and American tourists to Iran would continue, the country will definitely manage to achieve the targets stipulated in Iran’s Vision 2025.

As per the Vision 2025, Iran’s annual income from tourism sector is required to reach $25 billion (20 billion tourists per year) in eight years from now. To achieve the target, the country needs to be a destination for 5.1 percent of the total global number of tourists per annum.

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Iran says the luxurious train called the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express has arrived in its northeastern city of Mashhad.

The train which is carrying some 40 international tourists started its journey from Moscow and has already passed through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

The tourists are from the UK, the US, Australia, South Africa, France, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, Russia’s Sputnik news agency earlier reported.

A view of the interior of the “Golden Eagle” train that has just arrived in Iran in a maiden trip that started from Russia.

A view of the interior of the “Golden Eagle” train that has just arrived in Iran in a maiden trip that started from Russia.

A foreign tourist having breakfast on board the “Golden Eagle” luxurious train while in Iran.

While in Iran, the train will take the visitors to Iran’s tourism hubs of Kerman, Yazd, Isfahan, and Shiraz. The train is expected in Tehran on 27 November where it will stay for two nights. It will later return to Mashhad and then to Turkmenistan and further on its way back to unwind its 18-day tour.

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The main route of the Trans-Siberian Express – which is equipped with a 4 to 5 star hotel service – was always through Russia, the Trans-Siberian route, as well as the Silk Road through Central Asia. It represents the first train from Russia to arrive in Iran in decades.

The Trans-Siberian Express had to change the cars and truck wheels, so they fit the Iranian track which has a different gauge of railways than that of Russia.

Tim Littler, the president of Britain’s Golden Eagle Luxury Trains Limited that operates the railway cruise to Iran, had earlier told Sputnik news agency that the luxurious cruise is not a one-time trip. “This is a real active project that will have a permanent schedule of tours,” Littler had said.

“The luxury train from Moscow to the Persian Odyssey will run on a continuous basis. They will go twice a year. In Iran, the best time to go is in spring and autumn. At other times of the year, it is virtually impossible to conduct tours, as it is either very hot or cold. Therefore, we will travel in October and November and in March and April.”

The Golden Eagle Luxury Trains had already conducted three rail trips to Iran from Europe.

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International tourist train arrives in Shiraz

The seventh international Hezar-o Yek Shab (One Thousand One Night) arrived here on Thursday in Shiraz, southern Iran, with 47 international tourists on board.

Tourists come from Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Mexico, Turkey, Finland and Denmark who will complete the tour on April 23 in Tehran.

In Shiraz, passengers from Hezar-o Yek Shab should visit historical and cultural monuments including the Nasir ol-Molk mosque (the pink mosque), the Eram garden, the tombs of Sadi and Hafez, Persepolis, Pasargadae and Naqsh -e Rostam Sites.

It is the 17th international tourist train for visiting Iran since 2014 and the fourth in the last six months.

The train has already visited the cities of Mashad, Yazd and Isfahan.

The Iranian tourism industry has exploded after the establishment of a historic nuclear agreement signed in 2015 between Tehran and the world, six major powers that put an end to severe sanctions imposed on Iran for its peaceful nuclear activities, IRNA said.

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During Mehrabad’s status as Tehran’s international airport, it was Azadi Tower, the sentry to the capital city, that welcomed all visitors. A silent witness to Iran’s major historical events, this tower remains Tehran’s most iconic landmark. Read on to learn a brief history of the Azadi Tower.

In 1966, 24-year-old architecture student Hossein Amanat won a competition to design a building paying tribute to the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire. The monument, formerly known as the Shahyad Tower, was completed in 1971. Combining elements of both pre- and post-Islamic architecture, the 165ft (50-meter) tall skeleton is clad in 8,000 blocks of white marble from Esfahan that are cut into various geometric patterns. It marks the west entrance to the capital city and stands on a 540,000sq ft (50,000sq meter) cultural complex known as Azadi Square, which integrates principles of the traditional Persian Garden through its immaculately landscaped lawn, pristine flowerbeds, and streaming fountains. All of these elements make Azadi Tower, or Freedom Tower as it’s also known, a favorite spot for foreign tourists eager to Instagram their arrival in Tehran.

Historically, political demonstrations have taken place against the backdrop of Azadi Tower, a solemn onlooker. These days, however, one of the only politically inspired events to take place at this site is the annual celebration of the 22nd of Bahman (February 10th), which commemorates the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. On this day, Iranians march from all parts of Tehran, eventually convening at this square.

Azadi Square

Azadi Square

Azadi Square

Visitors who fly domestically will catch a bird’s-eye view of this gatekeeper before landing at Tehran Mehrabad International Airport and being swept up by the maelstrom of traffic around the massive square. By taking the stairs or elevator to the top, you can behold buzzing, modern-day Tehran. The crypt museum, on the other hand, displays various ancient cuneiform tablets, ceramics, and pottery, as well as a replica of the Cyrus Cylinder (the original of which is housed in the British Museum). It is also a concert venue during the Fajr  International Music Festival, held every year. In 2015, Tehranis flocked to see German artist Philipp Geist’s Gate of Words, in which Azadi Tower was used as the canvas for a light installation, with words of peace, love, and freedom poetically shone in Persian, English, and German to live music. This has the tower playing less of a political role nowadays and acting more like a cultural ambassador.

azadi

azadi

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Although there are some beautiful high-rises and phenomenally innovative villas and residential towers in Tehran, there’s no doubt the most spectacular ones are those that have withstood the test of time. From European influence to modern takes on the traditional, here are 10 of the most impressive buildings in the capital of Iran.

Cinema Museum

Walking along Valiasr Street, you cannot help but be captivated by a mansion that demands attention. Behind Ferdows Garden sits a Qajar-era estate that houses the Iran Cinema Museum. The most delightful feature is the balcony, with its walls and columns adorned in detailed floral plasterwork and arched wooden-framed windows. The exhibitions take you through Iran’s century-old film industry, and the surrounding cafés allow you to admire the building (and check out Tehran’s artsy crowd) a little longer as you sip on some tea.

Cinema Museum, Valiasr St., behind Bagh-e Ferdows, Tehran, Iran,

Cinema Museum

Cinema Museum

Saraye Roshan

On Naser Khosrow Street, one of the oldest streets in Tehran, stands the bewitching Saraye Roshan. Established in 1932 as one of the first commercial centers, this gothic-inspired building is strikingly unusual in the setting of Iran. While the faces and statues, nearly nonexistent elsewhere in Iran, are more reminiscent of European architecture, the symbol of Zoroastrianism in the center, Ahura Mazda, gives it a distinctly Persian flavor. 

Saraye Roshan, Naser Khosrow Street, Tehran, Iran

Saraye Roshan

Saraye Roshan

Tamasha-gah Zaman

Sitting amidst a luxurious Persian garden, the Time Museum not only has an extensive collection of timekeepers, but the building itself is the epitome of authentic Iranian architecture. This 80-year-old manor once belonged to Hossein Khodadad, a well-known Iranian merchant, but now serves as a museum to showcase numerous clocks and watches. The pastel-blue exterior boasts windows that resemble cream-colored lace, and the inside does not cease to dazzle with it decorated ceilings, plasterwork, and colorful orosi (stained-glass) windows.

Tamasha-gah Zaman, Zaferaniyeh St., between Kafiabadi St. and Baghdadi St., Tehran, Iran,

Tamasha-gah Zaman

Tamasha-gah Zaman

Abgineh Museum of Tehran

The remarkable Glassware and Ceramic Museum is housed in a beautiful Qajar-era building constructed 90 years ago by Ahamd Qavam as his private residence and work office. It later served as the embassy of Egypt, before turning into a museum in 1976. It gracefully blends European and Iranian architectural styles with a Russian staircase to connect the first and second floors. The ornate plaster, carved wooden columns, and crystal chandeliers make the interior of this building just as beautiful, if not more so, as the exterior.

Abgineh Museum of Tehran, 30th Tir St., Tehran, Iran,

Abgineh Museum of Tehran

Abgineh Museum of Tehran

Golestan Palace

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013, Golestan Palace consists of a group of royal buildings that once served as the seat of government during the Qajar era. It exemplifies a fusion of Persian and Western design, with immaculate archways, mirrored halls and ceilings, and decorative tiles all placed within the confines of a lavish Persian garden. Words don’t do justice to the ancient Persian badgir, windcatchers, and exquisite varied mosaics bordering the rounded windows, which are among the many highlights. 

Golestan Palace, Panzdah-e Khordad Square, Tehran, Iran,

Golestan Palace

Golestan Palace

Shams-ol-Emareh

Although it comprises part of Golestan Palace, Shams-ol-Emareh, or Edifice of the Sun, is a masterpiece deserving its own recognition. The monarch Nasser-ol-Din Shah started with the idea to build a tower that gave a panoramic view of the city, and in 1867, construction was finished two years after it began. Twin two-tiered towers sit atop the structure with arched windows, intricate tile work, and an open hall in the center. Though it’s not possible to climb to the top, it’s easy to imagine Nasser-ol-Din Shah’s success in achieving his desired view.

Shams-ol-Emareh, Panzdah-e Khordad St., Tehran, Iran

Green Palace

Green Palace

Green Palace

One of the buildings of the Sa’ad Abad Complex and perhaps the most beautiful is the Green Palace. It was built at the end of the Qajar era and later remodeled by Reza Shah, serving as his residence for one year, before turning into a guest house. Brought from mines in the Zanjan and Khorasan provinces, the marble used to construct its exterior has a unique hint of green. Just as elaborately designed are the interiors, with a mirror hall and a Persian rug woven over a period of seven years, among their other ostentatious features.

Green Palace, Sa’ad Abad Complex, Alborzkooh St., Tehran, Iran

Green Palace

Green Palace

Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art

The largest art museum in Iran, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art is an impressive concrete feat in itself. To design this building, architect Kamran Diba was inspired by integrating traditional Persian architectural elements with modernity. This is particularly embodied in the four structures sitting atop the building, which resemble a modernized twist on the windcatchers of ancient Persia.

Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, North Kargar St., Tehran, Iran,

Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art

Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art

Masoudieh Palace

Masoudieh Palace is one of the most beautiful historical buildings of the Qajar dynasty. Built in 1879, this palace has witnessed many events, including the formation of the first ministry of education and the establishment of the first official library. Among its characteristic traits are the plasterwork, mosaics, and gardens. Today, it’s a popular spot with visitors brunching in its cozy cafe with stained glass windows, before walking around to snap some photos of the picturesque edifice.

Masoudieh Palace, Mellat St., Tehran, Iran

Masoudieh Palace

Masoudieh Palace

Teatre Shahr

Built in 1972, City Theater deserves regard for its cylindrical design that combines both the traditional and modern. The standing columns add geometric patterns to the roof, which are then filled in with ceramic tiles. The grand entrance is made of wood, giving it a warm, earthy feel. It contains several stages and continues to be a top venue for the performing arts.

Teatre Shahr, Enghelab St., Tehran, Iran,

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