Best Iran
Close-Up (1990) depicts Hossein Sabzian’s deception of a family into believing he is a filmmaker directed by Abbas Kiarostami. The film utilizes a staged recreation of a legal case involving actors who willingly participated in the performance. This project explored themes of identity and garnered i...
The Imam Reza Shrine is a vast religious complex located in Mashhad, Iran, which serves as the burial site of Ali al-Ridha, the eighth Twelver Shia Imam. Covering a massive area, the site functions as a central hub for Shia pilgrimage and includes the Goharshad Mosque, a library, museums, and severa...
The Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex is one of the oldest covered marketplaces in the Middle East, located in Tabriz in northwestern Iran. The bazaar served as a major commercial hub on the Silk Road, connecting trade routes between East and West. Its structure includes numerous caravanserais, domed h...
The Apadana was the principal audience hall of Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire in present-day Fars Province, Iran. Construction was begun by Darius I in the 6th century BCE and completed by Xerxes I. The hall originally featured 72 columns, of which 13 still stand, suppor...
A Separation is a 2011 Iranian drama exploring the complex consequences of a couple’s decision to separate. The film depicts familial distress stemming from parental conflict and an ailing father with Alzheimer’s, alongside the hiring of a domestic worker. It examines interwoven relationships within...
Mokhtarnameh is a television series depicting the life of Al-Mukhtar, an Islamic revolutionary who led a rebellion against the Umayyads in 7th century Iraq. The production involved over 140 actors and was initially filmed in Persian before being dubbed into multiple languages. It is broadcast annual...
The Nasir al-Molk Mosque, located in Shiraz, Iran, was built during the Qajar dynasty under the patronage of Mirza Hasan Ali Nasir al-Molk between 1876 and 1888. Designed by architect Mohammad Hasan-e-Memar, the mosque is renowned for its extensive stained glass windows that create colorful light pa...
The Jameh Mosque of Isfahan represents centuries of Islamic architecture and design. Built beginning in the 8th century and continuing through the 20th, it showcases a remarkable evolution influenced by Seljuk, Ilkhanid, Safavid, and Qajar dynasties. Located in Isfahan, Iran, this UNESCO World Herit...
The Tomb of Cyrus the Great is a stone monument located at the archaeological site of Pasargadae in present-day Fars Province, Iran. It is believed to be the resting place of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, who died in 530 BC. The structure consists of a gabled burial chamber...
The Encyclopaedia Iranica is a comprehensive online reference work dedicated to documenting Iranian civilization. Established by Ehsan Yarshater, it provides detailed scholarly information on Iranian history, archaeology, anthropology, art, and literature. Primarily used by researchers, students, an...
Shahrzad is a television series based on the life of Shirin Ebadi’s grandmother, exploring political and personal events in Iran during the 1953 coup. The show delves into themes of family loyalty, resistance, and the impact of political upheaval. Featuring Iranian actors and utilizing dubbed versio...
The Apadana at Persepolis is an ancient palace complex built during the Achaemenid Empire in present-day Iran. It served as a monumental audience hall for the Persian kings, showcasing their power and influence. Constructed by Darius I around 520 BCE, the site’s elaborate relief sculptures and vast...
The Wind Will Carry Us portrays a journalist’s assignment in a Kurdish village where she investigates impending funeral rites for an elderly resident. The situation unfolds as the subject unexpectedly survives, leading the journalist to experience the community's way of life. Directed by Abbas Kiaro...
The Soltaniyeh Dome is a mausoleum located in Soltaniyeh, Zanjan Province, Iran, built between 1302 and 1312 CE for the Ilkhanid ruler Öljaitü. It features one of the largest brick domes in the world, measuring approximately 25 meters in diameter and rising about 50 meters high. The structure combin...
The Behistun Inscription is a monumental rock relief and multilingual text commissioned by the Achaemenid king Darius I on a cliff in present-day Kermanshah Province, Iran. Written in Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian, it recounts Darius's accession and his suppression of revolts across the empir...
Where Is the Friend’s Home? is a 1987 Iranian drama directed by Abbas Kiarostami. The film centers on a boy's journey to return a classmate’s notebook across neighboring villages within the Koker region of Iran. It serves as the first part of a trilogy set in Koker, exploring themes of responsibilit...
The Friday Mosque of Yazd, also known as the Jameh Mosque of Yazd, is a grand congregational mosque located in central Iran. Its main construction took place during the 14th century, reflecting a blend of earlier Ilkhanid and Timurid architectural styles. The structure is distinguished by its massiv...
The White Balloon, directed by Jafar Panahi, is a 1995 Iranian drama focusing on a young girl’s journey to fulfill her mother's last wish. The film garnered significant international acclaim and recognition, appearing on prominent lists of notable family films. It was awarded the Prix de la Camera d...
Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian legal expert and prominent advocate for human rights. She gained international recognition in 2003 when she received the Nobel Peace Prize, marking her as the first Muslim woman to achieve this honor. Her work focuses on defending vulnerable populations within Iran, partic...
The Shah Mosque in Isfahan is a significant 17th-century Islamic place of worship commissioned by Shah Safi. Constructed during the Safavid dynasty, it showcases exquisite turquoise tilework and intricate geometric patterns reflecting Persian architectural design. Recognized as a UNESCO World Herita...
Marjane Satrapi’s *The Complete Persepolis* offers a powerful visual memoir detailing her childhood and adolescence in Iran from 1970 to 1992. This graphic novel chronicles her experiences navigating political upheaval during the Islamic Revolution and its aftermath. It is notable for its unique sto...
The Cow is a 1969 Iranian drama exploring themes of poverty and social injustice through the story of Masht Hassan, a man who attempts to sell a cow for profit. Directed by Dariush Mehrjui, the film gained recognition as an important early example of the Iranian New Wave movement. It’s notable for i...
The Tomb of Darius the Great is an Achaemenid royal rock-cut tomb carved into the cliff face at Naqsh-e Rostam near Persepolis in Iran, built for Darius I, who ruled the Persian Empire from 522 to 486 BC. It is one of four royal Achaemenid tombs at the site, positioned approximately 26 metres above...
The Seed of the Sacred Fig portrays the experiences of an investigating judge in Tehran during escalating political unrest following widespread protests. The film depicts Iman’s increasing paranoia amid heightened tensions and a missing firearm, alongside interwoven footage of the 2022-2023 Iranian...
Gonbad-e Qabus is a monumental brick tomb tower located in the Golestan province of northeastern Iran. Completed in 1006 CE, it was commissioned by Qabus ibn Voshmgir, a ruler of the Ziyarid dynasty, to serve as his mausoleum. The structure rises to a height of approximately 53 meters and features a...
Bisotun is a prominent archaeological site situated along an ancient trade route in Kermanshah province, Iran. Its central feature is a massive rock relief and trilingual inscription commissioned by the Achaemenid king Darius the Great around 522 BCE. The text, written in Old Persian, Elamite, and B...
The Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System is an ingenious Iranian watermill system dating back to the Sasanian and subsequently Seljuk eras. Constructed between the 7th and 16th centuries, it represents a remarkable feat of ancient engineering. This complex network of canals, dams, and waterwheels pr...
Elly is a 2009 Iranian drama by Asghar Farhadi that examines fractured relationships within a family struggling with secrets and shifting loyalties. The film’s notable realism and suspenseful narrative highlight universal themes of guilt, responsibility, and the consequences of deception. It's parti...
The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran, is a unique 17th-century structure built for the revered Shia cleric Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili. Its distinct octagonal shape and lack of a minaret make it unlike any other mosque in Iran. The building’s intricate tilework and spatial design represent a...
Dasht-e Lut is a vast salt desert located in southeastern Iran. It’s recognized internationally due to extreme environmental conditions and holds the record for the highest surface temperature ever recorded on Earth – 70.7 degrees Celsius. The area’s intense heat and unique geology make it significa...
