United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has added the historical texture of Yazd in central Iran to its list of world heritage sites.

The site was inscribed on the world heritage list during the 41st session of UNSCO’s World Heritage Committee in Krakow, Poland, on Sunday, July 9, ifpnews.com wrote.

The historical structure of Yazd is a collection of public-religious architecture with a very large scope comprising of Islamic architectural elements extending over different periods of history in harmonious combination with climatic conditions.

Iran nominated Arasbaran Protected Zone in East Azarbaijan Province and the historical city of Yazd for 2017 UNESCO World Cultural Heritage listing.

Mohammad Hassan Talebian, the deputy head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, said earlier: “While Arasbaran Protected Zone is Iran’s second natural heritage site to be proposed for UNESCO registration, Yazd is the first city in Iran to be nominated for registration as a world heritage site.”

He pointed out, “Yazd is one of the most important desert cities of Iran. The city bears distinct signs of innovation and creativity, a majority of which were promoted between the 10th and 20th centuries CE.

“The old texture of Yazd is in a better shape than other historical cities of Iran.”

Yazd is Iran’s largest adobe city and its monuments boast high architectural values.

“The cultural outlook of Yazd is yet to be modernized and as a result the majority of the monuments including mosques, minarets, houses and cisterns perfectly mirror ancient Islamic-Iranian architecture,” he said.

The official said Yazd became a settlement with the establishment of cisterns.

“One can see diverse eco-friendly architectural styles in Yazd, as if the ancient habitats were aware of the principles of sustainable development. Ancient residents of the city tried to apply wind, soil, and water energies in a way not to damage the environment,” he said.

Yazd has been a manifestation of the brightest cultural heritage and ancient civilization throughout history with human settlement dating back to the third millennium BCE.

Tribes, who migrated from Balkh to Pars, called this land ‘Yazdan’ during the Pishdadi era. The most important early settlements in Yazd include Mehrpadin (Mehriz), Fahrashan or Pahreh (Fahraj), Khormish and Adar (Ardakan), Aqda and Eshkezar.

Yazd is the first adobe city in the world and is the second historical city after Venice, Italy.

Yazd is known as the city of wind towers. In fact, wind towers improve ventilation. They can be seen in residential units and ancient houses.

Yazd’s historical monuments include Yazd Jame’ Mosque, Seyyed Rokneddin Mausoleum, Amir Chaqmaq Complex, Lariha House, Alexander Prison, Narin Castle, Chak Temple and Water Museum.

In addition, 77 localities of Yazd known as ‘Yazd Historical Texture’ were registered as No. 15,000 on the National Heritage List in 2005.

Gharbal Biz (Mehriz), Tamehr (near Taft) and Masih (Harat) are among the important springs of Yazd.

The protected zones in Yazd are among the other attractions of the province.

Taft is the hub of pomegranate and silkworm in Yazd Province. Its pomegranates are exported. Peaches are also a famous agro product in Taft.

Also, Taft’s water has been well known throughout the history of the province. An alley in Yazd is known as ‘Ab-e Taft’, which indicates the vivacity of Taft.

Due to certain climatic and economic conditions as well as its remoteness, the inhabitants of Yazd have been involved in making handicrafts. Yazd handicrafts have attracted the attention of artisans and art-lovers across the country since olden times.

Iranian freestyle wrestler Hassan Yazdani claimed the top spot in the United World Wrestling (UWW) final rankings in 2016 thanks to his dazzling performance in the final of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Yazdani defeated Russia’s Aniuar Geduev in the final showdown of the 74kg weight class at Rio Games, Tasnim News Agency reported.

In addition, Iran’s Komeil Qassemi, 125kg, finished in the second place in the rankings after Turkey’s Taha Akgul.

Georgia’s Geno Petriashvili ranked third in the same weight class.

In the 70kg weight category, Iran’s Moustafa Hossein-Khani also secured third position after Russia’s Magomed Kurbanaliev and Kazakhstan’s Nurlan Bekzhanov, who ranked first and second respectively.

The 5th week of fall horse riding course held in yazd.Riding in Iran’s history of over 3,000 years before the birth of Christ. Iranians were among the first populations who used horse for transport and logistics. Horse is very respected in Iran.

Golden Eagle luxury tourist train stopped in Yazd in centeral of Iran.

European and American tourists, who are on sightseeing trip to some Iranian cities on luxury train named ‘Hezar-o Yek Shab’ (Thousand and One Nights), visited the central provinces of Isfahan (on Oct. 26) and Yazd (on Oct. 25).

They are due to go on to Shiraz in Fars Province.

Speaking on the sojourn, caretaker of Yazd Cultural Heritage Department, said 48 tourists who embarked on the trip from Budapest, Hungary, arrived in Iran on Oct. 21 after traversing Bulgaria and Turkey.

Mostafa Fatemi added that they visited the southern province of Kerman for two days before arriving in Yazd.

In Yazd, they went to the Yazd Jame’ Mosque, Zoroastrian fire temple, Dowlatabad Garden and strolled through the city’s historical textures, he said.

He continued that provinces of Isfahan, Fars and Yazd are considered golden triangle of Iranian tourism. “A majority of foreign tourists choose these provinces as a tourism destination during their trip to Iran.”

Yazd is one of the most well-known desert cities of Iran.

Many Iranians and foreign tourists like to visit Yazd to view the architecture typically found in desert regions.

The city is famous for its wind towers, termeh (traditional broçade), silk weaving and sweets (such as ‘baqlava’ and ‘qotab’).

A trip to Yazd will make you familiar with life in desert towns and how people have adapted to it. You learn about ‘qanat’ (underground water supply system) for which Iranians are well-known.

The water reservoirs, icehouses, wind-towers and pigeon towers make the visit to Yazd worthwhile, as tourists explore the uniqueness of this ancient city.

Yazd, located 270km southeast of Isfahan, has a population of approximately 560,000. It attracts a growing number of tourists.

The city is hot and dry in summer due to its location, which is between the two main deserts of Dasht-e Kavir and the Kavir-e Lut.

Traditionally, Yazd is famous for termeh, the brocades made with Iranian patterns and used in dresses, bags, footwear and interior decoration.

Iranian wrestler Hassan Yazdani won finals of Men’s freestyle 74 kg over his Russian rival to add one more gold medal to Iran’s tally.

Competing in the final encounter of 74kg weight division, Yazdani offered a spellbinding performance against Aniuar Geduev of Russia 6-6 to win the first freestyle Olympic gold medal for Iran in 16 years.

The Persian freestyler had struck an off draw in the qualifications while he smoothly breezed past Asnage Castelly of Haiti in Round of 16. Later, Yazdani thrashed the Turkish wrestler Soner Demirtaş 3-0 in the quarterfinals and had to quell Kazakhstan’s Galymzhan Usserbayev 4-0 in order to reach the final round undefeated.

Video: Final Match 74 KG freestyle,  Hassan Yazdani vs Aniuar Geduev

Iran’s last freestyle gold medal in Olympic Games had been snatched by Alireza Dabir in Sydney 2000 and now Hassan Yazdani has broken the long-lasing spell by winning the title in Rio 2016.

Meanwhile, Iran’s representative at Men’s freestyle 57 kg wrestling event managed to stand on the third podium after beating Yowlys Bonne from Cuba 5-0 in a bronze medal match.

Photo Report: Hassan Yazdani in Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Rahimi, after a first round off draw, had overcome Armenia’s Garnik Mnatsakanyan 4-0 in his opening contest before gaining the upper hand against the Russian rival Viktor Lebedev 3-1 in the quarterfinals. Rahimi, however, conceded a defeat against Rei Higuchi of Japan 1-3 in the semifinals and was given the chance to fight for bronze in the losers’ group.

Yazdani’s gold, added to six other medal bagged earlier by Iranian athletes, has improved Iran’s position to the 25th place in the medal standings table between Argentina and Ukraine. /MNA

Video: Medal ceremony of Hassan Yazdani in Rio 2016 Olympic

The capital of Yazd province has a unique Persian architecture. The historical city is nicknamed the city of wind catchers because of its ancient Persian wind catchers.

Yazd is almost in the center of Iran. It is an ancient city, dating from Sassanian Period (224-651 AD). Acording to UNESCO, Yazd is the Second Historic City in the World.
Get in

Yazd is located midway between Isfahan and Kerman, 689 km (427 miles) southeast of Tehran.

Yazd is served by all means of transportation except boats, both airplanes, trains and buses are available for tourists who would like to visit the city of Yazd. Also,Yazd is said to have one of the most safest and fast automobile routes throughout Iran because of its steady and well-built roads.

By Plane
There are International flights to Dubai and Damascus and daily flights to Tehran.

Get around
Most places in the old town are within easy walking distance from each other. Otherwise taxis are inexpensive.Motorcycle Taxis are another faster and cheaper way to move around in the city,but try to settle on a price before going anywhere. Local buses are also available for travelers.

See

• Masjid-e Jame (Friday Mosque), dating back to the fourteenth century, is well worth a visit. Admire it at night when it is lit up.
• Atashkadeh is the Zoroastrian fire temple. The fire on the inside has supposedly been burning since 470 AD. Entrance is free, though donations are appreciated.
• Yazd Tower of silence (Zoroastrian’s Dakhmeh) – the name tower is misleading as they consist of huge circular walls, within those the dead were left to be picked clean by the vultures. This is done in accordance with Zoroastrian belief. However, the towers are not in use anymore and open to the public. A quiet, serene place.
• Yazd Market Square’s Clock
  The cistern of Fatemeh-ye-Golshan
  Amir Chakhmakh complex, a breathtaking construction and a must-see. Visitors can climb to the top.
• Amir Chakmakh mosque, not to be confused with the complex of the same name, but nearby and easily visited when visiting the more famous complex.
• Yazd Water museum lots of interesting information about the Canat water distribution system, admission free, a must-see
• Hazireh mosque
• water reservoir with its four badgirs (wind towers)
• Khan-e-Lari, a historical house
• Alexanders prison, which was neither built by Alexander the great nor a prison, but quite an interesting sight with a cafe in the ‘prison room’
• tomb of the 12 imams
• Madrasse-e-Kamalieh
• Bogeh-ye Seyed Rokamdin mosque
• Dowlat Abad Gardens with a building with a beautiful large badgir.Do
  Walk and relax in the parks and places the city of Yazd can offer for tourists and local iranians or you can hike in the beautiful mountains of Yazd that show a spectacular and beautiful view of the city.If you are a more sociable kind of person,you can chat with local Iranians at cafes,they would be interested and would love to have a dialogue with you.Buy
  The local bazaar is the best way to go. Iran’s most famous snacks, nougat and cashews are available. Yazd is very famous in Iran for its various handicrafts, such as carpet, silk fabrics, cashemers and also for its pastries. If you are looking for Persian carpets at reasonable prices, there are many Persian carpets to choose from at the bazaar.

Eat
Tourists say old fashion Persian Restaurants are the best way to go if you want a more friendlier and more cultural atmosphere.If you are a Kebab lover,the city has many Kebab cuisines.There are a few international restaurants in Yazd which serve Italian,Indian,Arabic and Mexican food.

The traditional restaurant and tea house of Kohan Hotel is opened.There are served various kinds of iranian traditional foods,like FESSENJUN,GHEIME…and some delicious european,indian food,cooked by an Iranian lady!with a nice atmospher full of iranian paintings and tea house paintings,which gives you a different feeling!this place is strongly recommanded to all people,who want to enjoy their food near Alexander Prison.

Drink
Persian Tea is almost available anywhere in Yazd.Juice Vendors sell natural fresh Orange Juice which is considered very healthy.There are also Pomegrante Vendors who sell pomegrante juice for about the price of 0.10$ per cup.

Sleep
There are many nice, yet good value hotels to choose from. A number of grand, Old City houses have been recently refurbished into atmospheric hotels, some well, others not quite so well. Many of them offer immaculate, comfortable rooms arranged around tranquil garden courtyards where you can eat, drink tea or puff away on a ghalyan while gazing at the sky above. If you’ve been slumming it through questionable mosafekhanehs until Yazd, you’re in for a pleasant surprise.

Get out
Another city close by is the Holy city of Qom,If you feel like visiting a place more cultural and beautiful, the ancient city of Isfahan is near Yazd.
Kavir National Park. The magnificent Iranian deserts embrace all those who are interested in adventurous journey or trekking across the intact beautiful nature. The desert vividly signifies the diverse and colourful features of the Iranian terrain. The white vast salt flats, the golden dunes as well as the striking mounds in bright green, yellow and red create a marvellous spectrum of spectacular colours for day travellers in the desert. Undoubtedly, the desert’s night does surpass all expectations and further displays an spectacle of appealing stars–appearing so temptingly real and near.

The capital of Yazd province has a unique Persian architecture. The historical city is nicknamed the city of wind catchers because of its ancient Persian wind catchers.

Yazd is almost in the center of Iran. It is an ancient city, dating from Sassanian Period (224-651 AD). Acording to UNESCO, Yazd is the Second Historic City in the World.
Get in

Yazd is located midway between Isfahan and Kerman, 689 km (427 miles) southeast of Tehran.

Yazd is served by all means of transportation except boats, both airplanes, trains and buses are available for tourists who would like to visit the city of Yazd. Also,Yazd is said to have one of the most safest and fast automobile routes throughout Iran because of its steady and well-built roads.

By Plane
There are International flights to Dubai and Damascus and daily flights to Tehran.

Get around
Most places in the old town are within easy walking distance from each other. Otherwise taxis are inexpensive.Motorcycle Taxis are another faster and cheaper way to move around in the city,but try to settle on a price before going anywhere. Local buses are also available for travellers.

See

• Masjid-e Jame (Friday Mosque), dating back to the fourteenth century, is well worth a visit. Admire it at night when it is lit up.
• Atashkadeh is the Zoroastrian fire temple. The fire on the inside has supposedly been burning since 470 AD. Entrance is free, though donations are appreciated.
• Yazd Tower of silence (Zoroastrian’s Dakhmeh) – the name tower is misleading as they consist of huge circular walls, within those the dead were left to be picked clean by the vultures. This is done in accordance with Zoroastrian belief. However, the towers are not in use anymore and open to the public. A quiet, serene place.
• Yazd Market Square’s Clock
  The cistern of Fatemeh-ye-Golshan
  Amir Chakhmakh complex, a breathtaking construction and a must-see. Visitors can climb to the top.
• Amir Chakmakh mosque, not to be confused with the complex of the same name, but nearby and easily visited when visiting the more famous complex.
• Yazd Water museum lots of interesting information about the Canat water distribution system, admission free, a must-see
• Hazireh mosque
• water reservoir with its four badgirs (wind towers)
• Khan-e-Lari, a historical house
• Alexanders prison, which was neither built by Alexander the great nor a prison, but quite an interesting sight with a cafe in the ‘prison room’
• tomb of the 12 imams
• Madrasse-e-Kamalieh
• Bogeh-ye Seyed Rokamdin mosque
• Dowlat Abad Gardens with a building with a beautiful large badgir.Do
  Walk and relax in the parks and places the city of Yazd can offer for tourists and local iranians or you can hike in the beautiful mountains of Yazd that show a spectacular and beautiful view of the city.If you are a more sociable kind of person,you can chat with local Iranians at cafes,they would be interested and would love to have a dialogue with you.

  Buy
  The local bazaar is the best way to go. Iran’s most famous snacks, nougat and cashews are available. Yazd is very famous in Iran for its various handicrafts, such as carpet, silk fabrics, cashemers and also for its pastries. If you are looking for Persian carpets at reasonable prices, there are many Persian carpets to choose from at the bazaar.

Eat
Tourists say old fashion Persian Restaurants are the best way to go if you want a more friendlier and more cultural atmosphere.If you are a Kebab lover,the city has many Kebab cuisines.There are a few international restaurants in Yazd which serve Italian,Indian,Arabic and Mexican food.

The traditional restaurant and tea house of Kohan Hotel is opened.There are served various kinds of iranian traditional foods,like FESSENJUN,GHEIME…and some delicious european,indian food,cooked by an Iranian lady!with a nice atmospher full of iranian paintings and tea house paintings,which gives you a different feeling!this place is strongly recommanded to all people,who want to enjoy their food near Alexander Prison.

Drink
Persian Tea is almost available anywhere in Yazd.Juice Vendors sell natural fresh Orange Juice which is considered very healthy.There are also Pomegrante Vendors who sell pomegrante juice for about the price of 0.10$ per cup.

Sleep
There are many nice, yet good value hotels to choose from. A number of grand, Old City houses have been recently refurbished into atmospheric hotels, some well, others not quite so well. Many of them offer immaculate, comfortable rooms arranged around tranquil garden courtyards where you can eat, drink tea or puff away on a ghalyan while gazing at the sky above. If you’ve been slumming it through questionable mosafekhanehs until Yazd, you’re in for a pleasant surprise.

Get out
Another city close by is the Holy city of Qom,If you feel like visiting a place more cultural and beautiful, the ancient city of Isfahan is near Yazd.
Kavir National Park. The magnificent Iranian deserts embrace all those who are interested in adventurous journey or trekking across the intact beautiful nature. The desert vividly signifies the diverse and colourful features of the Iranian terrain. The white vast salt flats, the golden dunes as well as the striking mounds in bright green, yellow and red create a marvellous spectrum of spectacular colours for day travellers in the desert. Undoubtedly, the desert’s night does surpass all expectations and further displays an spectacle of appealing stars–appearing so temptingly real and near.

Iranian athletes have secured twelve medals, ranking 21st at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

The Iranian athletes concluded their participation in this summer’s Olympics with a total of twelve medals comprising three gold, six silver, and three bronze.

In Greco-Roman wrestling, Saeed Esmaeili and Mohammad-Hadi Saravi each won gold in the 67 kg and 97 kg categories respectively. Alireza Mohmadi also won silver in the 87 kg category.

In freestyle wrestling, Hassan Yazdani (86kg), Amir-Hossein Zare (125kg), and Rahman Amouzad (65 kg) each earned a silver medal.

Additionally, Taekwondo practitioner Arian Salimi (+80kg) claimed a gold medal for Iran. Taekwondo athletes Mehran Barkhordari (-82 kg) and Nahid Kiani (-57 kg) each took home a silver medal.

Furthermore, Mobina Nematzadeh (-49 kg) in Taekwondo, Amin Mirzazadeh (130 kg) in Greco-Roman wrestling, and Amir-Ali Azarpira (97 kg) in Freestyle wrestling each won bronze medals.

The Iranian sports delegation took part in the 33rd edition of the Olympic Games in Paris, fielding 40 athletes across 14 disciplines.

They concluded their participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics with a 21st-place finish, ascending six ranks from their previous performance in Tokyo.

In the preceding Tokyo Games in 2021, the Iranian team secured three gold, two silver, and two bronze medals.

The 33rd Olympic Games in Paris, which kicked off with the opening ceremony on July 26, officially came to a close on August 11.

Iranian all over Iran mourning the martyrdom of Imam Hussein with observed the health protocol of Corona Covid-19 virus.

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Ayatollah Khamenei attended a Muharram mourning ceremony

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The Muharram mourning ceremony was held at the Imam Khomeini Hussainiyeh with Ayatollah Khamenei in attendance. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this year’s mourning ceremonies are not being held publicly.

What is the origin of Ashura?

Leila Yazdani: If we wish to find out the causes of the rise of the Imam Hussain (A.S.) we have to make a search for its preliminaries during a period of at least thirty years preceding that time, because about thirty years after the migration of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), there had taken place such developments as had made necessary a movement like this in the Islamic society.

At this time, the Islamic method underwent a change and it assumed another posture. Taking advantage of this state of affairs the people began to amass wealth and property from the Baytul Mal (public treasury) of the Muslims. It was the same Baytul Mal that was guarded so carefully by Imam Ali (AS) during the period of his caliphate.

After Caliph Uthman, Imam Ali (AS) attained the caliphate. The difficult task for Ali (AS), on account of which battles were also fought, was to control these influential persons and not to permit any person any longer to take even one dinar from the Baytul Mal of the Muslims without proper accounting. He wanted to restrain the people from all sorts of covetousness, greed, and bad habits.

Imam Ali (AS) had fought battles against Mu’awiya because Mu’awiya continuously violated the Islamic principles. Imam Al-Hassan (AS) had to swallow the bitter pill of making a peace agreement with Mu’awiya, in order to safeguard the security of the Ummah which was at stake. But, Imam Hussain (A.S.) as the Head of Ahlul Bayt (PBUH) never recognized Mu’awiya nor his followers.

When Yazid son of Mu’awiya declared himself as a ruler over the Ummah, he demanded Imam Hussain’s (A.S.) allegiance of loyalty. Imam Hussain (A.S.) on his part flatly rejected Yazid’s rule and behavior, for there was no way Yazid could represent Islam. But Yazid, the tyrant ruler over the Ummah, was adamant in his demand. Like his father Mu’awiya, Yazid used all possible means like bribery, coercion, pressure, threats, and force to receive the people’s acceptance of him as the legitimate ruler.

Many people were worried, threats to their lives and livelihood was too menacing, so they grudgingly and reluctantly gave in. But, Imam Hussain (A.S.) and his family (who practiced Islam in its true sense), did not give in. As the true representative of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Imam Hussain (A.S.) flatly refused accepting Yazid either as a Khalifa or a leader of Islam. Despite Yazid’s intimidating military power the Imam stood firm in his resolve and chose to challenge Bani Umayya’s authorities.

Imam Hussain (A.S.) also knew that giving allegiance of loyalty to an imposter like Yazid would certainly place Islam at great jeopardy. Imam Hussain (A.S.) and a majority of true Muslims believed that Yazid the then brutal ruler of Bani Ummayad was openly going against the pure and genuine teachings of Islam in public and violating the Sunnah of the holy prophet and the core practices of Islam.Therefore he decided to leave Mecca for Kufa to prepare for a confrontation with Yazid and his forces. Infact, Imam Hussain’s (A.S.) refusal to accept the tyrant Yazid’s allegiance triggered the Battle of Karbala on the Day of Ashura.

The Imam (AS) quoted the Prophet (PBUH):

“If somebody witnesses a tyrannical king who practices forbidden (Haram) acts as if they are permissible (Halal), breaks the Divine Promise, opposes the Prophet’s (PBUH) way of life (Sunnah), and oppresses people while saying and doing nothing to stand against the tyrannical ruler, Allah (SWT) will place him/her in the abode of that oppressor.”

Then the Prophet (PBUH) enumerated the crimes of the Umayyads. The above saying was used in either Imam Hussain’s (A.S.) letter or speech. It not only demonstrates his irreconcilability with the enemy and strong determination but also indicates that he would make any effort to demonstrate this heroic spirit to the society.

After arriving in Karbala, Imam Hussain (A.S.) gave his companions a speech, saying:

“Under such circumstances, a faithful person should be willing to make any sacrifice to see his Lord (God). In such a situation as mine, I would consider death nothing but salvation and living with oppressors nothing but humiliation and ignominy”.

The Islamic Ummah should never forget the event of Ashura. Definitely, Islam is alive because of the event of Ashura and the efforts of Imam Hussain (A.S.). If it had not been for the event of Ashura, Islam would have definitely deviated from its path and nothing would have remained from it. The greatness of Ashura is because of this./ SHAFAQNA

Sources:

Heroic Manifestations of Ashura, Abdullah Jawadi Amuli

A Probe into the History of Ashura’, Ibrahim Ayati

Karbala the chain of events , Ramzan Sabir

Sadeq Hosseini, Farbod Khalili: Nowrouz, the Persian New Year, is by far the most important date in the Persian calendar. The two-week holiday that heralds the spring comes packed with a string of ancient traditions that include family visits of course. That tradition – like many other facets of our lives – was transformed by the unfolding drama of the COVID-19 global outbreak.

Nowrouz under coronavirus lockdown meant no family reunions, no gifts and no dinners, but also meant no parks, no cinemas and no concerts. So Tehran’s municipality came up with a brilliant idea to bring some musical joy to Iranian families in quarantine during these hard times; to livestream one concert every single night of the 15-day holiday.

So on Friday April 3, the NowrouzKhaneh campaign was launched. The concerts were live-streamed on 46 different websites and platforms (ipTVs, VODs – Video-on-Demand). They were also streamed live on Instagram.

Before the pandemic closed down businesses and sent everyone home self-quarantining, Milad Tower was one of the main cultural hubs of Tehran, hosting major festivals and holding various other cultural events. So, the venue was rightfully picked to host the online concerts during coronavirus lockdown.
The Milad Tower standing at 435 meters, the world’s sixth-tallest tower dominates the capital’s skyline.

The online concerts in Coronavirus days on Nowrouz 2020 performed by:
Omid Hajili
Mehdi Jahani
Rouzbeh Bemani
Azeri group of Master Vahid Asadollahi
Reza Yazdani
Rahim Shahriari
Hamid Asgari
Gil and Amard Group, Nasser Vahdati
Mehdi Yaghmaei
Kurdish group Zhavana, Sadollah Nasiri
Hamid Hami
Sina Sarlak
Rastak group
Ali Zandvakili
Lian Bushehr Group

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Tehran municipality: Initiative aimed for concert-virgins under quarantine

Mohamad Reza Javadi Yeganeh, Deputy of cultural & social affairs of Tehran municipality said: “Since people could not leave their homes during the New Year holidays, we sat together and came up with the idea of online concerts or concerts in empty halls. The idea was to bring the concerts to people’s homes. We also had the concept of fair distribution in mind. Many people in Iran had never been to a concert both due to cultural and economic reasons. Tehran Municipality joined forces with the culture ministry, and Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) [to make this happen] via ipTVs and VODs.”

“Bands selected from pop, traditional, folklore genres to appeal to all”
We selected pop, classical and folklore music bands to appeal to all different tastes in Tehran. Given the unknown risks involved, many of the bands were unwilling to participate. The idea of ‘a concert without a crowd’ was far-fetched to some, director of cultural affairs department in Tehran municipality said.

“Tiva TV broadcast concert signals to over 40 platforms”

Majid Sahaf, channel director of Tiva IPTV about broadcasting the concerts said: “Tiva readily picked up the offer by Tehran Municipality, given its technical capacity and experience in the field. We were required to transmit the signal [of the concerts] to all various platforms and streaming services all around the country. And we made this operational. From the first night on, over 40 different platforms used our services. And this went on for 15 consecutive nights. Most of the people used the easiest mode of access which was through web streaming. Their next choice was applications, android and iOS respectively, and finally smart TVs. Many were doubtful about the internet infrastructure in the country. But we faced no issues in receiving and transmitting the signal. People also had no issues streaming at home. No complaints were recorded in these 15 nights.”

Tehran mayor: Online concerts well received by people

Pirouz Hanachi, Tehran Mayor said: “It’s definitely been a positive experience because the world is also following suit. Many famous musicians are performing online these days. I think we set a record [of viewers]. We exceeded the five-million mark in mid-holidays. People well received the concerts.”

Gholamhossein Mohammadi an advisor to Tehran’s mayor wrote on twitter that:
“A brilliant idea enabled five million people who’d joined the StayHome campaign to fight the spread of coronavirus to watch live the first-ever online concert broadcast from Milad Tower. Tehran’s municipality feels compelled to protect the health and wellbeing of citizens.”

“Iranians, expats watched online concerts”

Javadi Yeganeh mentions that: “Level of participation was beyond our expectations. Part of this came from Tehran and the rest from outside Tehran and even overseas. The President Rouhani expressed his gratitude.”

“Over 30 million unique IPs streamed online concerts”
Director of cultural affairs department in Tehran municipality informed: “According to the numbers we received daily from the association of IPTVs, over 30 million unique IPs watched the concerts in these 15 nights. The biggest achievement of the online concerts was making culture and music accessible to all walks of life in the country during the difficult quarantine days”.

But did the concerts truly attract people’s attention or was this remark an empty official rhetoric?

“The first time I watched an online concert was about 30 something days into my home quarantine. Although I had kept myself busy with different activities, I was feeling depressed and in low spirits. It was quite a surprising scene; the concert was being held in an empty hall but apart from that it was like a normal concert with the stage and props and things like that. After performing each song, the singer would call up and introduce one of the band members who then would bow to the camera. In normal circumstances, the crowd would applaud him but since the hall was empty, there was no applause, and the artists would only bow to a quiet hall. It was a strange and surreal experience. Nonetheless, the experience felt very real to me. Although I was at home in my PJs and drawing while watching the concert, every time I enjoyed a performance I would clap to it as if I’d actually been there in the concert hall. So it was a really interesting experience.”
Fatemeh Tehrani, Tourism Activist

“In these monotonous and boring quarantine days, watching live an hour-long concert by Reza Yazdani was a big surprise for my wife and I. I’m sure its memory will stay with us for years to come.”
Mohsen Saemi, Construction Project Manager

“I always thought going to concerts was an expensive activity, and given the inadequate infrastructure, only a few people could experience it, maybe not more than 2% of the population. But when I was watching these online concerts with my family at home, I felt that now with these concerts, many people can experience -at least to some extent- how live concerts really feel.”
Seyed Milad Nazemi, Journalist

“In these times while some still haven’t grasped the gravity of the situation and think all these safety measures and home-quarantining are nothing but an unnecessary obsession, with others panicking and getting depressed from staying home for long periods, the municipality’s introduction of the initiative only shows the gravity of the situation and the halt in normal day activities. On the other hand, it shows it cares about people and has plans for their lockdown days to make them more tolerable.”
Mahsa Mousavi, Neurologist

The musicians also welcomed the municipality’s initiative:

Rastak Singer: Online concerts in coronavirus lockdown ‘innovative idea’

Farzad Moradi, Singer, Rastak Music Band Emphasized: “I think Iranians are culture and art-loving people who enjoy going to concerts; something that has been missing from their lives [as a consequence of the coronavirus lockdown]. We are glad to see the Municipality organize the events despite all limitations. It was an innovative idea. I hope artists can use this platform for as long as the disease is among us. Our performance is audience-oriented. To be honest, we have never had any such experience before, and It was really difficult. During our concerts, given our considerable experience, our main concern is not music but the emotional give and take between us, the musicians, and the audience.”

First time experiencing concert in empty hall

Also Sina Sarlak, Singer said: “This is the first time in my whole musical career that I am performing in an empty concert hall.”

It could be really disappointing to see the concert that you have been counting days for postponed or cancelled altogether.
Both for fans and the artists themselves. That’s why musicians of all stripes and sizes from all around the world are taking to social and streaming platforms these days to play live for their fans from their homes or empty venues.

This might be an intuition, or a false hope. But I strongly believe we will ultimately win the fight against COVID-19. The virus, however, is likely to stay among us for quite some time. So for the time being we have to learn to adjust to this new reality of life. This might come with some complications but also with some fortunate by-products like the virtual concerts. In the meantime, keep your safe distance with others and follow health guidelines.

Tehran Review
Episode 1, Online concert during coronavirus
Editor in Chief and Producer: Sadeq Hosseini
Reporter: Farbod Khalili
Cameraman: Saeed Naeeni
Edit: Amirhassan Saadati
Production: Iran This Way
In Cooperate: Shahr news agency and Commutation center of Tehran Municipality
www.shahr.ir
www.tehran.ir
Iranthisway.com