Takht e Jamshid

In the autumn of 1857, an Italian military officer carrying a heavy camera climbed the Marvdasht plain and stood before the monumental columns of Persepolis, capturing the oldest known photograph of the ancient Achaemenid site.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs said that Iran is currently focused solely on defending itself and that no messages or communications have been exchanged between Tehran and Washington.

Yesterday, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Persepolis played host to a magnificent celebration marking Yalda Night, creating a symbolic bridge between Achaemenid architectural splendor and the longest night of the year—a tradition that has flowed through the veins of Iranian culture for millennia.