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Later, the advent of Islam slowed any Christian expansion, but it was recognised as a protected minority. The Mongol conquest allowed a relative freedom of religious expression, and when some Mongol queens converted to Christianity, the possibility of a Christian revival arose.

In the nineteenth century, with the struggle over the Caucasus between the Qajar dynasty of Iran and the Russian Tsars, the Persian government sought to win the hearts of local Armenian and Georgian Christians, who otherwise might have been expected to favour their fellow Christians in Russia. Russia eventually prevailed and there was a mass migration of Armenian Christians from Azerbaijan towards present day Armenia.

The beautiful monastery and church of St. Thaddeus in Iranian Azerbaijan, described in this multimedia report and also known as the Black Church, has been restored several times over the centuries. Together with a few other remaining vestiges of Armenian Christian culture in the area, the church has now been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and given the title of the Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran.

This is not deep-sea fishing with trawlers working far from the coast: this is old-style in-shore fishing with curtain nets and tiny boats. The fish come to the fishermen, not the fishermen to the fish. But the equipment is expensive, and seasonal workers come from Afghanistan: this is serious business.

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The Caspian Sea (Persian: دریای مازندران یا دریای خزر) is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world’s largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of 371,000 square kilometres (143,244 sq mi) and a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometres (18,761 cu mi). It is in an endorheic basin (it has no outflows) and is bounded by northern Iran, southern Russia, western Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and eastern Azerbaijan. It has a maximum depth of about 1,025 metres (3,363 ft). More information

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The attractions of Kandovan, however, are not restricted to its unusual cave dwellings. It is located in a green and scenic valley where wild plants and particularly natural spring waters are reputed to have healing properties. The spring waters which are traditionally used to cure kidney problems draw many people from surrounding towns and beyond to this area. The combination of Kandovan’s natural landscape and resources, and above all the unique way in which its inhabitants have adapted to the environment, has made it a popular destination for visitors.

In this multimedia report, we are taken on a guided tour of the extraordinary cave dwellings of this unique village, perhaps the only one of its kind in the world.
Source: jadidonline.com

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After extensive and painstaking research into various archives, interviewing several people and encountering many obstacles on the way, Hadi Afarideh finally succeeded in completing his documentary on the fascinating history of Niavaran and its palaces. In this multimedia report, he takes us on a nostalgic journey to this old village.
Source: jadidonline.com

But Oraman’s main feature is the stone which literally encircles the village. It provides an infinite source of material and is almost sacred. Here everything is made of stone, from houses to mills, garden walls and livestock pens. Its distinctive style of architecture follows an overlapping pattern, with every roof serving as a small courtyard for the house above.

Another major feature of Oraman is its traditional ceremonies and rituals. Because of its seclusion throughout centuries, the village had provided a safe haven for the followers of Sufi orders who were able to practice their faith freely and openly here. The colourful, and at times musical, ceremonies are rooted in the rituals and ancient traditions attached to these Sufi orders.

The biggest ceremony is called the wedding of Pir Shaliar, named after a legendary spiritual leader. According to legend, he healed the daughter of the ruler of Bukhara who was suffering from an apparently incurable disease. He subsequently marries her and this event is celebrated every year with a great feast and dervishes chanting and moving to the sound of the daf.

This multimedia report invites us to visit this ancient village and take part in its fascinating ceremonies. Oraman Council member, Bashir Ghassemi guides us through this historic village.

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Ilam is situated in the cold mountainous region of Iran at a height of 1319 m above the mean sea level. Although this city is surrounded by mountains, its climate is also affected by deserts from the west and the south. This region presents a highly variable annual weather profile. Heavy showers or heavy snow in the winter and dusty, hot, dry weather in the summer are normal for this region.

The name Ilam usually conjures up images of war, destruction and poverty. Ilam bore the brunt of the Iraqi attacks during the eight years of the Iran-Iraq war. But if you visit Ilam, what attracts your attention more than the scars of war and depravation is its unspoilt natural scenery and a profusion of historical remains which are scattered all over the province.

These were mostly built during the Sassanian era, third to seventh centuries A.D. They include the remnants of a vast historical city spread over 200 hectares, numerous fortresses of various size as well as several bridges, shrines and fire temples.

The splendid natural scenery of Ilam, located in the heart of Zagros Mountains, varies from imposing cliffs to slopes covered in a thick canopy of varied trees, as well as valleys, passes made through the mountain gaps, meadows, and grazing lands.

The majority of the population are nomadic tribes whose livelihood depends on rearing sheep. Whichever part of the province you cross and whatever route you take, there are always flocks of grazing sheep, with tribesmen in colourful clothes tending them.

Image gallery
Photo gallery by Farshid Samani

The citizens of Isfahan had been denied this pleasure for many months. Following the reduction of rainfall in the area in recent years, most probably as a result of global warming and climate change, the Zayanderud dried up completely. This greatly damaged agriculture, including the orchards and rice fields around Isfahan, as well as the fish and wildlife dependant on the river. Predictably it also had a tremendously dispiriting effect on people’s morale.

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Now, much to the delight of the residents of Isfahan, the Zayanderud has started to flow again, and once more the familiar sights and sounds associated with the life of the river can be seen and heard. In this multimedia report, we revisit this magnificent river and hear some of the residents describing the significance of the river in their lives.
Source: jadidonline.com

20 foreign and Iranian plays by renowned artists will go on stage during the festival, among which Italy and the Netherlands are the most active participants.

“Grand Inquisitor” by Peter Brook was among the participants whose staging was cancelled due to “extremely divergent reactions” produced by his invitation, as the Public Relations of the festival announced in a press release.

International Association of Theatre Critics (IATC) President Yun-Cheol Kim (South Korea), IATC Honorary President Ian Herbert (Britain) and IATC Honorary Secretary General Maria Helena Serôdio (Portugal) will judge the International Section alongside with the renowned Iranian stage artists Davud Rashidi and Davud Mirbaqeri.

The foreign jurors will be holding several workshops during the gala in Tehran.

Hilda Hellwig will hold a workshop on stage directorship. World modern theater will be presented by Levan Khetaguri and Brian Daly from Canada will hold a “Character Mask” workshop.

British theater scholar Simon Edwards will hold a “Clown Master Class” during which he will teach techniques for playing the part of a clown, MNA reported.

Constanze Fischbeck and Daniel Kötter will hold a 5-day workshop entitled “The Art of Tehran Video… Documentation of Theater-Performance of Urban Space” during the festival and Roger McCann will hold one-day educational workshop on “Theatrical Marketing”.

A collection of posters concerning festivals and seminars on theater as well as performances will also be showcased on the sideline of festival.

The posters created over the past two years will be put on display at the Iranian Artists Forum from January 22 until 31.

Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. It is in the south-west of the country. The province covers an area of 15,563 square kilometers, and in 1996 had a population of 544,000. The people of the province mainly speak in Lurish language.