By: Mohammad Moheimani

Aerial photos reveal aftermath of flood in N Iran

AQQALA, Mar. 21 (MNA) – Heavy flood hit vast regions of Golestan province, including Aqqala county today. Flood has surrounded some nine villages cutting access to their roads. Officials have requested residents of some villages to evacuate their homes. It is said that the flood is moving towards the Caspian Sea and will end tomorrow.

By: Keivan Jafari

Flood damages in Mazandaran

SARI, Mar. 21 (MNA) – As people across Iran are celebrating the Persian New Year, Nowruz, the northern city Sari and surrounding villages have been hit with heavy rain, flooding, and landslides, which have caused great damage to farms, and completely blocked some of the rural routes.

By: Mehdi Bakhshi

Pilgrims pray for good year at Hazrat Masoumeh (SA) Mausoleum

QOM, Mar. 21 (MNA) – A large crowd of pilgrims gathered in Hazrat Masoumeh (SA) Mausoleum in Qom on Wed. night to mark the start of the New Year and ask God to grant them health and success. The vernal equinox which took place at 1:28 AM local time marked the start of spring and Nowruz holidays.

By: Amin Berenjkar

People celebrate New Year in Tomb of Hafez

SHIRAZ, Mar. 21 (MNA) – People gathered in the Tomb of Hafez in Shiraz, Fars province, last night to celebrate the New Year. The vernal equinox which took place at 1:28 AM local time marked the start of spring and Nowruz holidays in Iran.

By: Rahbar Emamdadi

Eye-catching Indians temple in S Iran

BANDAR ABBAS, Mar. 20 (MNA) – Located near the center of Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan province, Hindu Temple is one of the historical monuments built in 1892 through the offers of Indian merchants. The design of this temple is completely inspired by Indian architecture and is clearly distinguishable from other buildings of the city.

By: Raheleh Hesari

Preparations for Nowruz in Gorgan

GORGAN, Mar. 19 (MNA) – People in Gorgan, the capital city of Golestan Province in north Iran have made preparations for celebrating the new year (Nowruz) by decorating the city with Nowruz symbols such as giant coloured eggs and statues displayed in public squares.

By: Mahsa Safari

Nowruz shopping in northern city of Gorgan

GORGAN, Mar. 19 (MNA) – People of Gorgan, Golestan province, are doing required shopping to start the new Iranian calendar year 1398 (starting on March 21). It is one of the traditions of Iranians to buy new clothing for the new year.

By: Faezeh Kaboli

Flood damages in Golestan

GORGAN, Mar. 19 (MNA) – Heavy rains and flooding have been pounding Golestan province in northern Iran since Sunday, uprooting trees and causing serious damage to the province's facilities and power lines.

By: Mehdi Bakhshi

FM Zarif visits senior clerics in Qom

QOM, Mar. 18 (MNA) – The Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif paid a visited to the holy city of Qom on Mon. to meet with the senior Shia clerics and Ulama there.

By: Majid Haghdoust

MNA, Tehran Times staff celebrate Nowruz

TEHRAN, Mar. 18 (MNA) – The journalists and other personnel of Mehr News Agency (MNA) and English newspaper Tehran Times together on Monday, celebrated the arrival of new Iranian year of 1398, three days before its first day, which is called Nowruz.

By: Amirali Razzaghi

River flood hits Sari, northern Iran

SARI, Mar. 18 (MNA) – Heavy rains led to a flood in Tajan River, in Sari, Mazandaran province, on Sunday. No casualties have yet been reported. The flood happens while Sari, which is a major tourist attraction, is going to host many Iranians during Nowruz holidays which starts on March 21.

By: Behnam Yousefi

​​​​​​​Authenticity of Iranian architecture, culture in Kashan

KASHAN, Mar. 18 (MNA) – Only three hours from the capital Tehran, the central city of Kashan, Isfahan province, can definitely be deemed as a marvelous get-away for many urbanites, who yearn for the authenticity of traditional Iranian culture and architecture.

By: Mohammad khodabakhsh

Journalists pay tribute to Ghasemi's services

TEHRAN, Mar. 17 (MNA) – In a ceremony in Malik National Museum of Iran on Sunday, correspondents working with different Iranian media outlets paid tribute to services of Bahram Ghasemi, the outgoing Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, who has been appointed Iran's next ambassador to France.

Branko Ivankovic visits Mehr HQ

TEHRAN, Mar. 17 (MNA) – Persepolis football team coach paid a visit to Mehr news agency headquarters in Tehran and sat down for an interview with MNA journalists.

By: Hamid Vakili

Car traffic in capital Tehran on threshold of New Year

TEHRAN, Mar. 17 (MNA) – With the Persian New Year fast approaching (March 21), poeple in Tehran are in a last-minute shopping rush, contributing to a heavy volume of car traffic on the streets of the Iranian capital.

By: Mohammadreza Abbasi

Esteghlal 1-0 Nassaji: IPL

TEHRAN, Mar. 17 (MNA) – Esteghlal FC gained a 1-0 victory over Nassaji on Saturday at Azadi Stadium. The Iranian Blues now sit second in the Iran Professional League table with 43 points, two points behind their arch rival Persepolis.

By: Maryam Kamyab

Inauguration of 3 new subway stations in Tehran

TEHRAN, Mar. 16 (MNA) – Three new stations of the Tehran Metro Line 7 came on stream on Saturday during an inauguration ceremony in the presence of the capital’s mayor Pirouz Hanachi.

By: Mohammad Khodabakhsh

Zarif's meeting with Ghani's adviser in reconciliation affairs

TEHRAN, Mar. 16 (MNA) – Iranian Foreing Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met and held talks with Afghan president's senior adviser in reconciliation affairs, Mohammad Omar Daudzai, in Tehran on Saturday.

By: Behnam Yousefi

People of Arak getting ready for Nowruz

ARAK, Mar. 16 (MNA) – People of Arak, Markazi province, are doing preparations and shopping for marking Nowruz and the new Iranian calendar year 1398 (staring March 21).

By: Imam Hamikhah

Introduction ceremony of Leader’s rep. in Hamedan prov.

HAMEDAN, Mar. 16 (MNA) – Hojjatoleslam Sha’bani was introduced as Leader’s representative in Hamedan province on Fri. in the presence of Ayatollah Mohammadi Golpayegani Leader’s Chief of Staff. Salient activities of former Leader’s representative Ayatollah Mohammadi were honored.

By: Majid Haghdoust

Expediency Council convenes

TEHRAN, Mar. 16 (MNA) – The Expediency Council convened on Saturday for the last time in the current Iranian year, which ends on March 20. The council is a 44-member arbitration body empowered to resolve disputes between the Parliament and the Guardians Council – a body that vets any election and legislation.

By: Ehsan Ghanbarpour

Iran's Chabahar Port unloads first livestock carrier

CHABAHAR PORT, Mar. 15 (MNA) – A livestock vessel, carrying thousands of Romanian sheep, berthed at Iran’s southeastern Chabahar Port for the first time since the strategic port was inaugurated in 2017. The unloading process will last for two or three days.

By: Faezeh Kaboli

'Nowruz Khani' tradition in Golestan

GORGAN, Mar. 15 (MNA) – On the last Wed. of the year, people of 'Balajadeh' village in Kordkouy city in Golestan province, take part in the ‘Nowruz Khani’ ritual, in which they go from house to house, while singing lines of poetry in praise of Spring, the new year and the nature. It is customary for the householders to give them gifts or to offer them sweets.

Leader's meeting with members of Assembly of Expert

TEHRAN, Mar. 14 (MNA) – Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei received members of Assembly of Experts on Thursday. The senior clerics met with Ayatollah Khamenei after the sixth session of the 5th Assembly of Experts wrapped up today.

By: Mohammad Moheimani

Nowruz egg painting festival

TEHRAN, Mar. 13 (MNA) – On the threshold of the Iranian New Year (March 21), Tehran Municipality’s Beautification Organization, in collaboration with the citizens, is decorating 10 different neighborhoods across the capital, including Azadi Square, with a collection of colorful egg-shaped statues to enrich the Nowruz celebration.

6th session of Assembly of Experts

TEHRAN, Mar. 13 (MNA) – The sixth session of the 5th Assembly of Experts chaired by Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati and attended by the majority of members was held on Tue. Mar. 12.

By: Mohammad Reza Abbasi

Iran’s Esteghlal 1-1 UAE’s Al Ain: ACL 2019

TEHRAN, Mar. 13 (MNA) – On the second match day of 2019 AFC Champions League, Esteghlal was held with a 1-1 draw against Al Ain at Azadi Stadium. The Iranian team now ranks fourth in the table of Group C with one point behind KSA’s Al-Hilal (6), Qatar’s Al Duhail (3), and Al Ain (1).

By: Mohammad Khodabakhsh

New Year shopping in Tajrish Bazaar

TEHRAN, Mar. 13 (MNA) – With the Persian New Year fast approaching, which falls on March 21 this year, shopping malls are abuzz with people doing the traditional New Year shopping. The Tajrish old bazaar continues to be a favorite spot for this tradition, located along the northern edge of the capital.

Intl. Roundtable on Humanitarian Mine Action in Tehran

TEHRAN, Mar. 12 (MNA) – The International Roundtable on Humanitarian Mine Action: Challenges and Best Practices was held in Tehran Tue. morning in the presence of Iranian Minister of Defense Amir Hatami and representatives of Asian countries and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the UN Mine Action Service.

By: Majid Asgaripour

Justice departments' officials meet with new judiciary chief

TEHRAN, Mar. 12 (MNA) – Heads of justice administration departments across Iran met and held talks with the newly-appointed Judiciary Chief Seyed Ebrahim Raeisi on Tue., Mar. 12.