Around 18,000 tourists visited Mahabad during Newroz: Official
Trump threatens Iran with bombing if nuclear talks fail
Iranian court confirms death sentence for Kurd accused of PKK ties
Iran ready for 'both threats and diplomacy' from US, says FM
Iran replied to Trump via Oman, not UAE over Israel ties: official
A+ A-
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Around 18,000 tourists visited the historical and natural sites of Mahabad in western Iran's Kurdish-majority region (Rojhelat) during the Newroz holiday, marking an increase compared to previous years, an official said on Sunday.
"During the Newroz holidays, 16,000 tourists visited the Saholan Cave and 2,000 tourists visited the Kani Barazan Wetland," the head of the Environmental Protection Department of Mahabad in Urmia Province, Farooq Suleimani, told the state-owned IRNA news agency.
Saholan Cave in Mahabad is one of the city's most famous landmarks, located about 175 meters above sea level and containing ponds as deep as 60 meters.
Saholan Cave, located in Saholan village about 42 kilometers southeast of Mahabad along Borhan Road near Isa Kand village, is listed as one of Iran's national natural monuments.
'The number of tourists visiting Mahabad has increased significantly compared to last year,' Suleimani added.
He also noted that another popular destination for tourists is the Mahabad Dam.
The Mahabad Dam supplies water for agriculture, industry, and drinking, and also generates hydroelectric power. Its reservoir is considered the closest natural lake to an urban center in Iran, and possibly in the Middle East.
Mahabad holds immense historical significance for the Kurdish people as a symbol of Kurdish nationalism. It gained prominence as the site where the first independent, yet short-lived, Kurdish state was established by Qazi Muhammad in 1946.
The year 2025 corresponds to 2725 in the Kurdish calendar, with Newroz celebrations taking place from March 21 to 23.
The same holiday is observed by Persians and in Persian-speaking regions, including Iran and Afghanistan, where it is referred to as Nowruz and celebrated as the New Year in the Persian calendar. The current year in the Persian calendar is 1404, beginning on March 20, 2025.
During the Newroz and Nowruz holidays, many tourists from across Iran visit the Kurdish areas in the western part of the country, particularly the border cities in Rojhelat.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Shafaq News
Iran's Pezeshkian injured in Israel's June 16 strike
2025-07-13T06:02:13+00:00 Shafaq News – Tehran Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sustained a minor leg injury during Israel's June 16 airstrike on a high-level meeting of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported on Sunday. The strike hit a secure government compound hosting top Iranian officials, including the heads of all three branches of government. Fars noted that Pezeshkian and others took shelter in underground chambers and evacuated through a designated emergency route after the blast wounded several individuals. According to the report, Israel used six precision-guided munitions aimed at exits and ventilation shafts, apparently designed to trap officials inside and cripple the compound. Power was immediately cut, but the delegation escaped through a reinforced corridor. Iran has launched an internal investigation into a suspected security breach, Fars affirmed, hinting at possible 'insider intelligence' behind the operation and comparing the strike's sophistication to Israel's past assassination of Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah. In a recent virtual interview with American Commentator Tucker Carlson, Pezeshkian accused Israel of trying to assassinate him, asserting, 'They moved in that direction, but they failed.' The 12-day war between Iran and Israel, which erupted on June 13, caused heavy casualties and widespread infrastructure damage. The United States also entered the conflict, conducting strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Shafaq News
10 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Erdogan to Iraqi PM: We aim to uproot terrorism for good
Shafaq News – Ankara/Baghdad On Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani that Ankara remains committed to permanently eliminating terrorism from the region. According to a statement from Turkiye's Communications Directorate, Erdogan reiterated his government's goal of achieving a 'terror-free Turkiye,' and would continue to take all necessary steps to prevent any setbacks to that strategy. The two leaders discussed bilateral ties and regional developments during a phone call. Erdogan emphasized expanding cooperation with Iraq across various sectors under the framework of mutual benefit, particularly through the joint 'Development Road' infrastructure initiative. The call comes one day after dozens of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters burned their weapons in northern Iraq, marking the symbolic beginning of the PKK's disarmament and transition toward non-violent political engagement in Turkiye. On Wednesday, imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan declared that the group's long-standing armed struggle had come to an end and that the organization had abandoned the goal of establishing a Kurdish nation-state. Speaking in a pre-recorded video message from prison, Ocalan stated, 'Turkiye has recognized the Kurds, and our main demands have been met.' He added that disarmament marked a 'historic victory' and that the era of armed resistance had given way to one focused on legal and political processes. Ocalan clarified that he had never demanded his release and emphasized the importance of civil peace and political participation over continued armed conflict. The PKK formally announced its dissolution and surrender of arms on May 12, in response to Ocalan's February appeal from his cell on Imrali Island. The move ends a four-decade insurgency that claimed more than 40,000 lives.
Iraqi News
13 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Trump says Mexico, EU to face 30% tariff from Aug 1
Washington – President Donald Trump on Saturday said major US trading partners Mexico and the European Union would face a 30 percent tariff starting next month, ramping up pressure for deals in his trade wars. Both sets of duties would take effect August 1, Trump said in separate letters posted to his Truth Social platform, citing Mexico's role in illicit drugs flowing into the United States and a trade imbalance with the EU respectively. Since returning to the presidency in January, Trump has unleashed sweeping tariffs on allies and competitors alike, roiling financial markets and raising fears of a global economic downturn. But his administration is coming under pressure to secure deals with trading partners after promising a flurry of agreements. So far, US officials have only unveiled two pacts, with Britain and Vietnam, alongside temporarily lower tit-for-tat duties with China. The fresh duties for Mexico announced by Trump would be higher than the 25 percent levy he imposed Mexican goods earlier this year, although products entering the United States under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) are exempted. 'Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT, what Mexico has done, is not enough,' Trump said in his letter. 'Starting August 1, 2025, we will charge Mexico a Tariff of 30% on Mexican products sent into the United States.' Canada earlier received a similar letter setting out 35 percent tariffs on its goods. A US official earlier told AFP that the USMCA exemption was similarly expected to remain for Canada. The EU tariff is also markedly steeper than the 20 percent levy Trump unveiled in April, as negotiations with the bloc continue. The EU, alongside dozens of other economies, had been set to see its US tariff level increase from a baseline of 10 percent on Wednesday, but Trump pushed back the deadline to August 1 just days before the elevated rates were due to take effect. Since the start of the week, Trump has sent out letters to more than 20 countries with updated tariffs for each. Brussels said Friday that it was ready to strike a deal with Washington to prevent the return of 20 percent levies, and the latest letter suggests talks will carry on. The EU has prepared retaliatory duties on US goods worth around 21 billion euros after Trump also slapped separate tariffs on steel and aluminum imports earlier this year, and they are suspended until July 14. European officials have not made any move to extend the suspension but could do it quickly if needed.
