Just saw this, I had exchanged some cash at the airport because you probably need some to a) get SIM card b) get a ride to the hotel but only exchange very little because these guys try to give you a low rate. Once you are in town there are lots of exchange places and their rate is usually always the same.

Persian caravanserais seems to be in the running for nomination by Iran in the next years:
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/454347/Iran-submits-dossier-to-UNESCO-for-listing-Safavid-era-Ganjali

Iran has no nomination yet for 2023, so this could be it.

Iran seeks UNESCO recognition for millennia-old petroglyphs (Teymareh petroglyphs in Khomein county of Markazi province)
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/456797/Iran-seeks-UNESCO-recognition-for-millennia-old-petroglyphs

I don't see this on Iran's Tentative List yet.

Iranian newspaper Iran Daily reports that the country is working on multiple nominations at the same time: the Persian Caravanserais and no less than 3 extensions - an additional Hyrcanian forest at Dizmar, another Armenian Orthodox Church (Vank in Isfahan) and Nasqsh-e Rostam and Naqsh-e Rajab in addition to Persepolis.

Just finished adding descriptions to all 57 Iranian TWHS.

Iran seems to know the ropes about getting sites inscribed, but its T List is rather messy:
- There's a triple TWHS entry Qasr-e Shirin (2x on its own and once caravanserai).
- Izadkhast (looks pretty on photos) also part of Caravanserai and possibly also Silk Road (which is without hint of a location at all).
- Ghaznavi- Seljukian Axis in Khorasan also 2 caravanserais
- Tape Sialk is also double (alone and as part of axis of fin,sialk, kashan)
- Lots of uninspirational, short texts (Zozan or "There is not similar area in Iran or in the world." Or try to make sense of this)
- 5 sites have already been inscribed in one way or another, and 3 are proposed extensions.
- Kharghan (of Bastam and Kharghan) probably is nearby Kharghani, but whether that has monuments as well or is this just an indication where Bastam is located?
- Ruchun Wildlife Refuge? – no idea where it is or what it is about

Among the better ones:
- Taq-e Bostan
- Possibly Touran ("little africa) with critically endangered asian cheetah.
- The Caravanserais can be good, but choose a good selection and do not put those sites forward as well as single entries or as part of Silk Road
- The Collection of Historical Bridges is better than it sounds.
- Nasqsh-e Rostam and Naqsh-e Rajab
- Abyaneh (possibly the best among the multiple vernacular villages on the T List of Iran)

Surprisingly so little information about the "The Great Wall of Gorgan" from travellers. This seems like an easy inscription. There is little question the fortifications have at least equivalent "visible" remains compared to the Antonine Wall (and much compared to the 'Frontiers of the Roman Empire' in Continental Europe). From a short amount of research it seems vastly more intact than I initially suspected.

FYI the information in the TWHS description is inaccurate. "The Great Wall of Gorgan" was built by the Persian Empire to fortify its northern frontier against China." The Wall was built after the Han Dynasty and before the Tang Dynasty, even so "The Great Wall of Gorgan" is about 3,000 kilometers West of a mostly fragmented border in China at the time.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/461245/Experts-busy-demarcating-great-defensive-wall-as-a-prerequisite

I tried to visit the remainings of the Wall of Gorgan near Gonbad-e Qabus based on the coordinates provided by the state party. There was literally nothing there, no visible remainings at all. I wonder where these picturesque pieces of the wall actually are.

I don't understand the reference to the Dezful bridge in the newly inscribed TIR site. Was the old bridge used for the railway at some point or is there a different bridge nearby?

[
A mistake - The trans Iranian railway doesn't and never has gone to Dezful.
Its southern starting point is in present day Bandar Imam Khomeini (originally Banadar Sahpur when the railway was built) and it crosses the River Karun from East to West at Ahvaz on the historic "Black Bridge" (Pol-e Siah). It doesn't recross the Karun and the nearest it gets to Dezful is the town of Andimeshk 12kms NW.

Those visiting Susa, Chogha Zanbil and Shushtar might be interested to know that there is a Trans-Iranian station at Shush (the town containing the ruins of Susa) and is actually called "Susa Railway Station". It is of no particular technical or architectural merit. But you will have crossed the core zone since every km of the line is inscribed!!!

The coordinates of the Black Bridge are 31.332579, 48.681246
A Web site with info and photos of the bridge - https://www.alaedin.travel/en/attractions/iran/ahvaz/ahvaz-black-bridge

Thanks for the clarification. The Dezful bridge is nice but made no sense.
I'm sure there are many like me that have crossed the railway unintentionally multiple times as they moved around the country. Figuring out what would constitute a reasonable "tick" on an otherwise mostly uninspiring site might be difficult to achieve consensus on. Even a ride on a random section probably wouldn't give much additional insight into OUV...

That is very interesting to know, one to keep in the back pocket if I ever get to Iran.

As an aside, nice to see you back Solivagant, I hope you have increased your tally over the last few days.

Hey, the trans-Iranian railway could be a connection in itself, putting together some WHSs!

Solivagant (and everybody else)
Do you also happen to know which could other relevant stops to reach interesting sites if one were to do ride all the railway from end to end?

Just crudely looking at the map I put together these ones, wondering how reasonable they are:
* Susa, Chogha Zanbil and Shushtar that you cited
* the persian garden in Bagh-e FIn (from Qom)
* the Golestan palace in Tehran
* passing through (?) hyrcanian forests in the northern branch
* and another persian garden in Bagh-e Abas Abad
* finally, once arrived in Band-e Torkeman, Gonbad-e Kavus might be a little too far away to be considered linked by the railway, but still...

Great to hear from you, Solivagant! Hope all is well!

What "OUV"??
Surely we all recognise that this site doesn't deserve the status of "World" heritage - its inscription was a farce. In the early days of "World Heritage", nominations used to be rejected frequently for only being of "Regional" or "National" importance - not a valid reason now. This railway clearly fitted one of those categories.
Hopefully to avoid being called "Eurocentric" by some members of the "Community" I would add that many, many European inscriptions are similarly limited in importance - indeed a majority of recent inscriptions. (I would also add that I have great respect for the people of Iran - their culture and history and maintain regular friendly personal contact inside that country following my last visit).
But we have to accept the "grade inflation" which has taken place regarding WH inscription - every country is now "entitled" (I use the workd advisedly) to have its mediocre places of interest "bigged up" by being granted "World" level recognition and the concept by which WH status is the pinnacle of a pyramid ranging from "local" through to "World" significance has been lost along the way.

Never mind - the system does throw up subjects of interest, and learning about the history of the Trans-Iranian railway has been one of them. I don't need to see any more of it than I have (not only at Susa by the way!!) to gain that benefit. Just don't expect me to sign in to the unjustified hype about "OUV". As Confucius didn't say "Use World Heritage as guide - not as Bible"