Iran has many stunning treasures, including this vibrant turquoise coastline of south Iran near the Persian Gulf

A relief sculpture of a sphinx on a balustrade of the Tripylon (Triple Gate), also known as the Central Palace or Council Hall in Persepolis

A parakeet awaits customers in order to choose a ‘fortune’ outside of the beloved Iranian poet Hafez’s tomb in Shiraz

A jaw-dropping vast dome interior at the Mausoleum of Sheikh Safi-ad-din Arbabili in Ardabil

A family rides a motorcycle past the Amir Chakhmaq Hosseinieh worship site, one of the largest such structures in Iran

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Iranian women in black abayas stand out against the golden surroundings while strolling down the promenade

Intricate detail The Nasir al Mulk Mosque is known as the Pink Mosque because of its rose-coloured tiles

Household lights illuminate the Kurdish village of Palangan at dusk, which cascades down a steep hill

Evening sunshine bathes the ancient city of Bam in a dusky hue. The historic oasis town was all but flattened by an earthquake that killed at least 26,200 people in 2003, but is now being rebuilt

Beacon The glittering Mausoleum of Shah-e-Cheragh in the city of Shiraz stands out against the evening sky

A view over the Kashan City and surrounding hills from the roof top of the Hammam Sultan Mir Ahmad (bath house)

A traditional tea house with pools and an elaborate interior where visitors can escape the heat to enjoy refreshments

Tourists can see the ancient Persian capital, Persepolis, built by Persian emperors from Darius to Xerxes and construction ceased with the downfall of the Achaemenid dynasty

The Shah-e Cheragh Sanctuary in Shriaz is an intricate funerary monument and mosque in Shiraz, Iran, housing the tomb of the brothers Ahmad and Muhammad, sons of Mūsā al-Kādhim and brothers of ‘Alī ar-Ridhā

The old Friday Mosque is the oldest in the country, dating from 1656. It’s a beautiful structure made from coral stone with inscribed Quranic script

The lavish Golestan Palace is a masterpiece of the Qajar era with glittering golden accents lining the walls and ceiling

Iranians walk on the Khajou bridge built by the Persian Safavid king, Shah Abbas II, around the year of 1650 in the historic city of Isfahan

Iranians take part during the Eid-al Fitr prayer ceremony in the city of Chalus, Mazandaran province in northern Iran

Inside the vast galleries of the Great Bazaar of Isfahan, with tapestries and coloured items decorating the walls

Inside the galleries of the Great Bazaar of Isfahan, with sellers displaying their colourful goods for passers-by

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As the sun shines through the stained glass windows at Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, its dominant red hue is highlighted in a kaleidoscope of colours

An Iranian Muslim tourist takes pictures inside Vank cathedral in the Julfa neighbourhood of the historic city of Isfahan, some 400 kilometres south of the capital, Tehran

An Iranian Armenian choir sings religious songs during a week-end mass at the Saint Stepanos church in the Julfa neighbourhood of the historic city of Isfahan

Americans and Brits travelling to Iran to see sights such as the incredible Si-o-seh Pol Bridge at night will need a visa ahead of time to enter mainland Iran, according to their respective governments

Worshippers attend an Eid al-Fitr prayer ceremony, in Tehran. Every year millions of Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Fitr which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan

Tehran’s Azadi Tower (also known as the Liberty Tower) is one of its most iconic structures, also marking the west entrance to the city

Skiing may not be the first activity that springs to mind when you think of Iran, but the country offers a number of spectacular slopes in the Fars Province