:root {
    --primary-brand: #00A693;
    --primary-bg: #FFFFFF;
    --secondary-bg: #F4F6F7;
    --primary-text: #333333;
    --secondary-text: #7D8B94;
    --accent-color: #3B82F6;
    --brand-dark: #005B5D;
  }

  /* Blog Hero Section — flat (no wave) per owner. */
  .blog-hero {
    background: linear-gradient(135deg, var(--primary-brand) 0%, var(--brand-dark) 100%);
    padding: 4rem 1.5rem 2rem;
    color: var(--primary-bg);
    text-align: center;
    border-radius: 20px;
    margin: calc(var(--ds-navbar-h, 72px) + 16px) 0 24px;
  }

  .blog-hero h1 {
    font-size: 2.8rem;
    font-weight: 800;
    margin-bottom: 1rem;
    text-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);
  }

  .blog-hero p {
    font-size: var(--ds-text-lg);
    opacity: 0.9;
    max-width: 600px;
    margin: 0 auto;
    line-height: 1.6;
  }

  /* Blog Container */
  .blog-container {
    max-width: 1200px;
    margin: 0 auto;
    padding: 4rem 2rem;
    position: relative;
  }

  /* Blog Grid — owner wants 3 cards per row × 10 rows on desktop. */
  .blog-grid {
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
    gap: 2rem;
    margin-bottom: 3rem;
  }
  @media (max-width: 960px) { .blog-grid { grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr); } }

  /* Modern Blog Card */
  .blog-card {
    background: var(--primary-bg);
    border-radius: 20px;
    overflow: hidden;
    box-shadow: 0 8px 30px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
    transition: all 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
    border: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.06);
    position: relative;
  }

  .blog-card::before {
    content: '';
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    left: 0;
    right: 0;
    bottom: 0;
    background: linear-gradient(135deg, rgba(0,166,147,0.02), rgba(0,166,147,0.01));
    opacity: 0;
    transition: opacity 0.4s ease;
    pointer-events: none;
    border-radius: 20px;
  }

  .blog-card:hover {
    transform: translateY(-12px) scale(1.02);
    box-shadow: 0 20px 60px rgba(0,166,147,0.15), 0 8px 30px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
    border-color: rgba(0,166,147,0.2);
  }

  .blog-card:hover::before {
    opacity: 1;
  }

  /* Blog Image */
  .blog-image {
    position: relative;
    height: 200px;
    overflow: hidden;
  }

  .blog-image img {
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    object-fit: cover;
    object-position: center top;
    transition: all 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
  }

  /* Hard mask over the bottom strip — placeholder seed JPEGs bake
     mirrored Persian title text in the lower third. Cover the bottom
     ~32 % entirely (solid brand-tinted) so the baked text never
     reads, with a soft gradient above to blend into the photo. */
  .blog-image::after {
    content: '';
    position: absolute;
    inset: auto 0 0 0;
    height: 55%;
    background:
      linear-gradient(180deg,
        rgba(15, 23, 42, 0) 0%,
        rgba(15, 23, 42, 0.35) 35%,
        rgba(15, 23, 42, 0.95) 75%,
        rgba(15, 23, 42, 1) 100%);
    pointer-events: none;
  }

  .blog-card:hover .blog-image img {
    transform: scale(1.08);
  }

  .blog-meta-badge {
    position: absolute;
    top: 1rem;
    right: 1rem;
    background: rgba(0,166,147,0.95);
    color: var(--primary-bg);
    padding: 0.4rem 0.85rem;
    border-radius: 20px;
    font-size: var(--ds-text-xs);
    font-weight: 600;
    backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
    box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0,166,147,0.3);
    display: inline-flex;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 0.35rem;
    z-index: 1;
  }

  .blog-reading-time {
    position: absolute;
    top: 1rem;
    left: 1rem;
    background: rgba(0,0,0,0.55);
    color: var(--primary-bg);
    padding: 0.35rem 0.75rem;
    border-radius: 16px;
    font-size: var(--ds-text-xs);
    font-weight: 500;
    display: inline-flex;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 0.3rem;
    backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
    z-index: 1;
  }

  /* Blog Content */
  .blog-content {
    padding: 2rem;
  }

  .blog-title {
    font-size: var(--ds-text-xl);
    font-weight: 700;
    color: var(--primary-text);
    margin-bottom: 1rem;
    line-height: 1.4;
    transition: color 0.3s ease;
    text-decoration: none;
    display: block;
  }

  .blog-title:hover {
    color: var(--primary-brand);
    text-decoration: none;
  }

  .blog-excerpt {
    color: var(--secondary-text);
    font-size: var(--ds-text-base);
    line-height: 1.7;
    margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
    display: -webkit-box;
    -webkit-line-clamp: 3;
    -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
    overflow: hidden;
  }

  .blog-footer {
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: space-between;
    padding-top: 1rem;
    border-top: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.08);
  }

  .blog-date {
    color: var(--secondary-text);
    font-size: var(--ds-text-sm);
    font-weight: 500;
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 0.4rem;
  }

  .read-more-btn {
    background: var(--primary-brand);
    color: var(--primary-bg);
    padding: 0.6rem 1.2rem;
    border-radius: 25px;
    text-decoration: none;
    font-size: var(--ds-text-sm);
    font-weight: 600;
    transition: all 0.3s ease;
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 0.5rem;
    box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0,166,147,0.2);
  }

  .read-more-btn:hover {
    background: var(--brand-dark);
    transform: translateY(-2px);
    box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(0,166,147,0.3);
    text-decoration: none;
    color: var(--primary-bg);
  }

  /* Enhanced Pagination */
  .blog-pagination {
    display: flex;
    justify-content: center;
    align-items: center;
    margin-top: 3rem;
    gap: 0.5rem;
  }

  .pagination-btn {
    padding: 0.8rem 1.2rem;
    border-radius: 12px;
    border: 2px solid var(--primary-brand);
    background: var(--primary-bg);
    color: var(--primary-brand);
    text-decoration: none;
    font-weight: 600;
    transition: all 0.3s ease;
    font-size: var(--ds-text-sm);
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 0.5rem;
    box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0,166,147,0.1);
  }

  .pagination-btn:hover {
    background: var(--primary-brand);
    color: var(--primary-bg);
    transform: translateY(-2px);
    box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(0,166,147,0.2);
    text-decoration: none;
  }

  .pagination-btn.active {
    background: var(--primary-brand);
    color: var(--primary-bg);
    box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(0,166,147,0.3);
  }

  .pagination-number {
    width: 40px;
    height: 40px;
    border-radius: 10px;
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: center;
    font-weight: 600;
    transition: all 0.3s ease;
  }

  /* Empty State */
  .blog-empty {
    text-align: center;
    padding: 4rem 2rem;
    color: var(--secondary-text);
  }

  .blog-empty-icon {
    font-size: 4rem;
    color: rgba(0,166,147,0.3);
    margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
  }

  .blog-empty h3 {
    font-size: var(--ds-text-2xl);
    color: var(--primary-text);
    margin-bottom: 1rem;
  }

  .blog-empty p {
    font-size: var(--ds-text-lg);
    opacity: 0.8;
    max-width: 400px;
    margin: 0 auto;
  }

  /* Responsive Design */
  @media (max-width: 768px) {
    .blog-hero {
      padding: 4rem 0 3rem;
    }
    
    .blog-hero h1 {
      font-size: 2.2rem;
    }
    
    .blog-hero p {
      font-size: var(--ds-text-base);
    }
    
    .blog-container {
      padding: 2rem 1rem;
    }
    
    .blog-grid {
      grid-template-columns: 1fr;
      gap: 1.5rem;
    }
    
    .blog-content {
      padding: 1.5rem;
    }
    
    .blog-title {
      font-size: var(--ds-text-lg);
    }
    
    .pagination-btn {
      padding: 0.6rem 1rem;
      font-size: var(--ds-text-sm);
    }
  }

  @media (max-width: 480px) {
    .blog-hero {
      padding: 3rem 0 2rem;
    }
    
    .blog-hero h1 {
      font-size: var(--ds-text-2xl);
    }
    
    .blog-image {
      height: 200px;
    }
    
    .blog-content {
      padding: 1.2rem;
    }
    
    .blog-footer {
      flex-direction: column;
      gap: 1rem;
      align-items: stretch;
    }
    
    .read-more-btn {
      justify-content: center;
    }
  }