Iran Uzbekistan eager to strengthen cultural and tourism ties
Iran, Uzbekistan eager to strengthen cultural and tourism ties
TEHRAN - In a significant move to bolster bilateral relations, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, met with Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Fariddin Nasriev, on Tuesday.
The meeting, held at the minister’s office in Tehran, focused on strengthening cooperation in the areas of tourism, cultural heritage, and handicrafts.
During the meeting, Salehi-Amiri emphasized the Iranian government’s strategic policy of fostering stronger ties with neighboring countries. “The foundation of this important journey is the resolute will of embassies and ambassadors,” he noted, highlighting the critical role of diplomatic efforts in forging closer connections.
Salehi-Amiri also referred to his recent meeting with Aziz Abdukhakimov, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, where the two sides agreed to sign a comprehensive memorandum of understanding. Central to this agreement is the establishment of a joint technical tourism committee aimed at increasing tourist exchanges and deepening cultural interactions between the two nations, the minister said.
Initiatives to boost tourism
The Iranian minister outlined several initiatives to enhance tourism collaboration. These include increasing flight frequencies between the two countries, engaging in discussions with Uzbek airline companies, and fostering partnerships between travel agencies in Iran and Uzbekistan.
These measures, Salehi-Amiri stated, are critical to boosting mutual tourism and strengthening the cultural bonds shared by the two nations.
Shared heritage and joint celebrations
Salehi-Amiri underscored the rich shared cultural heritage of Iran and Uzbekistan, pointing to six jointly inscribed intangible cultural assets on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
These include Nowruz, the traditional musical instrument Rubab, illumination art (Tazhib), the Iftar tradition, sericulture and silk weaving, and miniature painting.
Moreover, the minister proposed hosting joint festivals to highlight these cultural connections, noting that such events could serve as a bridge to familiarize the peoples of both countries with their shared history and attractions.
“Increasing the number of tourists and strengthening people-to-people ties can bring about transformative changes in cultural and political relations,” he added.
Expanding collaborative efforts
In addition to tourism, Salehi-Amiri highlighted other areas for potential collaboration.
These include joint archaeological excavations and restoration projects, expanding health tourism, organizing shared handicrafts exhibitions, and exchanging expertise between artisans of the two nations.
Ambassador's view
Ambassador Nasriev reciprocated Iran’s enthusiasm for closer ties, expressing Uzbekistan’s readiness to help facilitate Iranian travelers’ entry into the country.
According to CHTN, the envoy, for his part, welcomed the proposal to establish a joint technical tourism committee and expressed optimism about fostering partnerships with Iranian travel agencies and airlines.
The meeting between Salehi-Amiri and Nasriev represents a pivotal step in enhancing regional integration and cultural diplomacy between Tehran and Tashkent.
AM
source: tehrantimes.com