TEHRAN–Ruben Wolochin, volleyball head coach from Argentina who currently works in Morocco, has said Iranian hospitality and cuisines are exemplary among countries across the world.

Wolochin on Thursday said he enjoyed having Iranian soup, kebabs, and salads, but especially advised foreign tourists in Iran to test the trademark cuisine, Ghormeh Sabzi herb stew, which is made with lamb or beef, vegetables, and beans.

Fresh from a trip to the Islamic Republic where he met dozens of the locals, Wolochin said, “During our trip to Iran, we were surprised; of course, positively. All Iranians are hospitable and friendly, and the food is delicious.”

He made the remarks at the Sa’dabad Cultural-Historical Complex in an interview with a reporter with IRNA. The Moroccan national volleyball team was in Tehran at an invitation by Iran’s Volleyball Federation.

Iranian food is a highlight of traveling in the country, with considerable variety on offer. While you may often eat cheap meals on the run, remember that for many Iranians, eating is a social event in which food is only half the story. Experts believe food is a delightful vehicle for discovering the ancient land long been situated at the crossroads of history.

A paradise for foodie travelers, the country is where it’s not just food on the menu. Some believe the Iranian cuisine is itself a metaphor for the country: It’s savory, sweet, fragrant, and incredibly complex.

No Persian meal is complete without an abundance of herbs. Every table is usually set with Sabzi-Khordan, a basket of fresh herbs, radishes, and scallions, which are eaten rawly and by the handful. Persian cuisine is, above all, about balance — of tastes and flavors, textures and temperatures.

Iranian cuisine delicately combines characteristics and peculiarities of Near and West Asia, India, and East Asia due to Iran’s checkered antiquity and the country's location as a hub of trade between East and West on the historic Silk Roads. Similarly, the Persians influenced many cuisines as part of their once policy of expansion.

AM