TEHRAN—Bushehr plans to offer its local handicrafts and traditional arts on the sidelines of the Qatar World Cup, the provincial tourism chief has said.

Measures have been taken to prepare the ground for artisans from Bushehr to offer their works during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Esmaeil Sajadimanesh said on Friday.

The province will provide craftspeople with a free space to present their handmade products during the major event for 15 days, the official added.

“Bushehr’s exquisite handicrafts, which have a national and international reputation, will be showcased during the World Cup,” he noted.

Earlier this month, the official announced that tourism authorities of the southwestern province had plans to make the most of the Qatar World Cup opportunities.

In this regard, each related organization should take its part and address obstacles and issues in the shortest possible time, he said.

Back in September, the province’s governor Ahmad Mohammadizadeh announced that having the Qatar World Cup in a neighboring country and its closeness to Iran can be a good opportunity, especially for the southern regions of the country.

There are more special conditions in Bushehr province than in other provinces since it is located in the closest proximity to Qatar, with Dayyer port in Bushehr being 160 kilometers away from Qatar’s Al Ruwais port, he said.

Due to the proximity of the two countries’ ports, Qatar can provide part of its needs through the Dayyer port during the World Cup and the months leading up to and after it, he added.

Last week, the deputy tourism minister Maryam Jalali said that an exhibition of Iranian handicrafts and traditional arts is planned to be held on the sidelines of the Qatar World Cup.

As part of the exhibition, which is organized by Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Iran will host spectators and tourists and create a space where Iranian traditional art can be seen with Iranian symbols, she said.

A variety of cultural, artistic, and handicraft works will go on show in this exhibition, along with the latest scientific and technological achievements, the official added.

The exhibition can serve as a platform for attracting tourists to Iran during and after the World Cup by introducing Iran’s attractions and capabilities to the world, she noted.

“The goal is to showcase the great achievements of the Iranian people, as well as the attractions and events related to football, to counter Iranophobic statements,” she mentioned.

Back in May, Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami and Qatar’s Minister of Culture and Sports Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani met in Tehran, exchanging views on how to facilitate tourism during the major event.

Zarghami says the country must take the immense opportunity to introduce the county to the international spectators of the major event. “A significant number of travelers, mostly young people, would arrive in Qatar to attend the World Cup… It provides an exceptional opportunity for us to properly introduce tourist attractions of the country.”

“Over the past months, we have prepared some plans to arrack attendees to the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup soccer championship,” Zarghami said. “Most importantly, our [southern] islands and free zones [in the Persian Gulf] are prepared to host foreign spectators since they are appealing and wallet-friendly destinations.”

Many people are interested in visiting Iran for its historical attractions and eco-tourism, to name a few, Zarghami stated.

Iran football team became the 14th team to book their place in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Moreover, the ‘Persian Leopards’ became the first Asian team to book their place in a major competition.

ABU/AM