TEHRAN – There are no challenges for foreign tourists in Kerman, the southern province’s governor-general has said.

A safe and hospitable destination, Kerman is an ideal destination for foreign tourists, Mohammad Mehdi Fadakar explained on Sunday.

In addition to being Iran’s largest geographical province, Kerman has great features and capabilities in various areas, including mining and agriculture and tourism, he added.

Kerman is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage sites, including UNESCO-tagged Bam Citadel.

The UNESCO-tagged Bam and its Cultural Landscape is located on the southern edge of the Iranian high plateau, in Kerman province, close to the Pakistan border. It’s highly regarded as an outstanding example of an ancient fortified settlement.

According to UNESCO, the origins of the citadel can be traced back to the Achaemenid period (6th to 4th centuries BC) and even beyond. The ensemble was at a crossroads of important trade routes as well in its heyday sometime between the 7th and 11th centuries. The massive fortress and its environs were almost completely brought down to earth due to a devastating earthquake on December 26, 2003.

The big and sprawling Kerman province has been a cultural melting pot since antiquity, blending Persians with subcontinental tribe dwellers. It is home to myriad historical sites and scenic landscapes such as Bazaar-e Sartasari, Jabalieh Dome, Ganjali Khan Bathhouse, Malek Jameh Mosque, and Shahdad Desert, to name a few.

ABU/AM