TEHRAN –The 16th edition of a flower festival dedicated to the poppy plains was held in Mayamey, northcentral Iran on Monday, a local tourism official has said.

The festival was attended by local cultural officials and tourists as well as nature lovers, Seyyed Mohammad Sadeq Razavian explained on Tuesday. 

Performing folk music, setting up handicrafts market, and visiting tourist attractions of the nearby villages were parts of the festival, the official added. 

Moreover, an Iranian traditional wrestling competition was also held on the sidelines of the festival, he noted. 

The oldest and perhaps most beautiful evidence of flower bouquets in Iran is found in the stone carvings of the UNESCO-registered Persepolis. Over 2500 years old, the stone carvings show Darius I (550 – 486 BC), holding the scepter of authority in one hand and a lotus flower with two buds in his right hand as a symbol of royalty.

ABU/AM