TEHRAN – Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, has emphasized the strategic significance of Iran’s participation in the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) Congress 2025, held last week in the United Arab Emirates. In a recent statement, the minister described the event as a vital platform for advancing Iran’s cultural diplomacy and promoting the country’s rich civilizational identity on the global stage.

Salehi-Amiri noted that the event provided a considerable opportunity to discuss the country‘s capacities in cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts. He underscored that Iran’s active presence helped project “a new and realistic image of cultural and civilizational Iran” to an international audience.

In his remarks, the minister highlighted the growing importance of cultural diplomacy in a rapidly changing and complex global landscape. He described Iran’s approach as one rooted in civilizational depth and aimed at fostering sustainable peace, cultural convergence, and multi-layered international cooperation.

During the congress, Salehi-Amiri held bilateral and multilateral meetings with ministers of culture, economy, and tourism from various countries. These engagements, he said, helped lay the groundwork for expanding scientific, cultural, and economic collaborations, particularly in areas such as heritage preservation, handicrafts, and sustainable tourism.
The minister identified key themes of the 2025 AIM Congress — including digital transformation, tourism infrastructure investment, emerging technologies, and sustainable development — as critical to shaping future-oriented strategies. He asserted that Iran, with its unique geopolitical position, cultural diversity, and natural resources, is well-positioned to attract forward-looking investment in technology-driven and sustainable tourism projects.
    
Salehi-Amiri also stressed the importance of developing elite-level academic and cultural partnerships with other nations. Such initiatives, he argued, would not only support national economic goals but also enhance Iran’s role as a soft power and civilizational reference point in global cultural and economic dynamics.

In conclusion, the minister underlined that Iran’s participation in the AIM 2025 Congress contributed to a more accurate and constructive international understanding of the country. “With its rich heritage, strategic advantages, and vision for sustainable development, Iran can offer a model of balanced and future-oriented diplomacy,” Salehi-Amiri added.
“This path will not only serve Iran’s national interests but also elevate its status as an active and influential player on the global stage.”

Salehi-Amiri traveled to Abu Dhabi at the official invitation of UAE’s chairman of the tourism council and Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the UN Tourism, formerly known as the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). He was welcomed upon arrival by Iran’s ambassador to the UAE.
The Islamic Republic expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 28 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

AM