TEHRAN—Permanent office of National Meteorite Secretariat was inaugurated in Zarand, Kerman province, as one of the origins of celestial gemstones.

The inauguration ceremony was held on Monday, participated by officials of the Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration of Iran (GSI), Zarand governor, deputy head of Kerman Cultural Heritage Department, chancellors of universities and administrative managers of Zarand, IRNA reported. 

Zarand Governor Hemmat Izadi said: “We must seek to create new ideas and creative activities in order to attract capital for the region, and attracting tourists is one of the important methods that we must vigorously pursue.”

He added that the fact that Zarand is being introduced today as an important meteorite center in the country indicates efforts that will be fruitful in the short term and can certainly show themselves more in the medium term.

Izadi mentioned the launch of the National Meteorite Secretariat as an important step in organizing related promotional and commercial spaces, adding  that creating a platform for holding local and national markets in Zarand, promoting the purchase and sale of jewelry, gemstones, and meteorites, and examining, identifying, and issuing meteorite identification certificates has begun in Zarand city by a strong scientific committee with the support of professors from reputable universities. 

He mentioned holding training courses, field trips, and meteorite searches, as well as setting up a specialized workshop for cutting celestial gemstones in Zarand in cooperation with government agencies, scientific and academic centers, and the Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration of Iran, Department of Environment, and Cultural Heritage Department in collaboration with Islamic Azad University of Zarand, as other measures being taken. Also, Mohammad Eslami, head of the Zarand Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department, said that the secretariat will soon introduce a registration site to register interested parties from all over the country.

Zarand County, as a pioneer in extensive meteorite activities, including holding a national festival and launching a free meteorite market, as well as being located in the center of Iran and the heart of the desert, having pristine and fertile areas for meteorite exploration and exploration, and connecting to the two large Lut and central deserts, as well as gem-cutting activities, has provided a suitable space for the country's meteorite market.

The first Iranian Gemstone and Meteorite Festival was also held for three days from June 27 to 29 of this year in Zarand city. Zarand is located 80 kilometers north of Kerman Province

The second meteorite market will be held in Zarand during December 2025, said Abdolhossein Hemmati, an MP representing Zarand and Kouhbanan in the Iranian parliament in July 2025.

He expressed the hope that the event will draw Kermani visitors and even draw domestic and foreign tourists, IRNA reported.

During his meeting with the Head of Zarand Cultural Heritage Department Mohammad Eslami, Hemmati appreciated the efforts made in holding the first meteorite festival in Zarand successfully. “The successful holding of this festival, with the dynamic participation of activists of these sectors from different regions of the country, and the reflections of this event, which led to the visibility of other tourism capabilities, including the geotourism area of Zarand  and the existence of traces of the life of dinosaurs as the largest and oldest prehistoric animals, has created a double duty for us to help together so that Zarand city and Kerman province can benefit maximally from the results of such an event.”

“This measure showed that we have such a big capacity in our country. If it is planned well for drawing tourists, it will bring more benefits for the city, province and even the whole country.”

Eslami, for his part, said, “We sought to open a new window for the tourism industry, which brought good results through holding a meteorite market.”

He added that Kerman Cultural Heritage Department has conducted significant measures for turning Zarand into a pilot geopark across the country. 

“We will be gradually witnessing to presence of activists from all over the world in Zarand. This will draw many tourists to the city and Kerman province.”

KD