TEHRAN – Iran’s cultural heritage minister on Tuesday described the Caspian Sea coastal governors’ summit as the start of a new phase of regional cooperation, saying the country holds more than one million documented historical sites.

Reza Salehi-Amiri, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, addressed the meeting held in Gilan with the participation of Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and officials from Caspian littoral countries.

Salehi-Amiri said Iran represents “one of the most unique civilizational spheres” and has registered some 43,000 national heritage sites, along with 29 tangible sites (or collective sites) and 26 intangible elements on UNESCO lists. He said 58 more sites are on Iran’s tentative list.

“This meeting marks the beginning of a new model for cooperation, trust-building and sustainable development in the Caspian region,” Miras Aria quoted the minister as saying.

Salehi-Amiri said cultural and historical ties between Iran and its northern neighbors are longstanding. “Our history, culture, and traditions are intertwined,” he said.

He said Iran has thousands of tourism facilities, including hotels, ecolodges and tourism villages, and noted that Gilan, Mazandaran and Golestan provinces host half of domestic travel and contain 3,648 tourism establishments.

The minister said Iran’s policy under President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasizes expanding maritime tourism and strengthening cooperation with neighboring states.

Citing global tourism data, he said Iran recorded one of the largest health tourism capacities in the region in 2024, generating about $2 billion in spending by foreign patients. Iran aims to attract 15 million tourists and $6 billion in medical tourism revenue within five years, he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Salehi-Amiri said that the ancient country has 299 registered forms of handicrafts and offers a diverse environment for cultural and nature-based tourism.

He further said there are 117 potential areas of cooperation among Caspian littoral countries, stressing that mutual trust is key to progress.

Addressing possible investment opportunities on tourism projects, the minister noted that the Islamic Republic is ready to host foreign investment across 2,700 active tourism projects. “The necessary capacity exists to attract investment and ensure appropriate returns,” he said.

AM