TEHRAN--Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Reza Salehi-Amiri has delivered a message from President Masoud Pezeshkian to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, which emphasized the need to further strengthen relations between the two countries in cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts.

The minister conveyed the message during a meeting with Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism, Sun Yeli, on Thursday. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2nd General Assembly and 3rd Council Meeting of the Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia (ACHA), held from November 26 to 29 in Chongqing, China, IRNA reported.

“I am carrying Dr. Pezeshkian’s message for you and for the President of China. The President of Iran emphasizes that our economic, political, and cultural relations are already strong, and this strength should also be reinforced in the areas of cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts. The expectation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is that our cultural cooperation will move into a practical and more deeply developed phase,” Salehi-Amiri said.

He added that the Culture Ministries of both countries possess the necessary capabilities to enhance ties, noting that Iran’s sustainable security and tourism capacities can lay the groundwork for deeper cooperation.

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen cultural collaboration, he proposed the creation of an Asian framework for heritage cooperation aimed at boosting the region’s soft power.

Salehi-Amiri also highlighted Iran’s readiness to work with China on museum technologies and artificial intelligence to better showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage.
He referred to the 55th anniversary of official relations between Iran and China, suggesting that 2026 be designated as the Year of Cooperation in various cultural fields.

The minister invited his Chinese counterpart to attend the Tehran International Tourism Exhibition scheduled for February, as well as the Nowruz celebrations, which will see participation from 13 countries.

In response, Sun Yeli expressed strong support for Iran’s initiatives, emphasizing the potential for expanded cooperation, particularly in tourism and cultural exchange.

Emphasis on civilizational, historical capacities of Iran, Tajikistan

In a meeting between Salehi-Amiri and Minister of Culture of the Republic of Tajikistan Matlubakhon Sattoriyon, which was held on the sidelines of the Second General Assembly of ACHA in Chongqing, the two sides emphasized strengthening cultural cooperation, preserving common heritage, and expanding research and tourism interactions.

Salehi-Amiri explained the cultural capacities of Iran and Tajikistan and the role of common heritage in strengthening mutual relations, adding:  “Based on the President's emphasis, cooperation with Tajikistan is our priority, and we are happy that today the opportunity has been provided to open a new chapter in cultural relations between the two countries.”

At the beginning of the meeting, he officially invited Sattoriyon to attend the Nowruz celebration in Tehran and said: “We plan to invite the ministers of culture and tourism of the countries in the Nowruz region and some special guests to Tehran to attend the Nowruz ritual and to upgrade this capacity to the level of a summit in the coming years.”

Referring to the five shared intangible heritages of Iran and Tajikistan registered by UNESCO, Salehi-Amiri described these elements as civilizational capitals of the two countries and said: “Each of these heritages acts as a cultural connection between the two nations and a plan should be made for their joint preservation and introduction.”
Pointing to the importance of protecting manuscripts, historical documents, and endangered monuments, he suggested that Iran is ready to raise the idea of creating a joint mechanism for the preservation of heritage at the summit.

If agreed, regular meetings can be held at various ministerial and specialized levels to strengthen the path of practical cooperation such as the restitution of artifacts, joint world registration, and cultural counteraction to trafficking. 

Salehi-Amiri also announced that Iran is ready to provide Tajikistan with its knowledge and restoration experience, and considered Tajikistan's success in the field of heritage as Iran's success.

Stating that the Cultural Heritage Ministry’s Research Institute has five research institutes and 400 expert researchers, he proposed holding the first specialized conference on cultural heritage, manuscripts, archaeology, linguistics, and inscription reading between Iran and Tajikistan in Tehran and the second round of this conference in Dushanbe.

In another part of his speech, he referred to the development of tourism cooperation and said: “We have not placed any restrictions on expanding tourism exchanges with Tajikistan and have facilitated travel conditions by establishing a direct flight to Kish.”

Tajik Minister of Culture also expressed her appreciation for Iran's invitation to attend the Nowruz celebration and the preparation of the joint cultural meeting, saying: “Iran and Tajikistan are two nations and one culture. We have a common language, common roots, and common understanding, and this is a great asset for the future of our cooperation.”

She pointed to the Tajik President's emphasis on strengthening relations with Iran, adding: “We support all the proposals put forward by the Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage and are ready to start the first meeting of the Joint Cultural Commission during my first official visit to Tehran.”

Sattoriyon also referred to the global registration of the Cyrus Cylinder and the role of the shared heritage in the cultural diplomacy of the two countries and said: “In the field of Persian language and Persian literature, we must also fight against cultural threats and benefit from the capacity of the cultural research institutes of the two countries.”

Iran ready to transfer experiences to Maldives 

Also, Salehi-Amiri met and discussed with Maldives Minister of Dhivehi Language, Culture and Heritage Adam Nasir Ibrahim on the sidelines of the Second General Assembly of (ACHA) in Chongqing on Friday morning. In this meeting, Salehi-Amiri emphasized Iran's civilizational position and the extensive potential for mutual cooperation and said that Iran has more than one million identified historical monuments, thousands of which have been nationally registered. “So far, 29 tangible and 26 intangible monuments have been registered on the UNESCO list, and we have prepared provisional registration files for 58 monuments.”

Referring to Iran's strategic priorities in developing marine-based tourism, he stated that Iran, with its seven coastal provinces, has launched a national project based on a sea-based economy. “This orientation is based on the country's macro policies, and we are ready to provide our scientific, research and management experiences to Maldives.”

Salehi-Amiri stated that Iran has significant scientific capacity in the field of cultural heritage, adding: “Many experts in the fields of archaeology, restoration, Iranology, and cultural studies are active in the country. We are fully prepared to provide this knowledge and experience to the Maldives through joint courses, specialized training, and scientific projects.”

Pointing to Iran's position in the world's handicrafts, he continued that out of 400 known  handicrafts, 299 are produced in Iran. Holding an Iranian handicrafts exhibition in Male, the capital of Maldives, could be the beginning of a new chapter in cultural and artistic cooperation between the two countries, he added.

KD