TEHRAN – Over 1,400 historical and archaeological sites, scattered across Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, have been inscribed on the National Heritage List, provincial tourism chief has said.

So far some 3,000 archaeological sites have been identified across the province through excavations and surveys conducted by the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, ISNA quoted Alireza Jalalzaie as saying on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, Jalalzaie announced that the number of international travelers to the province grew by 23 percent during the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21) compared to the same period last year.

Sistan-Baluchestan is home to distinctive archaeological sites and natural attractions, including two UNESCO World Heritage sites, namely Shahr-e-Soukhteh (Burnt City) and the Lut Desert, which is shared between it and Kerman Province.

AFM/MQ/MG