TEHRAN—An exhibition of Iranian handicrafts and traditional arts is planned to be held on the sidelines of the Qatar World Cup, the deputy tourism minister has said.

As part of the exhibition, which is organized by Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Iran will host spectators and tourists and create a space where Iranian traditional art can be seen with Iranian symbols, IRNA quoted Maryam Jalali as saying on Tuesday.

A variety of cultural, artistic, and handicraft works will go on show in this exhibition, along with the latest scientific and technological achievements, the official added.

The exhibition can serve as a platform for attracting tourists to Iran during and after the World Cup by introducing Iran’s attractions and capabilities to the world, she noted.

“The goal is to showcase the great achievements of the Iranian people, as well as the attractions and events related to football, to counter Iranophobic statements,” she mentioned.

Back in August, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade Omid Qalibaf announced in addition to handicrafts exhibitions, Doha will also host five more Iranian exhibitions in the fields of food, furniture and chandeliers, decoration, construction materials, clothing, Islamic fashion, hotel and catering, and technical and engineering services.

These exhibits will be held in collaboration with Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPO) as well as Iran’s embassy in Doha, the official added.

In addition to introducing Iran’s export goods to Qatari businessmen, the exhibitions will include business meetings between Qatari and Iranian businessmen, he explained.

Back in May, Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami and Qatar’s Minister of Culture and Sports Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani met in Tehran, exchanging views on how to facilitate tourism during the major event.

Zarghami says the country must take the immense opportunity to introduce the county to the international spectators of the major event. “A significant number of travelers, mostly young people, would arrive in Qatar to attend the World Cup… It provides an exceptional opportunity for us to properly introduce tourist attractions of the country.”

“Over the past months, we have prepared some plans to arrack attendees to the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup soccer championship,” Zarghami said. “Most importantly, our [southern] islands and free zones [in the Persian Gulf] are prepared to host foreign spectators since they are appealing and wallet-friendly destinations.”

Many people are interested in visiting Iran for its historical attractions and eco-tourism, to name a few, Zarghami stated.

His deputy for tourism, Ali-Asghar Shalbafian, says the landmark event would give Iran a chance to dwindle the so-called anti-Iranian sentiments known as Iranophobia. “Qatar’s World Cup offers a unique opportunity to introduce destinations near the host country, and we should take advantage of this opportunity to confront Iranophobia.”

To make good use of this occasion, it is necessary to develop consensus among the relevant agencies, and if this does not occur, it will be detrimental to the country, Shalbafian explained.

The geographical position of Iran and its unique tourist attractions make it a potential destination for World Cup spectators, the official added. “Therefore, proper policy-making and management in collaboration with the private sector can pave the way for the widespread use of this event.”

Head of the Iranian Tour Operators Ebrahim Pourfaraj believes the World Cup should be a turning point in Iran’s tourism industry. “By attracting World Cup spectators to Iran, the Iranian tourism industry could secure a brighter future.” There is also a need for the Iranian southern islands of Kish and Qeshm to re-affirm their accommodation centers’ capacity to receive foreign travelers, he noted.

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 26 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Iran football team became the 14th team to book their place in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Moreover, the ‘Persian Leopards’ became the first Asian team to book their place in a major competition.

ABU/AM