TEHRAN – Some 30 historical structures in North Khorasan province, northeast Iran, were restored during the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 21, 2022), the provincial tourism chief has said.

A budget of 8.9 billion rials ($22,500) was allocated to the restoration projects, Ali Mostofian explained on Monday.

Ostad Public Bathhouse, Safi-Abad Cistern, Mofakham Mansion, and Sabzeh-Meidan Caravanserai were among the monuments that underwent restoration during the mentioned period, the official added.

Moreover, 30 historical sites and monuments across the province have been inscribed on the national heritage list since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year, he noted.

Local travel insiders believe that traveling in North Khorasan is gaining momentum by degrees, creating lucrative opportunities for the tourism industry.

According to Lonely Planet, most foreign tourists pass straight through North Khorasan in transit between Mashhad and Gorgan, but if you have time to explore, it's worth diverting south from the capital, Bojnurd, towards Esfarayen, famed for its wrestling tournaments, the remarkable citadel of Belqays and the partly preserved stepped village of Roein some 20km north.

ABU/AM