TEHRAN - Isfahan, one of the top travel destinations in Iran, seeks closer ties with China through a consulate proposal.

On Wednesday, Isfahan Mayor Ali Ghasemzadeh proposed the idea of opening a consulate office in the ancient city during his meeting with Chinese diplomats.

Ghasemzadeh stressed the need for bolstering support for Chinese people willing to visit Isfahan. “China can establish a consulate in Isfahan to help facilitate and support the travels of its nationals,” the mayor said.

He referred to the 25-year memorandum of understanding signed between Iran and China, saying there are many economic and tourism capacities embedded in the accord that should be taken advantage of.

The mayor then talked about a sister-city agreement between Isfahan and Xian, saying: “Xian has been Isfahan’s sister city for 34 years… In fact, it marks Isfahan’s first sister city… and that precedence is important for us.”

Isfahan was once a crossroads of international trade and diplomacy in Iran and now it is one of Iran’s top tourist destinations for good reasons. It is filled with many architectural wonders, such as unmatched Islamic buildings, bazaars, museums, Persian gardens, and tree-lined boulevards. It’s a city for walking, getting lost in its mazing bazaars, dozing in beautiful gardens, and meeting people.

The ancient city has long been nicknamed as Nesf-e-Jahan, which is translated into “half the world”; meaning seeing it is relevant to see half the world.

AFM