TEHRAN—On Friday, Vietnam’s National Assembly President Vuong Dinh Hue paid a visit to Isfahan as part of his journey to Iran.

In his one-day trip to the ancient city, Hue met with Isfahan’s Governor-General Seyyed Reza Mortazavi and several other local officials, discussing ways to deepen ties, CHTN reported on Saturday.

His visit to the Islamic Republic is organized to mark the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two nations, the report said.

50 years have passed since the diplomatic relations between the countries of Vietnam and Iran, and for this reason, strengthening cooperation in cultural, tourism, commercial, and economic fields is on our agenda to increase the level of the social life of the people of these countries, Hue said.

Earlier this year, Isfahan Mayor Ali Ghasemzadeh said his municipality is ready to establish closer ties with Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City based on interests and mutual needs.

Ghasemzadeh proposed that Isfahan and Ho Chi Minh City may even become sister cities after they tried their hands at tourism, cultural and economic interactions.

The mayor made the remarks during a meeting with the Vietnamese ambassador to Iran, Luong Quoc Huy.

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