TEHRAN – Believed to be among the hottest spots on Earth, UNESCO-listed Rig-e Yalan, situated within Iran’s Lut desert, is a diamond in the rough which could shine bright as a touristic destination, according to experts.

One of the local officials, during a meeting dedicated to planning South Khorasan’s desert tourism event (Glorious East), highlighted the undervalued capacities that lies within the region.

“Desert yields a wonderful allurement,” Alireza Abbaszadeh noted. “Which [its charm] is no less than the sea [nautical tourism].”

Pointing to Rig-e Yalan as one of the hottest spots on earth, the official highlighted the hidden touristic potential within the region.

Abbaszadeh further elaborated that these capacities need to be introduced to tourists.

Outlining the unrecognized aspects of desert tourism, he added “While everyone has seen the sea at least for once, desert expedition is somehow neglected.”

Moreover, the provincial broadcasting director-general, Alireza Ayenehdar, emphasized that South Khorasan is teemed with cultural capacities.

He also expressed the local media’s readiness to serve as a platform to showcase the region’s rich culture and capabilities.

Ayenehdar further elaborated that the province, being home to many historical and cultural sites, boasts a great potential to be presented to a wider extent.

Mentioning the South Khorasan desert as a site that should take center stage on the agenda, the official pinpointed that the provincial broadcasting is all set to collaborate with expert content creators across the country.

“South Khorasan is a cultural heritage province, boasting remarkable capacities,” Ayenehdar winded up. “Which should be presented to the domestic and inbound tourists through media.”

The Lut Desert is located in the southeast part of Iran among three provinces of Kerman, Sistan-Baluchestan, and South Khorasan.

With never-ending dunes and plains, beautiful clear skies and rich cultural heritage that dates back more than 7000 years, Lut Desert (or Dasht-e Lut) is a paradise for visitors, blending geotourism, adventure tourism and cultural tourism all in one place.

One of the hottest places on the Earth's surface, with a maximum temperature of 70°C (158°F), the land was considered barren and inhospitable for years. But the beautiful yellow corrugated ridges of the desert hide a unique ecosystem with seasonal rivers, rare birds, lizards, and insects.

Lut Desert was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2016. It was inscribed based on criteria VII to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance; and VIII to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant ongoing geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features.