Tehran: Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Reza Salehi Amiri and Chairman of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan Umid Shadiev have agreed to form a joint technical committee, expand flight routes, and develop joint tourism and cultural heritage projects. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 26th General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization in Riyadh.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Salehi Amiri highlighted the cultural and civilizational similarities between the two countries, stating that the Iranian government prioritizes developing relations with Uzbekistan. He emphasized that the Iranian and Uzbek cultures, peoples, and histories are closely connected, suggesting that both nations exist within a shared cultural space.

Salehi Amiri expressed Iran’s willingness to assist in restoring Uzbekistan’s historic monuments, offering the expertise of the Iranian Research Institute of Cultural Heritage’s restoration department to collaborate on projects
in Bukhara and Samarkand. He also underscored the importance of organizing joint tourism and handicraft exhibitions in Tashkent and Tehran to showcase their cultural and historical strengths to regional countries.

Shadiev welcomed Salehi Amiri’s suggestions and expressed satisfaction with the increase in direct flights between Mashhad and Uzbek cities, emphasizing the necessity of direct connections for tourism to thrive. He also mentioned Uzbekistan’s current online visa issuance for Iranian tourists and expressed openness to establishing a mutual visa waiver to facilitate easier travel between the two countries.