Iran, Iraq Keen to Expand Tourism Ties
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran’s Foreign Ministry Ali Akbar Salehi on Sunday met with the Iraqi minister of tourism and antiquities, Liwaa Sumaisem, in Tehran to discuss expansion of bilateral relations, including tourism ties.
During the meeting , Salehi pointed at willingness of both Iranian and Iraqi tourists and pilgrims to visit the two neighboring countries, and stressed the necessity of bilateral cooperation to facilitate pilgrimage to the holy shrines in both countries.
He also urged implementation of mutual projects in tourism field by Iranian and Iraqi private sectors
The Iraqi minister, for his part, assessed the talks in Tehran as “good and constructive” and announced his country’s readiness to continue and bolster cooperation with Iran and to get advantage of Iran’s precious experiences in order to preserve and protect historical and cultural sites in Iraq.
The relations between Iran and Iraq have witnessed a growing trend ever since the overthrow of the former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, in 2003.
Every year, many Iranian pilgrims travel to Iraq where the holy shrines of a number of Shiite Imams and their descendants are located.
On Thursday, Iranian President Ahmadinejad made an official visit to Iraq at the head of a high-ranking delegation aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries.
