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Minister calls cultural diplomacy ‘bridge between hearts’ as Tehran, Beijing revive Silk Road legacy
Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Reza Salehi-Amiri said on October 14 that cultural diplomacy must serve as “a bridge between hearts” in deepening ties between Iran and China.
His message was read by Ebrahim Zarei, head of Iran’s Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, at the opening ceremony of the Silk Gift exhibition in Tehran, IRNA reported.
The minister’s remarks come as Tehran and Beijing increasingly lean on cultural engagement to complement their growing economic and political cooperation under a long-term strategic partnership. Analysts say Iran’s emphasis on shared civilizational roots with China reflects an effort to project soft power and revive its historic role as a crossroads of the ancient Silk Road.
Salehi-Amiri called cultural diplomacy “a strategic pillar” for national progress, describing Iran and China as “two great Asian civilizations” bound by centuries of trade and religious exchange. He pointed to ancient Zoroastrian and Manichaean traditions as formative links between the two, saying those cultural and spiritual interactions once “shaped and stabilized” political and commercial relations across Asia.
“Such a legacy should not be confined to history books,” the minister wrote. “It must evolve into a living connection that binds the identities and aspirations of our peoples today.” He urged that current relations move beyond a transactional economic framework and embrace the shared cultural and civilizational heritage that “illuminates today’s interactions.”
Salehi-Amiri underscored the need for rigorous academic research to better map the intertwined cultural roots of Iran and China. A clearer scientific understanding of this common heritage, he argued, could “offer a brighter image of our shared ancient identity in art and culture” and inspire a “renewed sense of civilizational belonging.”
He also noted that historical exchanges of faith and craftsmanship—from religious missions to ceramic and metalwork trades along the Silk Road—remain visible in archaeological sites across the two nations. These remnants, he said, provide fertile ground for joint research between Iranian and Chinese universities and cultural institutes.
The minister described heritage as “a civilizational gateway” for building broader relations and hailed the “Gifts of the Silk Road” exhibition, organized by the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, as a practical example of purposeful cultural diplomacy.
He revealed that the ministry’s next initiative will focus on the maritime heritage of Iran and China, exploring ancient seafaring technologies and artistic traditions.
Salehi-Amiri expressed hope that sustained cultural collaboration would “pave the way for more Chinese visitors to the ancient land of Iran.”