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Tehran, Yerevan set up joint task force to ease tourism bottlenecks
Iran’s deputy tourism chief Anoushirvan Mohseni Bandpey on Tuesday in Tehran announced the creation of a joint taskforce with Armenia to tackle border hurdles at Norduz and design combined travel packages, calling the move “a civilizational step” that could reshape tourism across the Caucasus.
Speaking after a meeting of the Iran–Armenia tourism committee, Mohseni Bandpey stressed that the two neighbors must “clear the bottlenecks” at Norduz in East Azarbaijan province, where long queues of buses and cars have hampered cross‑border traffic.
He said the new operational group will streamline ground transit and pave the way for tourists to enjoy seamless journeys “from Tehran to Yerevan, from Jolfa to Lake Sevan.”
The deputy minister underlined that tourism should no longer stop at the frontier. “Visitors entering Armenia must be able to continue into Iran with one integrated program, and vice versa,” he said, describing the plan as a structural innovation that will enrich travel experiences and open new commercial opportunities.
On Monday, Mohseni Bandpey met Armenian economy and tourism minister Gevorg Papoyan in Yerevan, where both sides agreed to form a joint commission on border management.
He argued that border cooperation is not merely logistical but “a prerequisite for a leap in tourism and wider economic exchanges.”
"Armenia and Iran are long-time friendly countries, and our cooperation in the tourism sector, especially in recent years, has been steadily developing. In 2024 alone, around 179,000 tourists visited Armenia from Iran, and from January to November 2025, we have already recorded 166,000 visits," Papoyan said, Caspian Post reported.
The Norduz crossing, lying on the busy Tabriz–Jolfa axis, is Iran’s sole land customs gate with Armenia and a key link to the Eurasian Economic Union. Officials believe its upgrade could turn East Azarbaijan into a gateway for four‑season tourism and regional trade.
“Norduz must evolve from a checkpoint into a service‑driven hub,” Mohseni Bandpey said, adding that coordinated transport, standardized controls and expanded passenger facilities are essential to meet peak demand.
Iran, with its trove of UNESCO‑listed heritage sites, and Armenia, with its historic churches and striking landscapes, aim to complement each other by offering joint cultural routes. The talks also covered visa facilitation, private‑sector engagement and professional exchanges between the two countries’ tourism bodies.
Mohseni Bandpey called these measures the “pillars” of future cooperation. “Every step must tangibly improve the traveler’s experience. That is our benchmark,” he said.
By aligning border policy with tourism strategy, Tehran and Yerevan hope to turn their frontier from a choke point into a corridor of steady, profitable and secure travel.