Iran advances UNESCO bid for historic Siraf Port
Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts said the historic port of Siraf has been prioritized for inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, given the historical and cultural potential of Bushehr Province.
According to IRNA, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri made the remarks while speaking to reporters at the conclusion of a two-day visit to Bushehr Province.
He said the inscription of Siraf as a World Heritage Site would bring about a major transformation in the region’s economy, employment and tourism sector.
Salehi-Amiri said three nomination dossiers — Siraf, Tus and Iran’s Jaame Mosques — had been prioritized this year, but Siraf was given precedence because of the particular circumstances and potential of Bushehr Province.
Referring to the recent inscription of Alamut Castle as Iran’s 30th World Heritage site, he said 58 other sites are currently on the country’s Tentative List. He added that if UNESCO’s time restrictions on nominations were lifted, the inscription of these sites would further strengthen Iran’s position as a leading civilization in the world.
The minister said Iran currently has one million historical sites, 43,000 nationally registered heritage sites and 30 sites inscribed on the World Heritage List.
Salehi-Amiri also praised Bushehr Governor General Arslan Zar’e for his performance in the fields of cultural heritage and tourism, as well as in other areas, saying his work had received recognition from the current government.
Describing the programs carried out during his visit, he said he had met with investors, tourism operators and trade associations in the province, listened to their concerns, and addressed some of the issues in cooperation with the provincial governor, while other matters had been referred for follow-up.
Referring to a major Tourism Week celebration held in Bushehr, Salehi-Amiri said the aim was to encourage domestic and international tourists to rediscover Iran’s southern coastline and Bushehr.
“Everything that is beautiful about Iran is reflected in Bushehr,” he said.
The minister also referred to the opening of the Raisali Delvari Museum, describing it as one of the country’s most beautiful museums following its modern redesign. He said the museum’s conceptual design and arrangement of exhibits portray the historical evolution of resistance.
He also referred to his visits to the province’s Jaame Mosque and historic castles, expressing hope that, following the necessary restoration work, these monuments would also be inscribed on the World Heritage List.