Baghdad Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, Dr. Hassan Nadhim, discussed today, Wednesday, with an Iranian delegation headed by the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Saeed Zadeh, the Iraqi-Iranian relations.

A statement by the ministry said that a number of cultural issues and projects were discussed, including: the establishment of joint cultural and artistic weeks between the two countries, musical, cinematic and literary works, and in various fields that contribute to introducing the two peoples to the civilization of both countries.

Nadhim said that: Iraq and Iran share common cultural, civilizational and artistic relations, and there is a great desire to deepen these relations, in addition to religious tourism that was recently affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.

He continued, “We seek a working visit soon, and exchange proposals to Tehran in July to hold cultural weeks, perhaps in the ninth and tenth months.”

Nadhim stressed that taking vaccinations contributes to the return of life to activate the cultural exchange between the two countries, pointing out that Iraq has begun the return of cultural life, including: the opening of the book fair, which is an indication of the receding of the epidemic and seeking to prepare work programs to implement them between the two countries.

For his part, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman indicated that there are cultural commonalities between the two countries that we seek to develop in theater and cinema, and the thing that limits this is the epidemic conditions and the transformation of these ideas into practical projects, and that cultural and artistic cooperation between the two countries will contribute to the rapprochement between the two peoples, and we will provide the ground necessary to do so, and qualify it for both peoples to become acquainted with the cultural landmarks of the other country.

The Iranian side requested a gradual opening of the religious shrines, pointing out that religious tourism does not need a government department, but rather relates to the desires of Iranian tourists to visit the holy shrines in Holy Karbala, Najaf and Kadhimiya.

The two sides agreed to resume the development of these relations after taking the vaccine, and the return of life to normal, and that there is a memorandum of understanding in the Tourism Authority to resume religious tourism between the two countries at a limited rate taking into account the conditions of the pandemic requirements, and there are frequent meetings to monitor the situation and review the Health and Safety Committee.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency