Deputy Minister Meets Iranian Ambassador to Discuss Expanding Tourism and Cultural Cooperation

Mawlawi Qudratullah Jamal, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Financial and Administrative Affairs at the Ministry of Information and Culture, met with Ali Reza Bikdeli, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Afghanistan, and Seyed Ruhollah Hosseini, Iran's Cultural Attaché in Kabul.
The meeting focused on strengthening tourism cooperation between Afghanistan and Iran, enhancing travel facilitation for visitors from both countries, streamlining travel for tourism, pilgrimage, medical treatment, and education, expanding joint cultural initiatives, and increasing tourist exchange through closer bilateral coordination.
At the outset of the meeting, Mawlawi Qudratullah Jamal noted that Afghanistan and Iran enjoy longstanding friendly relations. He emphasized the need to provide the necessary facilities to support tourism, medical travel, educational exchanges, and transportation services for pilgrims traveling to Karbala.
Mr. Jamal also requested that, drawing on Iran's experience, opportunities be created for lecturers at the Ministry of Information and Culture's Institute of Tourism and Hospitality to participate in professional training and academic seminars. He noted that such programs would enable them to benefit from the expertise and achievements of experienced instructors.
The Deputy Minister further stated that, to facilitate broader cooperation, a memorandum of understanding would be prepared and signed by both sides to strengthen collaboration and support the implementation of the necessary initiatives.
Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Ali Reza Bikdeli highlighted the deep religious, cultural, and civilizational ties shared by Afghanistan and Iran. He underscored the importance of expanding bilateral cooperation and reaffirmed Iran's commitment to facilitating tourism and pilgrimage between the two countries. He added that sharing the experiences of the two friendly and brotherly nations would contribute to the growth and development of the tourism industry.
The Iranian Ambassador also announced that, in coordination with the relevant institutions of both countries, specialized training seminars would be organized for lecturers from tourism and hospitality institutes in Afghanistan and Iran, with instruction provided by Iranian experts.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation in the fields of culture and tourism and pledged to maintain close coordination and further strengthen bilateral relations in these areas.