Shuttle flights between Iran’s Kish Island and Doha, the capital of Qatar, have been scheduled for the World Cup 2022 (Nov. 21-Dec. 18), an Iranian aviation official announced.
“As per the agreement between Iran and Qatar, facilities for the transfer of passengers have been put in place. Based on the schedules and according to the quota allocated to Iran, there is no restriction on the transfer of passengers,” Hassan Khoshkhou was also quoted as saying by the news portal of Iran’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
Iran plans to cooperate with Qatar in preparation for the World Cup 2022.
Bilateral arrangements include regular shipping between the ports of the two countries and greater use of Qatari and Iranian commercial airlines during the World Cup.
“Kish is the focal point of these arrangements, although other coastal and non-coastal provinces in Hormozgan and Bushehr provinces close to the Persian Gulf can also play a role in supporting the event,” Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Rostam Qasemi said in a recent meeting with his Qatari counterpart on the resort island.
Iran's cooperation with Qatar vis-a-vis World Cup 2022 was initiated in February 2021 when Kish Free Zone Organization allocated 520 billion rials ($1.8 million) to equip and develop the infrastructures of Kish Island.
Kish officials are hoping to attract spectators willing to visit nearby tourist locations during the intervals of their favorite matches.
“We have increased the number of five-star hotels on Kish Island from 10 to 15, launched two football fields and two bodybuilding complexes and upgraded three football pitches,” Saeed Mohammad, secretary of the Supreme Council of Free Trade and Special Economic Zones of Iran, was quoted as saying by IRNA.
To make preparations for the big event, Mohammad noted that the ministries of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism; Roads and Urban Development; Sports and Youth Affairs; and Economic Affairs and Finance, in addition to the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran, have joined forces.
With an area of 92 square kilometers and a population of 42,000, Kish Island is located in Bandar Lengeh County of Hormozgan Province, off the southern coast of Iran in the Persian Gulf. It has been declared the fourth tourist destination in Southwest Asia on the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List.
Kish Island is among the most beautiful coral islands in the Persian Gulf. The distance between Kish Island and Qatar is 270 km. Kish to Doha flight takes 40 minutes while the sea journey takes 5 to 6 hours.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup competition, contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. It is scheduled to take place in Qatar.
This will be the first World Cup ever to be held in the Middle East and the second World Cup held entirely in Asia after the 2002 tournament was held in South Korea and Japan.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visited Doha, Qatar, in March to meet Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and attended a summit meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum.
Iran and Qatar have been forging stronger economic ties ever since a number of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia abruptly severed diplomatic relations with Doha in June 2017 and imposed a blockade on the Persian Gulf country. Since then Iran extended full cooperation in several sectors to help Qatar overcome the illegal blockade.
