A tourism delegation from Ilam Province returned Sunday from a 3-day visit to Babil Province in Iraq, CHTN reported. The delegation included provincial officials such as the head of the provincial office of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) Abdolmalek Shanbezadeh, and was led by Hossein Kalantari, a deputy at Ilam Province governorate.
On April 22, following an invitation from Ilam governor general Mohammadreza Morvarid, seven Iraqi officials led by Babil deputy governor Wisam Asslan S’oud Mashhad visited Ilam Province on a two-day trip to expand tourism ties. To reciprocate, Babil governor Sadiq Madlool Hamad Jasim invited Ilami officials to visit Babil.
The delegation held meetings with Babil officials as well as representatives of travel agencies to discuss tourist exchange programs. Historical and cultural attractions were also visited by the Ilami group. Babil is endowed with historical and religious monuments of great significance. Having been the capital city of the Babylonian Empire, it has monuments dating back to 4000 - 5000 BC, Shanbezadeh said.
The two trips were both aimed at reaching mutual understanding and paving the way for signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand ties between the two neighboring provinces. According to Shanbezadeh, Babil’s governor is expected to make visit Ilam in the near future to sign the much-anticipated MoU.
Located in western Iran, Ilam Province shares 430 km of common border with Babil Province. Mehran border terminal, situated between the two provinces, has become a major trade and travel hub in recent years.
