Mahmoud Vaezi, head of the joint Iran-Azerbaijan Economic Commission met with Azeri Culture and Tourism Minister Abolfazl Qarayev to expand tourism and culture ties between the countries.
Vaezi who is also the minister of communications and information technology expressed satisfaction with the recently expanded relations between the two countries, hoping that the potentials of tourism can be further explored. He mentioned services Iran has offered to Azerbaijani tourists, such as setting up the direct Baku-Mashhad flight route. He hoped that this would be extended it to other cities. Iran’s unilateral wavering of visa requirements for Azerbaijani tourists was the other important development mentioned.
Vaezi also thanked Azerbaijan for their relaxation of visa requirements for Iranians travelling to Nakhchivan, the capital of the eponymous Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, appealing that it be extended to other Azerbaijani entry points. Qarayev, pledged to look into a further relaxing of visa regulations for Iranians in the near future.
Scheduling the countries’ culture week in Tehran and Baku for the early 2015 was among other issues discussed.
Qarayev also suggested joint inscribing of the symbol of the historical bond between the two countries, Khoda-Afarin Bridge, on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
