Iran’s Mohamad Hassan Talebian deputy head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) met with Abdol-Rahman Ghaderi, mayor of the Sughd on November 16 to boost the ties between the two countries. In addition to furthering cooperation with Iran, the purpose of the high standing Tajiki delegate’s visit was to attend the memorial ceremony of the Persian poet Kamal Khujandi in Tehran. The poet is considered a mutual intangible heritage for both countries, in a show of collaboration, Iran has agreed to cooperate in building a symbolic tomb for Kamal Khujandi in the Sughd. In a symbolic gesture, following the memorial ceremony, Ghaderi will travel to Tabriz where he will pick up a handful of soil from the poet’s tomb to take back to his country to highlight the long bond between the cities. Iran and Tajikistan share many common cultural roots including the same language (Persian), as well as a common religion.
