VP calls cultural heritage key to national unity, soft power

TEHRAN – Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref on Thursday described the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts as the country's "ministry of defending civilization and soft victories," saying Iran's cultural heritage remains one of the country's strongest sources of national unity and international influence.

Speaking at a meeting with cultural heritage veterans and experts at the ministry's headquarters, Aref said Iran's historical and cultural legacy had played a significant role in strengthening national cohesion and resilience in recent years.

"Whenever Iran is mentioned, all Iranians, regardless of their differences, unite around their national identity," Miras-e Aria quoted Aref as saying on Thursday.

He said Iran's civilizational heritage had become a key element of the country's soft power and that preserving and restoring historical assets was a national responsibility.

Aref praised specialists, researchers and conservationists for their role in protecting the country's cultural heritage, saying their efforts had contributed to safeguarding Iran's civilization.

He also highlighted the recent inscription of the Alamut Castle and Related Fortifications on UNESCO's World Heritage list, calling it a valuable national achievement and an opportunity to introduce Iran's history and civilization to a wider international audience.

Given UNESCO's limitation of accepting only one nomination from each country annually, Aref said he sometimes wished "Iran itself, with all its civilizational greatness," could be inscribed on the World Heritage list.

The vice president said cultural tourism should be expanded through scientific planning, noting that many foreign visitors travel to Iran to experience its history and culture. He added that international tourists should be regarded as guests of the Iranian people and that the country should use tourism to present its civilizational heritage more effectively.

Aref also called for the protection and restoration of historical sites through scientific and sustainable methods, while encouraging greater participation by philanthropists and the public in heritage conservation.

The meeting was attended by Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Reza Salehi-Amiri and a group of veteran experts in the cultural heritage sector.