The bread is baked on a bed of small river stones in an oven. There are usually two varieties of this bread offered at Iranian bakeries: the generic one which has no toppings; and the more expensive variety which is topped with poppy seeds and/or sesame seeds.

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“Sangak” bread was traditionally the bread of the Persian army. It is mentioned for the first time in the 11th century. “Sangak” bread is very useful for children especially for the periods that nervous cells are on the growth. The iron existing in the whole meal bread will cause children to be clever.

Tourist Review| Another classic iranian bread: sangak

And here is my favourite of all Iranian breads, sangak, a large and very thin loaf that is pointed at one end and square at the other mainly because of the way the baker stretches the very wet dough as he lays it on the floor of the oven which is covered with hot pebbles. You often find sangak bakeries attached to restaurants, either dizi or simply kebabs like in this post about such a place in Dubai — there is an important Iranian community in Dubai and as a result great Iranian food. The bakery in my pictures is in Tehran, at the back of a wonderful dizi restaurant where the owner stopped looking at fashion in the late 60’s, early 70’s. He was dressed in a white and black suit with flared trousers and wore a hat. Quite unexpected in a place where everyone looks rather drab (on the street) because the women have to cover their hair and hips and most men are in grey or dark suits./ Source: Anissa Helou

Source: One of the most misunderstood and undervalued countries of the world, my recent trip opened my eyes to a land of hospitable people, beautiful architecture, amazing food…and very few tourists.

This guide is designed to inspire travel to Iran and give practical travel tips that are hard to find for a country so rarely visited, with the second half outlining the best ways to get to Iran using your points. Make sure to read The Essentials section at the end of this piece.

All of the following images were taken by the author and should not be reproduced without permission.

1. Meet the friendliest people in the world

Word is that Iranians are the amongst the most genuine and approachable people in the world. Is it true?

I had high expectations…and they were met. I would put Iranians in the same category as the Japanese and Americans for hospitality.

Never before in my travels had I ever been stopped on the street so many times (in a non-intrusive way) to be asked:

• Where are you from?
• What did you think of Iran before you came?
• What do you think of it now?

2. Visit the most beautiful city in the world

Big call? Probably. There are many beautiful cities in the world – Kyoto, Sydney, Paris – but Iran’s second-biggest city and main tourist drawcard Isfahan definitely deserves a spot up there.

Built on the River Zayandehrood, even with its dry desert climate it is teeming with green parks, plenty of shade on walks along the river, beautiful bridges, and historic mosques, churches and palaces. If you are going to visit one place in Iran, this is the place to go.

3. Watch the sunset over the dunes in the middle of the desert

Yazd is the gateway desert city of Iran, with day and overnight tours into the desert.

The only sound we heard whilst watching the suns rays descend over the flowing desert dunes was a light breeze carving sand into new dune formations. Truly breathtaking.

4. Eat till your heart’s content

Foodies will love Iran, with primary dishes being lamb, mutton, chicken, eggplant, lentils, cheese, yoghurt, rice, dates and pita bread. Vegetarians will be slightly more limited in choices, but it is not prohibitive.

Having said that, all breakfasts tend to be vegetarian, made up of feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, pita bread, yoghurt and watermelon.

Foodies of all persuasions should be sure to visit the moderately-priced vegetarian restaurant in the Iranian Artists’ Forum in Honarmandan Park (also known as Artists’ Park). The second time we went back the waiter brought us an extra course for free and two university professors at a nearby table joined us for lunch.

5. Visit some of the least tourist-filled mosques in the world

Even during the peak travel month of May, it was hard to encounter many other tourists at the majestic mosques that Iran puts a lot of effort into keeping beautiful.

Of course, be respectful of prayer times, take off your shoes and remember that there are separate areas for men and women. Be sure to check the opening times of mosques on the internet or with your accommodation so as to not be caught out by them being closed.

Mosques in Isfahan are the most expensive to get into (around $8 each), but are also the most beautiful.

6. Visit the ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire

Persepolis (literally ‘The Persian City’) brought together the 28 nations of the Persian Empire (at its peak) for ceremonies and was known as the United Nations of the empire.

Located 90 minutes east of Shiraz, choose the more reasonably-priced accommodation options in Shiraz rather than stay near the UNESCO-protected site, but avoid the midday and afternoon heat by catching a private taxi out for the 8am opening. A tour guide is highly recommended and can be organized upon arrival at the site.

7. Transport options are cheap and relatively efficient

Most transport is by road, so if looking to save money, go by bus, but we found it funny/frustrating how many times people were moved around the bus by the bus driver to make sure that women and men were not seated together. This strict policy is more the work of the government rather than the considerably liberally-minded population.

If you have a bit more money, then another option is a private driver, which will be faster and more comfortable, but you will miss out on the local bus experience.

The 10-12 hour overnight Chinese-built train between Tehran and Shiraz is highly recommended at about $25 for a seat which converts into a bed in a four-person single-sex air-conditioned compartment. Bring your own food – disappointing food on the train.

The essentials

• Safety: apart from the state execution of a prominent Saudi figure triggering protests in Tehran earlier this year, there is a reason that we rarely hear of violence and terrorist attacks in Iran compared to much more dangerous Middle Eastern countries like Turkey, Israel and Egypt. I can honestly say that I felt safer and less on-edge in Iran than in some European capitals like London, Paris and Brussels, and petty theft is quite uncommon. Of course, please take into account official government warnings and check that your travel insurance will be valid in Iran.
• Best time to go: as you would expect from a country with climatic extremes, spring (March to May) and autumn (September to October) are the best times to visit. We went in mid-May and the weather was gloriously sunny and warm-to-hot, without being oppressive.
• Money: take all the cash you may need for the trip…and then some. International cards do not work at Iranian ATMs, so take clean, relatively new US dollars, euros or pounds (not that they are worth much at the moment) to exchange at moneychangers on the street. Be sure to ask your hotel for the going rate before venturing out to change. In May 2016, it was 1 USD = 34,000 rials and 1 EUR = 38-39,000 rials. You can also pay in USD or EUR at most establishments, with change given in rials. Note that most prices are in ‘tomans’, which is one zero less than the price in rial, e.g. 1 USD = 34,000 rials = 3,400 tomans.
• Visas: Australians and New Zealanders are eligible to receive a visa on arrival at the major airports in Iran, including Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz. You must bring along a copy of your travel insurance which states the dates of coverage as well as clearly indicating it covers travel in Iran. You will be required to pay a visa fee of about €145; most EU nationals pay €75, but as Australia and NZ are allies of the US, that’s where the difference comes from. If you have dual citizenship, try to see which passport gives you a cheaper visa fee. You also need to have a confirmed hotel reservation or letter of invitation printed out, and they will call your hotel to make sure it is legitimate. You do not need hotel bookings for your whole trip, just the first night or two. Expect this process at the airport to take 1-2 hours. Most international flights arrive between midnight and 6am, which is highly inconvenient, but just breathe and be patient. As of this year, any traveller eligible for the ESTA visa waiver program for the US that has travelled to Iran in the past five years will need to apply for a tourist visa at their nearest US embassy or consulate when travelling to the US.
• Money and costs: Budget Your Trip estimates that in Iran you will spend about the same as what you would in Thailand or Mexico, half of what you would in Greece, or double what you would in India. Tehran is surprisingly pricey, especially for accommodation, but the real gems of Iran are outside the capital, so you shouldn’t be spending too much time there anyway. For basic private accommodation for two with breakfast included (always), intercity bus or train transport, mid-range restaurant meals and an attraction or two a day, we spent an average of $60 AUD/NZD per person per day over ten days.
• Drinking water: Water is surprisingly perfectly safe to drink from the tap and Iran has the widest network of public drinking fountains in streets, parks, bus stations, etc that I have seen anywhere in the world.

The Iranian government has issued over 1,000 licenses for cryptocurrency mining in the country where there is potential for a crypto industry worth $8.5 billion, a report says.

Still, Iran’s stringent regulations on digital mining have forced many operators to move to more crypto friendly countries, Amir-Hossein Saeedi Naeeni, a member of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Guild Organization’s blockchain commission, said.

Digital mining, due to its rapid global expansion, generated quite a lot of interest among Iran’s IT operators who bought and deployed bitcoin extraction gear in the past two years.

But the enthusiasm was sapped by the government’s introduction of regulatory measures, Saeedi claimed.

“The laws announced by government institutions for crypto mining are very strict in comparison to other industries in the country, causing many miners to stop operating or migrate to the regional countries for investment,” he said.

Saeedi said license tariffs and electricity costs are such that make crypto mining less profitable in Iran, adding they have to be revised and made more transparent along with the regulatory measures.

He touched on the “special” situation of the country which is under the most restrictive American sanctions ever.

“The digital mining industry, beside bringing currency into the country, can facilitate trade where traders can use cryptocurrencies to import goods and bypass payment problems resulting from the banking sanctions,” he added.

Last August, the Iranian government enacted legislation that officially recognized cryptocurrency mining as an industry. The law requires miners to pay an export premium on electricity and prohibits them from mining during peak electricity-usage hours.

Other than that, cryptocurrency trading remains illegal in Iran, meaning the newly-minted coins need to be exported and yields repatriated, making them subject to taxation.

The decision to regulate digital mining came in response to illegal miners who took advantage of the country’s cheap and subsidized energy to set up farms across Iran.
Last summer, officials blamed a surge in activities related to mining of digital currencies like bitcoin for up to seven percent increase in the country’s monthly electricity consumption.

Ministry of energy officials said at the time that the country’s power grid had become unstable as a result of increased mining of cryptocurrencies.

Nevertheless, media reports said last year that Iranian government officials were considering developing a domestic digital currency to counter US sanctions.

Alireza Daliri of the Directorate for Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Presidential Office said a number of domestic knowledge-based companies were working over the project in cooperation with the Central Bank of Iran (CBI).

The head of the company contracted by the CBI to design and develop a national digital currency said then a blockchain and cryptocurrency research lab had been set up in Iran.

Blockchain is a digital ledger or database where transactions in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are recorded.

According to Iranian media reports, a state-backed national cryptocurrency backed by the local fiat unit, the rial, has already been developed but it has yet to be approved for use by the central bank.

Iran’s currency was targeted by the first round of US sanctions imposed in May 2018 after President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal.

Under US pressures, the global banking network SWIFT has dropped Iran from its platform, making international financial settlements with the country almost impossible.

Blockchain and other digital ledgers holding cryptocurrency records process transactions without being controlled by any person or entity.

The US government has reportedly warned digital marketplaces that buy and sell bitcoin and companies that sell computers used to process bitcoin transactions to avoid providing services to Iranians.

Iran has launched a pilot project for extraction of rare earth after obtaining the technology for deep-level mining, the head of Iran’s largest holding in metals sector known as IMIDRO says.

The achievement will create significant added value for Iran, Khodadad Gharibpour said at the inauguration of the landmark project on Tuesday.

Every year, Iran imports 180 tonnes of rare earth elements which are used in a wide range of consumer products such as catalysts in cars and oil refineries, televisions, superconductors and fiber optics.

Gharibpour was thankful to Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade’s support for technology and research, saying Iran was able to obtain the know-how for extraction of these elements which require deep-level mining and are costly to process.

“The price of each kilo of these elements is between $5 and $60, the production of which can bring in a lot of hard currency,” he said.

Deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Pejman Rahimian said the launch of the pilot plan for extraction of rare earth elements was a “big event”.

The Islamic Republic, he said, has accommodated “the best facilities, exploration equipment and investment” which will be provided to those active in the field.

“Rare earth elements are of particular importance and they are also important in the nuclear industry,” he said.

Iran, Rahimian said, had found a rare earth deposit in Saghand which is already known for its uranium mine in the central province of Yazd.

“If the processing plant is set up in this mine, good resources will be provided to the country,” he said.

Strategic use

Rare earth elements are a group of mostly strategic metals which appear in low concentrations in the ground. They have lately emerged as one of the fronts in an escalating trade war between China and the United States.

“During the recent US trade war with China, one of the places where China threatened America with is the embargo on the export of rare earth elements,” Rahimian said.

The metals are used in a broad range of consumer products, from iPhones, advanced ceramics, computers, DVD players, wind turbines, televisions, lighting and glass polishing to electric car motors.

Some rare earth minerals are essential in military equipment such as jet engines, missile guidance systems, missile defense systems, satellites, as well as in lasers.

Companies such as Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems all make sophisticated missiles that use rare earths metals in their guidance systems, and sensors.

Iran has already been trying its hand in the production of titanium, joining an elite club of countries which produce the strategic metal used in a range of high-tech manufacturing from military aircraft to artificial limbs.
Iran to become strategic metal producer

Mining in depths of 3,000 meters

Iran is tapping its mines and metals deposits like never before as it feels the pressure of the American sanctions that have hampered its access to normal oil revenues.

That comes as the United States has specifically targeted Iran’s trade and production of metals with a series of bans since May 2018.

Gharibpour said Iran currently has in place deep-level mining on its agenda. IMIDRO subsidiary Iran Minerals Production and Supply Company (IMPASCO) is now exploring minerals in depths of up to 3,000 meters in central Iran, he said.

“The methodology for deep-level exploration is being developed in the country,” said the official who also cited treatment of large mineral tailings as another key focus of Iran’s mining operations.

The country possesses 7% of the world’s total mineral reserves worth about $700 billion but officials say this figure could rise to $1.4 trillion with new discoveries.

After the lifting of sanctions in 2016, officials unveiled plans for $29 billion of mining investment for a number of projects ranging from steel to aluminum, copper, gold, rare earth elements and coal.

Several multi-billion mining projects with the participation of Italian, French and Chinese companies were in the pipeline. Italy’s Danieli had signed a joint venture and agreed orders worth about 5.7 billion euros during President Hassan Rouhani’s tour of Europe in January 2016.

However, unilateral US sanctions upended many of them as European companies turned their back on their governments which had pledged to safeguard trade connections with Iran.

Officials say while the sanctions have slowed the ambitious plans, they have not taken the wind out of Iran’s sails in mining.

The country’s precious metals sector has emerged as the key frontline in the battle, with the Trump administration firing the latest shot early this month.

Washington imposed new sanctions on the sector, targeting the construction, manufacturing, textiles, mining, aluminum, copper, iron and steel industries, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

A senior official dismissed them out of hand, however, saying Iran was on course to export 10 million tonnes of steel in the year to March 21, 2020.

The country is a leading producer of steel in the world with 35 million tonnes of production capacity. It plans to raise this figure to 55 million tonnes a year by 2025, of which 20 to 25 million tonnes would be earmarked for export.

Iran on Saturday installed the last offshore platform of phase 14 of South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf to increase its production by 33 percent.

The giant structure was carried to the South Pars field aboard Barge 124FLB in the weekend, after 98 percent completion in Iran Marine Industry Company (SADRA).

After a week-long wait for the weather to go steady, the mega platform D14 cut through water in the Persian Gulf and docked on the gas condensate depository.

Installation of accessories like connection bridge and torch will begin soon to operationalize the platform which will increase gas production of phase 14 of South Pars field by 14.2 million cubic meters per day to reach 56 million m3/day in total, according to South Pars Phase 14 Development Plan Executive Mohammad Mahdi Tavassolipour.

He also said that the platform, as a part of offshore section of the Phase 14, will become operational and join the production circuit by the next two months.

The offshore section is currently producing 42 million cubic meters of gas every day through three platforms A14, B14, C14.

Once the new platform D14 is ready to operate, the Phase 14 of South Pars filed will produce 50 million m3/day of sweet gas, 75,000 bpd of condensate, 400 tonnes/day of Sulfur and an annual amount of one million tonnes of LNG and Ethan.

An official with the National Iranian Drilling Company said the company’s drillings of oil and gas wells have hit over 132,000 meters during the past 10 months.

According to Shana, Mohammad Al-Khamis, the company’s drilling operations deputy, said that the record was registered since the beginning of the current calendar year, which began on March 21, and entailed 96 wells.

Among the wells were 35 development/appraisal wells, 2 exploration wells and 59 workover operations.

He said 70 wells were spudded in the fields operated by the National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC), 13 were drilled in offshore field operated by the Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC), 2 wells were ordered by the Iranian Central Oilfields Company, 3 were ordered by the Petroleum Engineering and Development Company (PEDEC), 6 were drilled as projects and 2 others were ordered by the Exploration Department of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).

“In the past 10 months, as a result of the efforts and synergy with the applicant companies, the NIDC’s employees drilled 9 oil and gas wells 89 days ahead of the plans,” he said

Some incentive such as visa waiver, 90-day visa on arrival, standard residence services, attractive tourism routes and packages, and cheapest and most secure tours to Iran along with the last international tourism standards have enabled us to experience a 53% growth in our inbound tourism, winning the first place in the world in this regard. In addition, when it comes to the prices, Iran has the most competitive prices for tourism in the world and has emerged as a new phenomenon in the world of tourism, attracting the attention of many countries,” the statement added.

Emphasizing the country enjoys full security to host tourists, Iran’s Tourism Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan, invited tourists across the world to experience a unique journey to the land of history and civilization, especially during the spring.
In a statement released on Saturday, Mounesan said, “Nowadays, the world is even more involved in fast and surprising upheavals and ups and downs as a result of unprecedented progress in technology and industry. As such, the modern human is also influenced by urban, mechanical life and his soul needs some refinement and relief.

In such a situation, only travel and tourism can give us relief, joy, and sympathy and provide us with unforgettable experiences and memorable coexistence. In fact, tourism can be thought of as a familial or friendly gathering, the pivotal contents of which are kindness, cooperation, and synergy. In this chaotic era, tourists are like a delightful breeze endearing our souls and uniting all the people from around the world, regardless of their race, country, language, and beliefs.”

“With a deep and practical faith in this attitude, the Iranian government is trying its best to pave the way for incoming tourists and this is why there is a significant growth in tourism infrastructure in our country. In this regard, some incentive such as visa waiver, 90-day visa on arrival, standard residence services, attractive tourism routes and packages, and cheapest and most secure tours to Iran along with the last international tourism standards have enabled us to experience a 53% growth in our inbound tourism, winning the first place in the world in this regard. In addition, when it comes to the prices, Iran has the most competitive prices for tourism in the world and has emerged as a new phenomenon in the world of tourism, attracting the attention of many countries,” the statement added.
“Even if we disregard all that has been said, the unique tourist attractions of Iran are a good reason to have a journey to the land of history, civilization, and nature. With 24 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 34,000 Nationally Registered Heritages and 600 active museums, Iran has a huge capacity to receive international tourists. In addition, high security, cheap tours, premium travel facilities, hospitable people, numerous historic and natural treasures, unique ecotourism facilities, diverse tourism packages (historic-cultural tourism, sport tourism, marine tourism, food tourism, medical tourism, etc.), interesting rituals, and diverse handicrafts and traditional arts provide enough reasons to visit Iran,” he said.

“The rich history and civilization of this land, the numerous and spectacular tourist attractions, four-season weather, and high cultural and ethnic diversity have made an invaluable treasure of Iran and put this country in the top 10 tourist destinations in terms of tourism, cultural and natural attractions. Astonishing mountains, breathtaking glaciers, beautiful volcanos, pristine forests, green foothills, delightful lakes, springs and waterfalls, picturesque beaches and wonderful islands, historical sites and distinct architecture, globally registered cities and villages, diverse and colorful handicrafts, delicious traditional cuisine and organic, healing drinks, etc. are only a small part of the beauties you can visit while staying in Iran.”
He noted, “With such advantages, each day the beautiful and safe cities of Iran are hosting thousands of tourists from different countries, having enjoyed the unique experience, most of whom decide to return and bring new fellow travelers with them.
Hereby I invite all the tourists from around the world to visit Iran during these last months of the Persian year, as well as the spring, and experience a distinct journey to the land of history and civilization. A country-size guesthouse is wholeheartedly ready to receive tourists from around the world.”

Following the Iranian missile strikes targeting US forces in Iraq, as well as the accidental downing of Ukrainian passenger jet near Tehran, several major airlines have rerouted or canceled flights in the region.

But some days later after these incidents, Qatar Airways, Emirates and several other regional airlines, including Kuwait Airways and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways have continued using Iranian and Iraqi airspace.

KLM airline also made an announcement on Thursday that it would resume flights over the Iranian and Iraqi skies.

“KLM uses a security management system to analyze risks and thus determine safe flight paths. Substantiated by such analyses, it is once again safe to fly over Iran and Iraq,” the statement said.

Some travel agencies also announced that they would continue to make trips to Iran.

The incident came hours after Iran fired ballistic missiles at two American military bases in neighboring Iraq to respond to the US assassination of a senior Iranian military commander in the Arab country earlier this month.

Iran introduces tourism capacities in Madrid fair

Iranian tourism officials held a special session at the 40th International Tourism Fair in Madrid (FITUR) on Friday to introduce the country’s tourism attractions.

Iran’s Ambassador to Spain Hassan Ghashghavi, who was present at the meeting, referred to the remarkable capacities of the two countries for cooperation in the fields of tourism and handicrafts, voicing Iran’s readiness for promoting collaboration in those spheres.

Referring to the 50% growth in the number of Spanish tourists to Iran over the past year, Ghashghavi said that Iran is among the top ten countries in terms of tourism attractions diversity.

The envoy said the promotion of the tourism industry is high on the Iranian government’s agenda, noting that given the capabilities of Spain in this sector, the issue can serve as one of the areas of cooperation between Tehran and Madrid.

The meeting was also attended by two Spanish tourists who explained their experience of visiting Iran. The two hailed Iranians’ hospitality and the country’s high security despite the anti-Iran propaganda.

Iran petrochemical industry dates back to 1963. The first petrochemical complex to produce fertilizer kicked off then. The first major petrochemical operation in Iran was the Shiraz Petrochemical Complex. Iran has a diversified petroleum product basket with more than 70 products. The main exports are polyethylene, methanol, benzene, ammonia, sulfur, PVC and propylene.

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Iran Petrochemical Industry Output to Hit $25bln by 2021

“Iran’s petrochemical production capacity would cross 100 mt/y by 2021,” Minister Zangeneh said, addressing the opening ceremony of the 13th Iran Plast International Exhibition on 23 September 2019.
He noted that the petrochemical production capacity of the country would reach 130 mt/y by 2025 valued at $37 billion.
“Iran’s ethane production capacity would reach 16 million tons per year by 2021 from 4.2 mt/y back in 2013. The items’ current production capacity is 7.3 mt/y,” Zangeneh added.
The Iranian oil minister noted that 27 projects would come on stream in the country by 2021.
In relevant remarks on Sunday, Head of the National Petrochemical Company of Iran Behzad Mohammadi announced that his country will inaugurate 27 new petrochemical complexes by early 2022.
Mohammadi said that Iran would increase the number of its petrochemical complexes to 83, from the current 56, by early 2022, adding that both production and the feed used for those complexes would significantly diversify in the coming years.
He added that the Iran had extensive plans for expansion of refining and petrochemical activity, adding that government and private investment in the sector would top 70 billion in the next two years.
Mohammadi noted that the size of investment in downstream sections of the oil and gas industry, where petrochemicals are produced and marketed, would reach $93 billion by 2025
He said the proportion of gas to liquefied feed burnt in the refineries would change from the current 77-23 to 86-14 by 2025, mainly thanks to plans for collecting flared gas at oil and gas facilities.
The official said Iran had invested around half a billion dollars in research and development for manufacturing catalysts used in the refining process, adding that 16 groups of high-tech devices needed in the industry were currently produced inside Iran and a group of nine others were expected to be covered by the domestic production by 2022.
Mohammadi estimated that jobs created in Iran’s petrochemical sector, including those on the supply chain, was around one million, adding that around 880,000 people were currently working in 15,000 enterprises active in the industry’s downstream section.
Mohammadi had said that the petrochemical industry of Iran has focused on domestic manufacturers and contractors in implementing its projects.
“The National Petrochemical Company (NPC) is seeking to ensure the maximized involvement of domestic manufacturers and contractors in petrochemical projects,” he said.
He noted that the petrochemical industry has currently received about 33 million tons of feedstock, equivalent to 650,000 barrels of oil per day, which was supplied from oil and gas refineries and NGL units.
“About 56 petrochemical plants of the country yielded 31 million tons of finished products annually, of which 22.5 million tons were exported and 8.5 million tons were consumed domestically,” Mohammadi said.
The total value of petrochemical products from domestic sales and exports has hit $17 billion annually.

China is planning to invest $280 billion in Iran’s oil and gas industry, according to Petroleum Economist magazine.

The energy affairs magazine quoted a senior source who was linked to the Iranian Oil Ministry, as stating that this enormous investment represents a key point in a new agreement, worth $400, inked between the two countries. This was confirmed during Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s visit to China in late August, to present a roadmap for the strategic comprehensive partnership agreement, which concluded in 2016.

China’s investment in Iranian oil and gas industry has been put at the focal attention amid trade war between China and US and tight competition of these two countries concurrent with the US sanctions imposed on Iran.

Accordingly, this investment will be made as a solution for bypassing and circumventing US sanctions by Chinese companies.

Lut Desert is a resort to sun-loving tourists coming to Iran among the other well-known natural sight-seeings favorite place for foreign tourists.

The Lut Desert, has been put on the United Nations list three years ago and is capable of flourishing as a major Iranian tourist resort.

Iran’s Lut Desert was registered on United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) natural heritage list in 2016 when the 40th meeting of the body was underway in Istanbul.

It was the first natural resorts of the country on the list where Iran already had other 19 cultural heritage sites. The stunning desert lies on the southeastern Iran, straddling the country’s three South Khorasan, Sistan-Baluchestan, and Kerman provinces.

Spanning an area of 22,780 square meters, Lut is comprised of dunes, yardangs, nabkhas, hammadas, and basaltic plateau, each with unique spectacular landscapes that rarely can be find in other parts of the world.

Director of Global Heritage of Lute Desert base in South Khorasan Province, Zahra Rezaei, told IRNA that some 10,000 foreign and local tourists visit the various sites of the desert, and the nearby villages.

Various research projects have been funded to be conducted on the flora and fauna, as well as geology of the Lut Desert, she said.

The ecotourism is one market for the region that can be promoted as a result of presenting the desert to the world. The Lut Desert embraces one of the hottest places in the world, Gandom Beryan. Due to the extreme weather and lack of water, the desert is almost desolate, and therefore, it has remained almost untapped.

To reach the desert, tourists have to travel along date palm gardens in Kerman Province, and pass through yardangs, a phenomenon that is created naturally by unidirectional strong winds, that foster the illusion of abandoned castle debris to the viewers.

They will also be lucky to visit the galleries of multi-decade-year-old qanats that have been used for transferring water from underground to the surface; the mind-boggling innovation of Iranians in the ancient time to efficiently manage the scarce sources of water in the heart of desert.

With development of ecotourism residences in the villages around the desert, Lut has become a main attraction for international tourists. Visitors, at the residences, will also enjoy a totally different environment with new tasty dishes specific to the Iranian desert region.

Lying down on the moving sands for hours into the night, gazing at the magnificent view of the desert night sky dotted by stars is another joy that tourists can experience over their stay in Lut Desert.

Also:
Lut Desert
Dasht-e Lut Desert, Iran

IRAN: LUT DESERT
desert stars and solitude

Video on Youtube