Muscat – H E Salem bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, met his Iranian counterpart Reza Salehi-Amiri in Riyadh on Monday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in tourism, culture and the blue economy between the two countries.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly in Saudi Arabia. Both ministers emphasised the importance of developing joint tourism projects and promoting regional economic integration through cultural and marine initiatives.

According to Iran’s official news agency IRNA, Salehi-Amiri underlined the need for regional collaboration in marine tourism, citing Iran’s national plan to expand coastal tourism through its governors’ council. “The development of marine tourism not only paves the way for cultural and economic interactions, but also helps strengthen human ties,” he said.

The Iranian minister proposed increasing direct flights between Tehran and Muscat, organising joint tourism exhibitions, and holding cultural events to showcase the countries’ tourism potential. He also highlighted Iran’s health tourism, noting its advanced healthcare network and capacity to serve international visitors.

Salehi-Amiri invited H E Mahrouqi to attend the Tehran International Tourism Exhibition in February 2026 to explore potential collaborations.

H E Mahrouqi described Iran as a “strategic and historical partner of Oman”, assuring support for deepening bilateral tourism ties. He commended the proposal for cooperation in marine tourism as “intelligent and practical”, noting that Oman, with its more than 40 ports and access to three seas, is ready to sign a memorandum of understanding with Iran in this field.

He also acknowledged Iran’s appeal as a destination for health, historical and nature-based tourism for Omani travellers.

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