www.tehran times.com Vice President and head of Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) Esfandiar Rahim-Moshaii in a meeting with Tunisian Ambassador to Tehran Mouldi Al-Sakri underlined the need to expand mutual cultural and tourism relations.

A report released by ICHTO Public Relations Department said that at the meeting the two sides discussed the prospect of increasing direct flights between the two states.

Turning to the growing trend of achievements in the field of communication and bolstering communication with the world, particularly the Islamic states, he named Iran as a developing and strong country in a position to serve as an axis for promotion of peace and security in the world.

The official said that Iran is prepared to bolster ties with other countries, adding that once expansion of relations among governments result in friendship of nations, any political obstacles in the relevant trend will not affect such friendly bonds.

He pointed to the decisive role of the private sector in bolstering tourism ties between Iran and Tunisia and said that establishment of direct and continuous air link, publicity, and dissemination of information are some of the available cultural and tourism potentials.

Meanwhile, the vice president referred to holding ceremonies called Iranian Night and Tunisian Night, cultural weeks, tourism exhibitions and exchange of media people as the issues which can be effective in strengthening ties and establishing communication between the two nations.

"Given the existence of 1,000 mineral water springs in Iran, Tunisia's experience in exploiting mineral waters with curative properties was discussed during the meeting," he added.

Besides, the prospect of establishment of installations rendering tourism services at hydrotherapy centers and investment in the field of treatment of tourists and health in Iran were on the agenda of the meeting.

For his part, Al-Sakri said that providing opportunities for investment, air transport, arranging training courses in the domain of tourism and cultural heritage, holding fairs and cultural weeks as well as exchange of instructors are some of the areas of collaboration, which can be materialized in the near future.