At a meeting with Aziz Abdukhakimov, the Uzbek Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change, Zarghami signaled that Iran welcomes arranging a visa waiver deal between the two countries, Tehran Times writes.

Zarghami said in Samarkand that preliminary work to develop tourism ties has been carried out by the two countries “and we in Iran are seeking ways to abolish [tourist] visas between the two countries.” 

Referring to his recent visit to Bukhara, he said: “When I visited Bukhara, I felt how close the two nations are. We support the arrival of Uzbek tourists to Iran, and we also believe that Iranian tourists who plan to travel abroad should prioritize Uzbekistan…” 

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian minister attached importance to helping facilitate overland travels, saying: “With Turkmenistan’s cooperation, we should facilitate overland travels to help promote tourism.”

Abdukhakimov, for his part, expressed his hope that their discussions at the meeting would yield “good results” in the future.

On Oct. 15, Zarghami arrived in Uzbekistan to join the 25th session of the World Tourism Organization’s general assembly, arranged to be held in Samarkand on October 18 and 19.

During his five-day visit, the Iranian minister held talks with sector leaders from various countries to discuss issues, challenges, and opportunities related to tourism.

Iran is considering a border-easing policy based on which it may unilaterally drop visa requirements for passport holders of 60 states, according to Zarghami’s deputy for tourism.