Urmia – 20 September 2026
A delegation of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Secretariat, headed by ECO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Yerzhan Mukash, participated in a diplomatic visit to Urmia, capital city of West Azerbaijan Province of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the invitation of the Secretariat of the Asian Mayors Forum and the Municipality of Urmia.
The ECO Secretariat delegation, together with representatives of various diplomatic missions based in Tehran, attended the 9th Urmia Grape Festival, one of the city’s prominent cultural and agricultural events. The delegation also visited several of Urmia’s historical and natural attractions, including the ancient Urmia Friday Mosque and Lake Urmia, highlighting the city’s potential as a destination for cultural, heritage and nature-based tourism.
As part of the visit, the ECO Secretariat delegation participated in the Urmia Municipality International Investment Opportunities Conference, where Ambassador Mukash delivered remarks on the role of the ECO in facilitating economic and commercial cooperation among its Member States, with particular emphasis on tourism cooperation and the development of regional investment opportunities.
During the conference, participants were briefed on a range of local investment projects in Urmia, including opportunities in tourism such as hotel development, sports and recreational facilities, entertainment centres, and health tourism infrastructure.
The delegation had opportunity to meet with Mr. Aydin Rahmani Rezaie, Mayor of Urmia and Mr. Hossein Panahi, Chairman of the Urmia Islamic City Council, as well as representatives of the diplomatic missions of various countries such as Kazakhstan, Philippines, Malaysia, Poland, Thailand and Nicaragua as well as representatives of some UN offices based in Iran.
