Aras Free Zone-Iran, 4 December 2025
On 4 December 2025, the ECO Secretariat delegation led by Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Jandos Asanov paid a visit to the Aras Free Zone. As part of the visit, a coordination meeting was held with the participation of senior officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, including Director General for International Cooperation Dr. Moslem Shojaeei; Head of Culture, Tourism and Social Affairs of the Aras Free Zone Dr. Mohammad Masoudina; and Director of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of East Azerbaijan Province Dr. Ahmad Hamzazadeh, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and regional tourism institutions.
Discussions during the meeting focused primarily on the organization of the 3rd ECO Tour Operators Forum, planned to take place in 2026 in the Aras Free Zone, and on strengthening cooperation between tourism enterprises in the region and those from other ECO Member States. Participants also reviewed recent infrastructure, accommodation, and destination development initiatives undertaken in the Aras Free Zone to support the growth of tourism.
The ECO delegation additionally met with managers of hotels operating in the region. During these interactions, the delegation introduced ECO’s ongoing activities in the field of tourism and briefed stakeholders on the expected outcomes of the upcoming 3rd ECO Tour Operators Forum. The discussions also addressed potential ways to attract more international visitors, particularly from ECO Member States, to this part of Iran both within the framework of this Forum and beyond.
Furthermore, the ECO Secretariat delegation was given a tour of several significant tourism attractions in the region, including the UNESCO-recognized Aras Geopark, the St. Stepanos Monastery, Tabriz Grand Bazaar, the Muzaffariyah Complex and the Golfaraj Ecomuseum.
