TEHRAN -- The Tehran Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nader Mashayekhi will participate in a festival of Eastern music in Osnabruck, Germany in August, the Persian service of CHN reported on Saturday.

The secretary of the festival recently traveled with Mashayekhi to Iran to hold talks with Music Office director Mohammad-Hossein Homafar.

Mashayekhi said that the festival will focus on Iranian music this year, adding that Homafar is in favor of the participation of the orchestra in the German festival.

“No official contract has been signed between the festival organizers and the Music Office yet, but there has been an agreement to send the orchestra, with 77 musicians, to Germany. Vocalist Salar Aqili will accompany the group as well,” he explained.

He expressed regret about the fact that the world has a false image of Iran for the most part, saying, “There are negative rumors about Iran, and most of the people in the world think that Iran has no art. We must show that Iranians are a peace-seeking nation through our cultural activities. “Music is the language of peace. It talks with people directly, and we must make use of this to present the message of peace to the world.”

Asked if he is going to be the permanent conductor of the orchestra, he said that the terms of his contract were still being discussed, but he hopes a final agreement can be reached soon.