TEHRAN - Swiss ambassador to Tehran has said people of his country know Iran for its ancient civilization and the significant role that the country plays in the Middle East.

Markus Leitner told ILNA in an interview released on Wednesday that there are many issues Swiss people have heard about Iran and [it is clear that] when they visit Iran, they will definitely gain a deeper insight.

The Iranian people know more of Switzerland than just its precise watches, the same as the Swiss people know Iran because of its great civilization, natural sceneries, and landscapes, and the important role it plays in the Middle East, the envoy said.

“There are many things that Swiss people know about Iran, and when they can travel to Iran, they will definitely know the country better. Of course, I think Iranians know much more than just Swiss watches about Switzerland.”

“Although there are various capacities in Iranian tourism that can attract Swiss people traveling to the country, I think that Swiss tourists in Iran are interested in the arenas of cultural heritage and historical monuments that are found in cities like Isfahan, Shiraz, and Yazd.”

He went on to say that the Swiss people are well-informed and know enough about Iran, like the Iranians that know lots of things about Switzerland.

“Obviously, if we can make it easier for tourists to travel to both countries, better understanding will happen. Therefore, we encourage Swiss people to visit Iran. We also tell the Iranians that if they travel to Switzerland, they will face a different country. So we also encourage Iranians to travel to Switzerland.”

“Although there are various capacities in Iranian tourism that can attract Swiss people traveling to the country, I think that Swiss tourists in Iran are interested in the arenas of cultural heritage and historical monuments that are found in cities like Isfahan, Shiraz, and Yazd.”

The ambassador also pointed to photos that Georg Gerster (Swiss journalist and a pioneer aerial photographer) took from Iran’s landscapes and historical monuments in the 1970s, saying, “I think the photos of Georg Gerster, taken from the sky over Iran, have so far been shown in numerous exhibitions in Switzerland and elsewhere around the world, and it shows just how the Swiss people are interested in seeing Iran.”

AFM/MG