TEHRAN – Iran has extended an official invitation to Malaysia’s tourism minister, Tiong King Sing, to visit Tehran as part of efforts to strengthen tourism, cultural, and economic ties between the two nations.

The invitation was formally delivered by Rouzbeh Kardouni, adviser to Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, during his visit to Malaysia, according to a statement from Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage. Kardouni met with King Sing and presented the written invitation on behalf of Iran’s Minister, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri.

During the meeting, an Iranian delegation expressed Tehran’s readiness to participate actively in the international tourism exhibition “Matta Fair,” scheduled for March 2026 in Malaysia. Salehi-Amiri also officially invited the Malaysian tourism sector to take part in Iran’s International Tourism Exhibition, planned for February 2026 in Tehran.

In addition, Kardouni held talks with Chua Choon Hwa, the deputy tourism minister of Malaysia, in Putrajaya, exchanging views on expanding cooperation through increased cultural exchanges, active participation in tourism fairs, and the establishment of direct flights between Tehran and Kuala Lumpur.

Kardouni said finalizing a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation could pave the way for enhanced bilateral relations in tourism and handicrafts.

According to the officials, visa validity for Iranian and Malaysian citizens was extended from 14 to 30 days from early summer 2025 to facilitate reciprocal travel.

The Iranian delegation also attended events for World Tourism Day 2025 and an international tourism conference in Malacca.

AM