TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday visited the Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex, inspecting several sections of the UNESCO World Heritage site during an official trip to the capital of East Azarbaijan province.

According to Miras Aria news agency, the minister toured parts of the bazaar including the shoemakers’ lane and the Mozafarieh carpet section, and spoke with local merchants and residents.

The visit drew the attention of local business owners and economic activists, who welcomed the minister in the city’s main commercial center, the report said.

Speaking to Mirath-e Arya, Araghchi said the Tabriz bazaar represents the historic connection between Iranian culture, economy, and identity. “The bazaar is a living testimony of the grandeur of Iranian-Islamic civilization in the northwest of the country,” he said.

Araghchi added that the historic site could serve as a model for economic diplomacy, cultural tourism, and regional cooperation, emphasizing its continued role in linking local communities to international trade.

Registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010, the Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex has been a center of cultural and commercial exchange along the Silk Road for centuries. The interconnected brick structures, courtyards, and trading halls form one of the most complete examples of Iran’s traditional market system.

The bazaar was already prosperous in the 13th century when Tabriz became the capital of the Safavid kingdom, and it remained a key trading hub until the late 18th century despite the city’s later loss of political status.

AM