TEHRAN – Isfahan province has prepared a new tourism development roadmap, launched plans to revive historical corridors and begun restoring heritage sites damaged during recent US-Israeli airstrikes, Governor-general Mehdi Jamalinejad said on Monday.

Speaking at the 37th meeting of the Strategic Council of Iran's Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts in Isfahan, attended by Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, senior ministry officials and provincial heritage managers, Jamalinejad outlined the province's heritage assets, challenges and development priorities.

He said Isfahan is not only one of Iran's industrial, agricultural and economic hubs but also one of the country's principal cultural and historical regions, playing a significant role in the development of Iranian-Islamic civilization over centuries.

The governor-general said the province is home to more than 22,000 historical, cultural and tourism attractions, extending beyond the city of Isfahan to counties including Kashan, Natanz, Ardestan, Golpayegan, Khansar, Fereydunshahr and Semirom.

He said the province's 114 cities and more than 1,000 villages provide extensive opportunities for the development of cultural, historical, rural and nature-based tourism, adding that many of its towns and villages could be regarded as open-air museums.

Jamalinejad said Isfahan has continued its development despite challenges including water shortages, land subsidence, energy imbalances and environmental pressures.

He said several historical monuments were damaged during recent US-Israeli attacks, including sites within the Safavid Dowlatkhaneh complex, surrounding historical areas and the Takht-e Foulad historical cemetery. Documentation, damage assessments and restoration planning began immediately after the incidents, he said.

"Some valuable historical buildings located near the targeted sites sustained damage, and protecting these monuments as part of the country's national identity is being pursued seriously," Jamalinejad said.

He thanked the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and the provincial heritage department for their efforts to safeguard historical monuments, saying the protection of cultural heritage during times of crisis also means protecting the nation's historical memory and civilizational identity.

The governor-general added that tourism has been designated as the province's primary strategic development priority under the new provincial administration, with specialized meetings held weekly to advance tourism policies.

He said the province is pursuing the simultaneous development of health, cultural, historical, natural, religious, sports and ecotourism in an effort to increase its share of domestic and international tourism markets.

Jamalinejad said the revival of historical corridors associated with Isfahan's three periods as Iran's capital under the Buyids, Seljuks and Safavids forms a key part of the province's strategy. The plan includes identifying, restoring and promoting lesser-known historical sites and attractions.

He also called for greater attention to underrepresented tourism assets, including historical cemeteries, the heritage of religious and ethnic communities, historic villages, fortresses, cultural routes and notable historical figures across the province.

Isfahan was once a crossroads of international trade and diplomacy during the Safavid era and now it is one of Iran’s top tourist destinations for good reasons. It is filled with many architectural wonders, such as unmatched Islamic buildings, bazaars, museums, Persian gardens, and tree-lined boulevards. It’s a city for walking, getting lost in its mazing bazaars, dozing in beautiful gardens, and meeting people.

The Persian proverb “Isfahan nesf-e-jahan ast” (Isfahan is half the world) reflects the city’s cultural and historical prominence.

AM