TEHRAN The Manager of Iran's National Museum, Mohammadreza Kargar, said that an exhibition entitled "7,000 Years of Iranian Art" will tour Italy, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, U.S. and Mexico.

Speaking to IRNA in Mashhad, Kargar said that the First 7,000 Years of Iranian Art Exhibition was held last year in the Museum of History and Art in Vienna, Austria.

He said that following the success of the Vienna exhibition, which had some 300,000 visitors, other countries expressed interest in holding similar exhibitions.

Kargar added that the Second 7,000 Years of Iranian art Exhibition will open in Rome, Italy on May 31.

The exhibition will display some 180 historical relics which date from the 8th millennium B.C. to the 3rd century C.E.

He added that the Austrians will hold an exhibition entitled "Iran's Islamic Art" in the year 2002 in Vienna.

He said that holding such exhibitions is an important way to introduce the culture, art and civilization of Iran to people of other countries.

Touching on the achievements of the Vienna exhibition, the manager of Iran's National Museum said that plans to terminate the Ornithology Seat of Vienna University were canceled after the exhibition. He further referred to the establishment of an Iranology seat at the university, the airing of 30 hours of Iran-related programs by Austrian TV, and the publication of several articles about Iran in the Austrian press.