SHIRAZ, Fars Province -- Australian Ambassador to Tehran Jeremy Roger Newman said here Wednesday Iranian city of Shiraz, Fars Province, is a universal center of civilization and it will be wrong to name Tehran as symbol of Iran because Iran is not just Tehran.

Newman told Governor General of Fars Province Mohammad-Ebrahim Ansari Lari that Shiraz is heart of Iran's history and one of the reasons for its importance is its link to two renowned Iranian poets, Hafez and Saadi.

He touched on the tourist attractions of Iran and said suitable ground should be used desirably.

He said special economic condition of the Province of Fars prepares the ground for expansion of economic and commercial relations between the two countries.

Ansari stressed expansion of cultural and economic relations between Iran and Australia.

He said Iranian government's policy of detente and expansion of ties with various countries have provided the chance for growing ties between Iran and other countries.

The Fars Province with such a high potential can contribute greatly to expansion of all-out ties between Iran and other countries, added the Iranian official.

The Australian diplomat, who visited this southwestern Iranian city on Wednesday, also toured local cultural and historical monuments.