TEHRAN - A high-ranking delegation from Mongolia visited the National Museum of Iran on Monday to explore opportunities for expanded cultural and museum cooperation between the two nations.

The visit aimed to deepen cultural ties and identify areas of collaboration, particularly in museum curation, exhibitions, and academic exchanges, an official with the prestigious museum told the Tehran Times on Tuesday.

The delegation, led by Lkhanaajav Munkhtushig, Mongolia’s State Secretary, and accompanied by the head of the China Desk at Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, began their tour with a visit to the Museum of Islamic Archaeology and Art of Iran, one of the main sections of the National Museum located in downtown Tehran.

During a meeting with Jebrael Nokandeh, Director-General of the National Museum, Munkhtushig emphasized the longstanding historical and cultural connections between Iran and Mongolia, especially during the Ilkhanate period. He expressed Mongolia’s keen interest in fostering academic and museum-based cooperation rooted in these shared historical experiences.

Nokandeh welcomed the proposals put forward by the Mongolian side and noted the pivotal role that national museums can play in enhancing bilateral relations. He suggested organizing joint exhibitions in Ulaanbaatar and Tehran as a tangible step toward deeper cultural engagement. In particular, he expressed the National Museum of Iran’s readiness to curate an exhibition in Mongolia centered on the Ilkhanate era, a period of profound cultural synthesis and artistic development.

Highlighting the rich legacy of Ilkhanid art and architecture on display in the museum’s Islamic Art section, Nokandeh noted that such an exhibition would offer researchers and art enthusiasts valuable insights into the artistic and architectural achievements of the era. He added that holding the exhibition in Ulaanbaatar would not only promote academic dialogue but also invite renewed scholarly attention to the Ilkhanids’ historical influence across Iran and Central Asia.

Also present at the meeting, Mr. Danuu Ankhbayar, Mongolia’s Consul General, praised the initiative as a concrete step toward bolstering bilateral ties. He expressed optimism that a formal cooperation agreement between the two national museums would be signed soon, paving the way for the first phase of joint cultural projects to be launched in the coming year.

AM