TEHRAN – Iran has unveiled a new international tourism initiative titled “Iran, the Origin of All Stories” at the sixth International Tourism Forum of Russia, where representatives from 32 countries gathered in Moscow.

Hojatollah Ayyoubi, acting head of the center for diplomacy and international affairs at Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, presented the initiative on Thursday during the forum and outlined Iran’s plans to expand cultural and spiritual tourism.

In his address, Ayyoubi said attempts to destroy a nation's historical heritage could not erase its history and civilization. His comments referred to the recent war that the US and Israeli regime jointly imposed on Iran on Feb. 28.

“History and civilization cannot be destroyed by bombs and fire,” Ayoubi said. “At a time when some threatened to destroy Iran’s history, culture and civilization, the Iranian people demonstrated that fire and bombs are powerless against history and civilization.”

Ayyoubi also described tourism as a tool for countering what he called “mediacracy,” referring to the influence of media narratives on public perceptions.

“No media can replace direct experience,” he said. “No image can substitute for visiting a country, speaking with its people and experiencing the living culture of a nation. Only through travel and direct interaction can nations truly understand one another.”

He added that tourism could increase mutual understanding among peoples, reduce misunderstandings and contribute to more durable peace.

During the forum, Ayyoubi officially introduced the “Iran, the Origin of All Stories” project, a national and international tourism program designed to showcase different layers of Iran’s civilization and attract cultural and spiritual travelers.

According to Iranian officials, the initiative includes several thematic routes, including the “path of the sun,” the “path of guardianship,” the “path of prayer,” the “path of literature, mysticism and wisdom,” the “path of voices and melodies,” and the “path of script and writing.”

Ayyoubi said the project was based on the idea that people around the world could find part of humanity’s civilizational story in Iran because of the country’s historical contributions in literature, science, art and spirituality.

On the sidelines of the forum, Iran and Russia signed an action plan for tourism cooperation covering the period from 2026 to 2028.

The document was signed by Ayyoubi and Dmitry Vakhrukov, Russia’s deputy minister of economic development.

The two sides emphasized the need to fully implement existing monetary agreements between the countries and facilitate tourist payments through banking cards linked to Iran’s Shetab network and Russia’s Mir payment system to reduce financial barriers to travel.

AM