TEHRAN — Tourism officials in Iran’s South Khorasan province introduced the village of Afin, known as the world’s capital of seedless barberry, to tourism industry representatives from Afghanistan’s Herat and Farah provinces during a two-day familiarization tour aimed at strengthening cross-border tourism cooperation, a provincial official said on Saturday.

Mohammad Arab, deputy for tourism at the South Khorasan provincial tourism department, said the tour was organized to promote tourism diplomacy, showcase the province’s tourism assets and create opportunities for cross-border cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan.

The Afghan delegation visited Afin village to explore its natural, agricultural and cultural attractions as part of the program, according to Arab.

Arab said Afin, located in eastern Iran, has potential for agricultural tourism, ecotourism and rural tourism due to its role as a major producer of seedless barberry.

He said the participation of Afghan tourism professionals would help introduce the village’s tourism offerings to regional markets and support tourism cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

During the tour, the visitors were introduced to the cultivation and production process of seedless barberry, traditional farming methods, the village’s natural attractions, its historic rural fabric and the capacity of its eco-lodges, Arab said.

He added that promoting Afin’s internationally recognized barberry brand among Afghan tourism operators could encourage tourist arrivals, strengthen cultural exchanges, increase sales of local products, support handicraft markets and benefit farmers and tourism businesses in the area.

Arab said the development of agricultural tourism in villages such as Afin forms part of the South Khorasan tourism department’s strategy to diversify tourism products, promote sustainable development and introduce the province’s regional brands to international markets.

Iran is the world’s largest producer of barberry. South Khorasan accounts for about 97% of the country’s barberry cultivation area and produces around 95% of global barberry output. The counties of Zirkuh and Qaenat are the main production centers, with Qaenat barberry regarded as one of the region’s leading agricultural products.

AM