KERMAN -- The Director General of Iran's Department of Natural History, Asghar Mohammadi-Fazel, said that construction activities on the biggest natural history museum in the Middle East is currently underway in Tehran.

He told IRNA here Wednesday that construction of the museum started in 1999, and that he was hopeful it would be completed by the end of the next Iranian year with the additional credits that have been allocated.

The official further said that currently there are 11 natural history museums affiliated to the department of the environment which are operating throughout the country.

The natural history museum of Kerman was opened as the 12th in this field Tuesday, he said, adding that construction works of 13 other such museums have been completed in other parts of the country.

Meanwhile, said the official, other natural history museums are operating in the cities of Isfahan, Tehran, Shiraz, Kermanshah, Hamedan and Yazd that are affiliated to organizations other than the department of the environment.

Mohammadi-Fazel said that efforts are being made to preserve, identify and conduct research work on various species in order to shed further light on the educational aspect of evolution.

(IRNA)