Shiraz: Gateway to Iran's Civilization, Culture and Economy

Seyedreza Salehi Amiri, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, wrote on the government's information base on the pretext of his recent trip to Shiraz: "Development, before being a matter of resources and facilities, is a matter of recognizing the capacities and the ability to transform national assets into sustainable opportunities." The one-day trip to Shiraz, on my 97th trip to the province during the more than two years of the 14th government and on the eve of celebrating Hafez Day, was an opportunity to reread the relationship between civilization, economy, investment and effective governance, rereading the fact that in order to build a powerful future, Iran must link its historical and cultural assets with the requirements of a competitive economy and sustainable development.

Fars is a compact of Iran's historical identity and diverse capacities, a land where civilizational heritage, literature, spirituality, art, university, medicine, agriculture, industry and human capital are placed next to each other. In this system, Shiraz is a gateway to know Iran and the link between civilization, culture and national economy.

At the opening of the second Shiraz Expo 2026 international exhibition, with the presence of foreign guests from 13 countries and the participation of more than 300 foreign guests, I emphasized the necessity of introducing Iran's vast capacities and strengthening the link of production, trade and investment. The active presence of the private sector and domestic investors, along with foreign delegations, showed that even in difficult and warlike conditions, the economy and economic development are in the focus of the government's attention. Crossing the limits requires building trust, facilitating economic interactions and providing more effective presence of economic actors in the target markets.

In this direction, we must define the ratio of the government and the private sector correctly. The government's mission is policymaking, regulation and supervision, not extensive enterprise and competition with economic actors. As the government clarifies the boundaries of its executive intervention and opens the field for private sector initiative, investment and competition, the possibility of creating value and sustainable employment will increase. The unnecessary entry of the government into the field of implementation can weaken the investor's motivation and limit the opportunity of competition. Therefore, reforming processes, removing obstacles and removing unnecessary bureaucracy should be among the priorities of economic governance.

The handicraft exhibition in the form of Shiraz Expo 2026 was a clear manifestation of the link between culture and creative economy. Artists from different provinces, from pottery, carpets and rugs to needlework, inlay, panel arts and traditional textiles, displayed various narratives of Iranian identity. In some works, months of work and artistic elegance had turned into a product that had both artistic value and the capacity to be present in the market. This experience shows that handicrafts are a living capital for employment, entrepreneurship, export and cultural diplomacy. Realizing this capacity requires market-appropriate design, quality improvement, efficient distribution network, and targeted support for artists.

In the same framework, the three priorities of the 14th government, that is, national cohesion, strengthening social capital by paying attention to livelihood and employment, and promoting security and efficiency, should find practical expression in economic and cultural policies. Prosperity of production, creation of hope and public trust are not separate from each other, people will touch the fruit of policy making when the facilitation of economic activity leads to job opportunities, improvement of livelihood and increase of social participation.

At the Shiraz Expo, in response to the statements of the US Secretary of State about the civilizations of Iran and Greece, I emphasized the necessity of knowing history based on civilizational realities. The life of Saadabad plane trees is longer than the life of the formation of the United States of America. Judgment about civilizations requires historical knowledge and scientific criteria, a civilization that has been present in the memory of humanity for thousands of years is not measured by political comments. The glory of Iran is based on the support of civilization and its authoritative presentation to the world.

In Shiraz Mehr tourism event, I emphasized the necessity of connecting the historical and cultural attractions of the province. Hafiziyah, Saadiyeh, Takht Jamshid and Shahcheragh are all part of Fars' identity system. Shiraz should be the gateway to the knowledge of this system and its cultural routes should extend to Kazeroon, Firouzabad and other historical areas of the province. Such an approach can increase the permanence of tourists, the balanced distribution of benefits and the share of local communities in the tourism economy.

Also, in the national meeting of the investment deputies of the provinces and the dialogue with professional tourism organizations, it was emphasized on the transformation in management processes, responsive decision-making and the use of field experience. Investment is realized when policymaking becomes an executive decision, a decision to remove an obstacle, and the removal of an obstacle becomes a measurable result.

The strategic achievement of this trip can be summarized in four axes: the continuation of attention to the economy and development in the difficult conditions of the country, the significant presence of foreign guests and domestic investors, revealing the capacity of handicrafts and creative industries in the link between culture and economy, and the necessity of accelerating facilitation, removing obstacles and reforming bureaucracy.

The future of Iran's development depends on the connection of civilizational capital, human capital, economic capital and efficient governance. Fars can be one of the important fields for the realization of this model, a model in which heritage protection is combined with wealth creation, national identity with global interaction, and management authority with institutional accountability. Our responsibility is to use the heritage of the past as a support for national honor, public welfare and future generations of Iran.