Poor security situation: Iranian teams hesitant to visit KP: envoy

Director General of Iranian Cultural Centre in Peshawar, Agha Ali Yousofi, said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Iran could not further expand their cultural relations, which are spread over several centuries, due to bad security situations. "Though the cultural delegations from Iran regularly visit Islamabad but they are not allowed to visit KP due to security concerns there," Ali Yousufi said while addressing at Guest Hour Program, organized by Peshawar Press Club here on Monday.
He added that government of KP should assist the delegations to visit Iran to consolidate the culture ties between the two countries. The Director General further said the Day of Imam Khomeini is scheduled to be held on June 05, and delegations from around the world participate but it is unfortunate that no delegation from KP has been planned to participate in that function.
Giving the historical background of the social and cultural relations between Pakhtuns and Iranians, he said that in the past they were not only linked culturally but also connected geographically, because of which both developed deep cultural ties and understandings. "It is due to the geographical distance and security situations the peoples separated from each other," said Director Cultural Centre. He said the cultural exchange; studying each other's culture could mend this gulf between both of them culturally.
Besides the Iranian Consulate General in Peshawar, Iran has also set up its Cultural Centres in Peshawar cantonment areas which help in promoting of art, culture and literature by organising special seminars, arranging classes. A number of senior artists and teachers were associated with the centres to teach fine arts, calligraphy, languages among several other courses to the students. "We are also organizing special course at Universities around the province to encourage the culture and literature especially at department of Farsi in University of Peshawar," said Director General. He said Iran is ready to provide all facilities for the promotions of culture and literature in this part of the world and ask the people to cooperate in this regard.