DUSHANBE, February 4, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Visit of Iran’s Vice President Hamid Baghaei to Tajikistan scheduled for February 4 has been postponed until February 10.

Hussein Shirkhani, Press-Attaché of the Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe, says the visit was postponed as Tajik-national air carrier, Tajik Air, suspended the Saturday flights to Tehran.

“Mr. Baghaei will arrive in Dushanbe on February 10,” said Shirkhani, “He will meet with President Emomali Rahmon to convey President Ahmadinejad’s invitation to attend celebrations to mark Navrouz holidays that will be held this year in Tehran and Shiraz from March 26 to March 27.”

According to him, 20 country leaders have been invited to celebrate the Navrouz holidays in Tehran and Shiraz this year.

Mr. Hamid Baghaei is Iranian Vice-President for Cultural Heritage and Tourism.  He is also director of the Iran Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO).  ICHHTO is an educational and research institution overseeing numerous associated museum complexes throughout Iran. It is administered and funded by the Government of Iran.  It was established in 1985 by legislation from the Majles merging 11 research and cultural organizations.  It publishes and oversees the publication of many journals and books, and carries out projects in conjunction with foreign museums and academia.

We will recall that Tajik Air suspended the Saturday flights to Tehran starting from February 1 in connection with low traffic on this route.  Tajik national carrier now operates only once-weekly service to Tehran – on Tuesdays.