Australian Ambassador to Iran, Ian Biggs visited the historical site of Gundeshapur on a trip to the southwestern province of Khuzestan.

As reported by AVA Diplomatic, Director for Gundeshapur and Iwan-e Karkheh base, Yaqoub Zalqi told IRNA on Sunday that Ian Biggs has his wife’s accompaniment, who is an archeologist, visiting the area.

Zalaqi added, “Throughout this visit, a number of historical areas and recent archeological diggings, which were carried out for the first time by Iranian archeologists within the ballpark, were introduced to the Australian Ambassador. The ambassador also visited Choghamish ancient site as well as tomb of Yaghoub Layth, and got acquainted with part of Iran’s history and civilization.”

On a statistical note, Zalaqi stressed that last year witnessed a 10-time increase in the number of visitors to Gundeshapur and that following the recent excavations inside the area and new achievements, tourists have been paying an increased number of visits to Dezful.

The first dig of Iranian archeologists at the site was initiated by the Research Center of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization in January 2017 and ended in April, 2017 with nearly 40 speculations and excavations.

The Academy of Gundeshapur founded by Sassanid king Shapur I. Gundeshapur was home to a teaching hospital and had a library and a center of higher learning.