He added that Lut Desert could become Iran’s first natural heritage site on the UNESCO list.
“The global registration of Lut Desert can pave the way for the registration of other celebrated natural sites of Iran,” the official said, according to the English-language paper Iran Daily.
Talebian said the UNESCO inspectors — one from Tunisia and the other from New Zealand — are scheduled to remain in the country for five days.

“They will travel to Kerman and South Khorasan provinces to evaluate environmental conditions of the deserts and see how they are safeguarded by local and regional organizations. The pair will also document the effect of regional tourism,” he said.

Talebian said the inspectors will visit other natural, cultural and historical sites of Iran during their visit.

“Their itinerary includes attending ceremonies to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (PBUH), the third Shia Imam, and his 72 companions,” he said, adding such ceremonies are part of Iran’s spiritual heritage.

Lut Desert, also known as Dasht-e Lut, is bound by South Khorasan, Sistan-Baluchestan and Kerman provinces. Shahdad, which is located in the desert is one of the hottest places on Earth.

Remains of human settlements, which date back to the fourth millennium BCE, have been discovered in the desert.

The dossier to register the desert will be drawn up for submission to UNESCO by February.
UNESCO World Heritage Committee will meet in Istanbul, Turkey in July 2016 to review the registration process of global heritage sites. Khoshrou: Sustainable development needs adopting regional programs