A ground-breaking ceremony for a three-storey suspension bridge was held in the Sarein county of Ardabil province, north-west Iran, reported the Tehran Times.

It marks the start of the construction of the bridge.

Ardabil governor-general Seyyed Hamed Ameli, as well as other provincial officials and travel insiders, attended the ceremony.

Ameli was quoted by the publication as saying: “Ardabil enjoys high tourism potential, and with the development of its capacities, this province can be turned into an important tourism hub, especially an important hub of the suspension bridges.”

To boost tourism, several suspension bridges have been built across the province to date. Those constructed in Meshginshahr, Hir, and Azna are among the most well-known examples.

Iran's minister for Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Ezzatollah Zarghami told the publication: “The glass suspension bridge of Hir is one of the tourism icons of the region that have had a positive impact on the local economy.

“While the Hir city has only a population of 3,000 people, the suspension bridge sells up to 10,000 tickets a day, demonstrating the prosperity of tourism in the region.”

The bridge was made using curved sheets of glass and is said to be the world’s first of its kind. It was officially opened in 2020 and links two hills in the Hir neighbourhood.