Publish Date: 7 December 2014 - 23:41

Berlin, Dec 7, IRNA -- The East German city of Weimar which is a twin city of Shiraz, aims to further boost its friendship with the Iranian city, according to a report in the daily Thueringer Allgemeine newspaper.

It quoted Weimar's Mayor Stefan Wolf as saying he wanted to widen the partnership not only on the cultural but also on the political and economic level.

The decision comes ahead of the upcoming visit of a delegation from Shiraz.

Wolf stressed the need to intensify this friendship as both cities are also linked by Iran's famous poet Hafiz and his renowned German counterpart Johann Wolfgang Goethe who admired Hafiz.

Weimar has been hosting an annual Hafiz festival dating back to 2008 as well as the East-West Diwan festival.

The East German city is also home to a stony chair monument in honor of Goethe and Hafiz.

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