Shanghai-Tehran flights in works ... 'most probably'

We were feeling sorry for ourselves here at Shanghaiist world headquarters earlier today. The Arcade Fire -- one of the best bands on the planet -- is playing in Japan this weekend, and there is no way we can afford to go. You're probably thinking, "Why would you want to go all the way to Japan when Hard Candy and BB Bomb are playing this weekend at Harley's?" And we would respond with expressions akin to the "Disappointed" or the "Eye-rolling" emoticons for MSN Messenger.

But we were all "Open-mouthed" when we heard the latest news out of Iran. Who needs Tokyo when you've got Tehran? Payvand reports:

Iran's acting head counsel in Shanghai, Vahid Farmand, announced that talks are underway which will most probably lead to the launching of direct flights from Shanghai to Tehran as a means to ease the travel of Chinese tourists to Iran.

Flights to Tehran are currently leaving from Beijing, east of China, therefore the Chinese living in the west regions of the country should go through a lot of trouble to travel to Tehran.

According to Vardi Nezhad, the current registration of Iran on the tourism Golden List of China has provided Iran with new opportunities to promote its tourism in the country which is the third largest of the world. The Golden List compiled by Chinese officials of countries approved as tourism destinations.

We don't know much about this "tourism Golden List" -- the first several results of a Google search for it all have to do with the special bond between Iran and China -- and we are not quite sure how Shanghai, a city further east than Beijing, will help alleviate the "trouble" of those in western China dying to get to Tehran. But we at Shanghaiist will most probably be on the first Shanghai plane bound for Iran. Seems like a nice place to visit these days.