According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, Masoud Soltanifar, Vice President and Head of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, there are plans to build a "Formula 1 circuit" on Qeshm Island, said by some to be the location of the Garden of Eden.

The claim was made during a visit to the island, Soltanifar saying that "Formula 1 has a great future in Iran", based on the fact that many young people have an increasing tendency for driving.

Some time ago it was claimed that a track was to be built in Parand City, 28 miles south of Tehran.

Talking of the latest planned location Soltanifar claimed it "has the potential to become one of the world's most beautiful formula 1 destination".

As European circuits drop from the calendar with alarming frequency, mainly due to their inability to meet increasing sanction fees, which in turn lead to higher price tickets, it will be interesting to see Mr Ecclestone's response to this latest invite from the Middle East.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by The stogie, 07/05/2015 3:50

"Bernie will be salivating - more oil money, less racing fans. Who needs Hockenheim, Monza, Spa, etc., we got Iran!!! Scary."

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2. Posted by Darvi, 05/05/2015 15:34

"Well, in fairness it does only say that they are thinking about building a circuit, not that they have been granted a race. Trouble is, with the current regimen if they offer enough money then FOM will let them have a race. FOM have already shown a healthy disregard for complaints about human rights, I am sure that equality and other issues will not get in the way. The way we're headed, the oil rich Middle East will be the only region able to afford to stage races."

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3. Posted by gturner38, 04/05/2015 20:34

"Assuming F1 isn't going to ban Susie Wolff and Carmen Jorda from participating in F1 weekends in Iran, doesn't Iran pose issues for holding a Grand Prix? For starters, there's the reality that standard F1 team kit doesn't meet dress standards and for those two drivers in particular, simply removing the balaclava after getting out of the car would require a level of privacy. The standards are not the same in Iran as they are in Abu Dhabi or Bahrain. Then there is the segregation of medical care, which could pose an issue in the event of an accident on track. I simply don't see how a racing series can run at any facility in which some competitors will get different treatment exclusively for traits they were born with."

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4. Posted by Joop deBruin, 04/05/2015 15:34

"Sorry, but severe intolerance shouldn't be supported in any manner."

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5. Posted by testa rossa, 04/05/2015 13:31

"In Iran why not ..if the grands are full with fans no problem."

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6. Posted by REV77, 04/05/2015 10:44

"This is a strange one. Unlikely the central government would allow this to happen. We're probably going to see a race in North Korea before Iran..."

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7. Posted by Editor, 04/05/2015 9:43

""Well, two posts pulled.....I think that speaks volumes about how appropriate running an F1 event would be in current day Iran."

Or perhaps the lack of respect some posters have for this site and its readers."

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8. Posted by Joop deBruin, 04/05/2015 2:49

"Well, two posts pulled.....I think that speaks volumes about how appropriate running an F1 event would be in current day Iran."

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9. Posted by kiwi2wheels, 03/05/2015 21:15 (moderated by an Adminstrator, 03/05/2015 21:56)

"This comment was removed by an administrator as it was judged to have broken the site's posting rules and etiquette."

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10. Posted by Joop deBruin, 03/05/2015 19:06 (moderated by an Adminstrator, 03/05/2015 21:56)

"This comment was removed by an administrator as it was judged to have broken the site's posting rules and etiquette."

Rating: Positive (1)

11. Posted by alfsboy, 03/05/2015 18:39

"Worth bearing in mind that F1 broke through the Iron Curtain long before other commercial business's.Hho knows? .F1 may breakthrough the mistrust and general ill feeling on both sides a bit ."

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12. Posted by NotRocketSurgery, 03/05/2015 17:04 (moderated by an Adminstrator, 03/05/2015 21:56)

"I didn't think that I would ever say this. However ... I am. The day that a F-1 race is approved for Iran will be the last day that support F-1 in any way. Granted, I am a very, very small fish in the giant F-1 pond. Even though I have traveled from the US to see three F-1 races in Europe and one in the US, my financial contribution to the sport, in and of itself, is nothing. Don't get me wrong, I am all for progress and change. I strongly believe in keeping up with the times. I believe in making the sport better, not just more expensive. I would like to see the teams and the spectators profit from progress and change, not just line the pockets of people who already are so wealthy that money, even millions of dollars, is just another toy with which to play. Ask yourself: Would it not be better to make a financial investment in keeping the Nurenburgring or Hockenheim or Monza or whichever on the schedule? Am I silly to think that there might be a way to organize a "two league" Formula 1, an East and a West, with a true WorldChampionship each year? Or, am I so naive that don't understand that, even in F-1, the sport has become a business and it exists, not just to make money, but to make more and more money for its relatively few owners. Speaking only for myself, after following F-1 since the first race run following WW2, after enduring the ups and downs over all these years, today I am fed up. I am in the process of making plans for my holidays in 2016 and 2017. This time, I will definitely plan to be at LeMons for the 24 Hours. I have no desire to see another F-1 race. I feel sorry for COTA and for Haas, even though I will try to find a way to support them one way or another. In my mind, there is no doubt as to who made the better decision, Mark Weber or Fernando Alonzo. As for me, I will be going with Mark Webber and I am already looking forward to seeing him drive again ... in France. "

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13. Posted by Canuck, 03/05/2015 12:25 (moderated by an Adminstrator, 03/05/2015 12:35)

"I have a question. With teams spending fortunes on preparing cars, why can't Ferrari throw in a few million into hosting the Italian GP? Why can't Mercedes add 2% to there expenses of the F1 team and sponsor the German GP? Why can't Renault assist in sponsoring the French GP comeback? Is that not something that would be in the interest of Formula one seeing so many people are will the kiss Mr E's backside?"

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14. Posted by Ro, 03/05/2015 11:37

"For hell's sake ! Its got to be a joke..A race in Iran and not Monza ? Wake up Bernie !"

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15. Posted by Simon in Adelaide, 03/05/2015 11:28

"They' we got to have somewhere to put their nuclear waste, perhaps it could be the last race of the year and go out with a bang."

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Iran to build F1 track?

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