The Dome of Mina – the largest planetarium ever built in the Middle East – has been opened in Iran by Tehran mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, alongside a number of officials from Iran’s burgeoning space agency (ISA).

The planetarium, located in the Abbasabad neighbourhood of Tehran, covers 1,800sq m (19,300sq ft) and includes a dome with a 30m (98ft) diameter.

Abbasabad Lands Renovation Company (ALRC) is behind the project, though costs have not been revealed for the build. ALRC managing director Ardeshir Nourian told Iranian news agency MEHR that the Dome of Mina was “essential for promoting astronomy among the elites”, also hailing the close co-operation between the ISA and the municipality on the project.

The planetarium has three projectors to show the sun, stars and moon and uses state-of-the-art tech currently unrivalled in the Middle East for entertainment and educational purposes, as well as for scientific research.