Iran Press/ Iran news: Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili made the point in a meeting here on Monday with Nezamoddin Zahedi, Tajikistan’s ambassador to Tehran.
Esmaili said that the two Iranian and Tajik nations talk the same language with each other needless translators, or interpreters, which shows the depth of the two nations’ cultural commonalities.
“Our people consider the Tajik government as a brother of theirs, and the Tajin nation as a friendly neighbor,” added Esmaili, arguing that Iran and Tajikistan’s joint ancient culture is a cause for pride for both nations and the Iranians have always felt intimacy and closeness to Tajikistan.
Esmaili said that all the Persian-speaking countries in Central Asia and the region, including Tajikistan, are particularly in the focus of attention for the current Iranian government, “since we are all in a single linguistic complex and this singularity shows we have lots of reasons for joint cultural interactions.
“The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance both welcomes and supports holding Tajikistan Culture Week in Tehran and the other Iranian cities,” said the head of the country’s Arts Council.
He, meanwhile, proposed cultural cooperation in such fields as cinema, music, fine arts, dramatic arts, and literature.
The minister also referred to President Raisi’s first foreign trip to Tajikistan, in which resuming cultural and artistic relations were highlighted, and announced that the Culture Ministry is ready for expansion of cultural ties with Tajikistan.
The member of the Supreme Council for Cultural Revolution also referred to possible joint cultural programs, such as Nowruz celebrations, “as a shared historical heritage” for all Persian-speaking nations that belong to them all.
Tajikistan’s Ambassador Zahedi, too, in the meeting referred to the great cultural and artistic commonalities between the two nations, expressing hope that Iran and Tajikistan’s cultural cooperation will from now on expand more than ever before in practice.
He said that President Raisi’s visit to Tajikistan marked the opening of a new chapter in bilateral cooperation, especially in cultural and artistic fields, adding: Such cooperation must be in the framework of signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs).
Tajikistan’s ambassador also spoke about the holding of Tajikistan Culture Week in Tehran, inclusive of poem nights, screening of movies, and music, stressing that holding such activities in Tehran will lead to putting the train of bilateral cultural relation on its rails.
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