TEHRAN -- Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Abbas Salehi has honored Iranian poet Afshin Ala for poetry that criticizes the United Arab Emirates’ deal to forge ties with Israel.

TEHRAN – Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Abbas Salehi has praised Iranian poet Afshin Ala for poetry that criticizes the United Arab Emirates’ deal to forge ties with Israel.

In a meeting held with Ala on Thursday, Salehi expressed admiration for his bravery and perfect expression, and acknowledged Ala’s other praiseworthy poems for children and young adults and his compositions on ritual and political issues, the Culture Ministry announced in a press release. 

Ala published a long poem last month in response to the deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates that is intended to fully normalize relations, which follows a history of peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians and their Arab allies.

The poem composed in 34 verses is full of praise for Iran and Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah for their resistance against the Zionist regime and denouncement of the UAE for the deal.

Salehi said that over the past century there have been few Persian poets like Ala who can compose poetry on social and political issues all together.

He called Ala a revolutionary poet and said he has composed poetry in honor of Commander Qassem Soleimani and martyr Mohsen Hojaji as well.

Ala for his part thanked the minister and said it is hard for him to be officially praised but being honored by the minister is a big honor for him.

“We are in a stage of the history of the Islamic Revolution which urges artists and poets to take actions and produce more works. Some might think that when a poet defends the revolution it means he/she has shown interest in power while this is not so,” Ala said. 

Ala said that he is a political poet and that he is proud of it, adding, “It is not possible for a poet in these times, during which our country is facing such a large amount of attacks from outside, to feel free with no concerns for his/her country. The poets and artists need to change their attitude. Being an intellectual does not imply opposition to the system.”

Earlier, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, also has praised Ala for the poem. 

“The poem you composed against the Arab leaders was really opportune and timely; thank you very much,” Ayatollah Khamenei wrote in a message to Ala published in late August.

Photo: Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Abbas Salehi (L) meets Iranian poet Afshin Ala.

RM/MMS/YAW