TEHRAN – An exhibition displaying artworks from the Qajar period (1789-1925) in Yerevan is celebrating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Iran and Armenia.

The exhibit underway at the Matenadaran, a museum and repository of manuscripts in the Armenian capital, is being organized in collaboration between the museum and the Iranian Cultural Center in the country, the Embassy of Iran in Yerevan announced on Friday. 

Matenadaran director Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan, Iranian Ambassador Abbas Zohuri, Iranian cultural attaché Hossein Tabatabai, and a group of their colleagues visited the exhibition named “Iranian Cultural Day at Matenadaran”. 

They also attended a ceremony to unveil the fifth volume of “Persian Documents of the Matenadaran Decrees” written by Kristine P. Kostikyan, an Armenian scholar who was also in attendance at the unveiling ceremony.

The collection consists of governmental decrees that were issued concerning the Armenians during the Safavid period (1501-1736).

In his short speech, Zohuri said that the history of relations between Iran and Armenia needs to be reviewed regularly in the modern world, and praised the scholars who are studying in this field to generate food for thought for the academic centers.

He expressed his hope that the continuation of these study projects could prevent the distortion of historical facts, providing present and future generations with the truth about the history of the region. 
  
The curator of the exhibition, Ivet Tajaryan, also briefed visitors about artworks on view at the exhibition, and said that it has taken over four years to accumulate the artworks for the showcase, which will run for about a year.

Some of the artifacts are from Tajaryan’s personal collection. 

Speaking in a visit to the Matenadaran earlier in October, Tabatabai said that Iran is seeking closer cooperation with Armenia on the restoration of Persian manuscripts.

Ara Philipossian, an Iranian-Armenian professor of chemical engineering at the University of Arizona, who is scheduled to finance an immense project, which includes the restoration of Persian manuscripts at the Matenadaran, accompanied Tabatabai.

The Matenadaran has recently asked Iran to organize a workshop to be given by an Iranian scholar at the museum on the restoration of manuscripts with lacquered covers.

The Matenadaran – Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, home to Islamic manuscripts, now contains a total of 2715 volumes, 450 of which are in Persian.

The museum was established in 1959 on the basis of the nationalized collection of the Armenian Church, formerly held at Etchmiadzin.

Photo: Curator Ivet Tajaryan (L) briefs Matenadaran director Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan (2nd L) and Iranian diplomats on an exhibition of the Qajar-era artworks at the Matenadaran in Yerevan, Armenia. 

MMS/YAW