TEHRAN – A book carrying Armenian-Persian and Persian-Armenian dictionaries has recently been published in Tehran.

Hozeye Mashgh is the publisher of “Diplomatic Dictionary” compiled by Armenian scholar Vahagn Afyan.

The book was introduced on Saturday at the Embassy of Armenia in Tehran during a special ceremony attended by Afyan, Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan, Ambassador Arsen Avagyan and Sepuh Sargsyan, the prelate and archbishop of the Armenian Diocese of Tehran.

In a preface to “Diplomatic Dictionary”, Afyan said he has spent five years compiling information for the book featuring contributions from several Iranian and Armenian Persian literature scholars.

“Relations between the Iranian and Armenian nations have a long history and diplomatic relations between the countries have expanded over the past few years and will improve in different fields in the future,” Safaryan said at the ceremony.

In Armenia’s new policy for the expansion of relations with Iran, he said, “Cultural, educational and scientific issues have a special place and may help toward a better understanding between the two nations.”

He praised Afyan’s endeavors to compile the “Diplomatic Dictionary” and noted that such actions can help strengthen the ties between the two countries.

The collection may be useful to both experts and ordinary people, he said.

Over the past few years, Iran and Armenia have sought to boost their mutual cultural relations.

In early November, Iran honored the Iranian-Armenian poet Eduard Hakhverdyan, who has translated many contemporary Persian literary works into Armenian, with the Sadi Literary Award. 

The award is given by the Sadi Studies Center to international scholars with great contributions to Persian literature.

Hakhverdyan received the award from Iranian cultural attaché Hossein Tabatabai during a special ceremony at the National Library of Armenia in Yerevan.

Last October, in a visit to the Matenadaran, a museum and repository of manuscripts in Yerevan, 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, accompanied Tabatabai.

Philipossian is scheduled to finance an immense project, which includes the restoration of Persian manuscripts at the Matenadaran.

Photo: Armenian scholar Vahagn Afyan (L), Ambassador Arsen Avagyan (C) and Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan attend a special ceremony at the Embassy of Armenia in Tehran on November 19, 2022, to introduce his book “Diplomatic Dictionary”. (IRNA/Asghar Khamseh)

MMS/YAW