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

Named after Persian poet Sadi, the award has been established by the Sadi Studies Center in Shiraz to honor 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, the Persian service of ISNA reported on Saturday.

He was honored for his lifetime endeavors to translate Iranian literary works into the Armenian language, Tabatabai said.

“I hope this move would help promote Persian literature among younger Armenian translators and raise a mutual understanding between the people of Iran and Armenia,” he added.

He expressed his thanks to the Armenian translators of Persian literature and noted, “Many Armenian translators have played a key role in the expansion of ties between Iran and Armenia in their long history of relations.”

Hakhverdyan thanked Iran for the award and said, “The need for introducing contemporary Iranian literature in Armenia had been ignored in the wake of the Soviets’ hegemony in the country.”

“Contemporary Persian literature, including poetry and prose, is a clear mirror reflecting modern Iran,” he added and noted that he wants to raise Armenians’ knowledge of modern Iran through his translation of works by modern Persian writers and poets.

A member of the Writers Union of Armenia, Hakhverdyan is the translator of “The Club-Wielders of Varazil” by Gholamhossein Saedi. 

He has also rendered “The Wall” by Shahram Karami, “Dream Room” by Afruz Foruzandeh and “A Call from Across the Line” by Behzad Sediqi into Armenian.

Works by Iranian writers, including Sohrab Sepehri, Forugh Farrokhzad, Qeisar Aminpur, Ahmad Shamlu, Nader Ebrahimi, Sadeq Hedayat and Hushang Golshiri, have also been translated by Haghverdian.

Born in 1952 in Tehran to Iranian-Armenian parents, he began his elementary education at the National School of Aras. His family originally came from the Iranian city of Khomein in Markazi Province. 

He then migrated with his family to Armenia and settled in the city of Vagharshapat.

Photo: Iranian-Armenian poet Eduard Hakhverdyan in an undated photo.

MMS/YAW