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Qatar’s Ambassador: We Welcome Expanding Cultural and Literary Cooperation with Iran
1404/02/25-16:50
Saad Abdullah Saad Al Mahmoud Al Sharif, Qatar’s Ambassador to Iran, visited the Tehran International Book Fair and met with Mohsen Javadi, Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance and Head of the Book Fair, as well as Ebrahim Heydari, CEO of the House of Books and Deputy Director of the Fair. He called for enhanced cultural and literary cooperation between the two countries, particularly in book fair organization, publishing, and printing, given the great potential of both nations.
According to the Fair's press office, Al Mahmoud Al Sharif praised Iran’s capacity in organizing book fairs and producing cultural content, especially in printing and publishing. He said, “We are eager to have special cooperation with Iran in the field of publishing. There are over 300,000 titles ready for publication in collaboration with Iranian publishers, which presents a great opportunity.”
He added, “We have long-standing cultural and political relations with Iran, but these relations should go beyond politics and limited interaction to achieve extensive cooperation.”
The ambassador emphasized, “The Doha Book Fair is also a prominent event in the field of books and publishing, and Iranian representatives participate. However, we hope for increased presence of Iranian publishers and authors in the Doha fair.”
He continued, “I am interested in seeing many publishers and individuals involved in cooperation. We must pay more attention to translation—both from Arabic to Persian and vice versa. There is great potential in this area, and we have over 300,000 titles we would like to have translated into Persian.”
In response, Javadi highlighted the strengths of the Doha Book Fair, saying, “I have participated multiple times, both officially and personally. Two months ago, during Iran's Cultural Week in Qatar, we engaged in valuable discussions with Qatar’s Minister of Culture to boost cultural and literary cooperation.”
The Deputy Minister noted the role of culture in bilateral relations and said, “Qatar has shown notable progress in academic and general publishing. We also seek to enhance cultural cooperation, especially in the field of books.”
Javadi stressed the foundational role of books in societies, stating, “I hope we can collaborate effectively in the field of books. Books are the basis for sound relations built on knowledge and wisdom.”
He emphasized the shared cultural, religious, and political ties between Iran and Qatar, saying, “We must revive our cultural connections alongside our close and sincere political relations.”
Ebrahim Heydari welcomed the ambassador’s remarks, saying, “Iran has long been known for its writers and literary people. This reputation continues to grow. Iran has strong publishing and book production capabilities, which can also benefit neighboring countries.”
He added, “Currently, about 120,000 book titles are published annually in Iran, with more than 80,000 being new titles.”
Heydari pointed out that “the Tehran Book Fair is one of the busiest. Around 1,600 publishers are participating in person, and 2,600 publishers are active in both virtual and physical exhibitions. Over 200,000 book titles are on display.”
He also noted that “more than 5 million people visit the fair in person each year. Representatives from many countries actively participate in different sections. For the first time, a fellowship program was held with over 120 foreign publishers, and we hope to expand such cooperation in publishing through this initiative.”
Later, the Ambassador of Oman toured the fair’s main exhibition hall, visited various booths, and stopped by Oman’s pavilion in the international section of the exhibition.
The 36th Tehran International Book Fair, themed “Read for Iran”, began on May 6, 2025 (17 Ordibehesht 1404) and will run until May 17, 2025 (27 Ordibehesht 1404) at Imam Khomeini Mosalla. In parallel with the in-person event, a virtual fair is also available at book.icfi.ir, enabling book lovers to purchase online.
