Speaking at a meeting with Iranian artists who traveled to Moscow as part of the “Days of Iran” events in Russia and the 168-member cultural caravan named in honor of the Minab martyrs, Saleh Shariati said Russia should be among Iran’s priorities in cultural diplomacy and stressed that activities should continue beyond cultural weeks.
He said the current Iranian cultural events in Russia are broader and more diverse than previous programs, featuring musicians performing with more than 20 Iranian and Western instruments, artists from nine visual arts disciplines and participants from around 13 handicraft fields.
The Iranian delegation also includes figures from theater, cinema, literature, Persian language and poetry, manuscripts and libraries, as well as media.
The minister highlighted the four host cities of St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kazan and Astrakhan, saying their cultural institutions provide opportunities for expanded exchanges.
He pointed to the longstanding cultural ties between the two countries, including literary exchanges involving Russian writers such as Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov, as well as decades of bilateral cultural agreements.
Saleh Shariati also urged greater private-sector participation, saying government institutions should facilitate cultural activities rather than undertake all of them directly. He emphasized that cultural engagement should simultaneously strengthen the economic and identity-based dimensions of the arts.
During the event, Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali said the 168-member delegation, named in memory of students and teachers killed in the Minab school attack, represents Iran’s cultural resilience and message of peace.
