TEHRAN – The 36th Tehran International Book Fair officially opened on Wednesday under the slogan of “Let’s Read for Iran.”
Held at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla complex, this year’s fair spans nearly 75,000 square meters of indoor space and will run for 11 days, welcoming over 2,300 publishers from Iran and abroad.
Key officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Culture Minister Abbas Salehi, attended the opening ceremony.
The exhibition is divided into several thematic sections, including educational publishers, the children and young adult section, university-level publishers, and Arabic and Latin books.
The main hall hosts general publishers, and the international and media section.
Iraq is the official guest of honor this year.
A key highlight is the launch of the first Tehran Literary Fellowship Program, set to open on May 12 with participation from domestic and international publishers and cultural figures.
Special subsidies for book purchases are available to students, scholars, and seminary members, with individual allowances co-funded by the Ministry of Culture and the participants.
Iraq’s Minister of Culture and Tourism Ahmed Fakak expressed astonishment at the vast size and scope of the event.
Speaking after visiting Iraq’s national pavilion, Fakak praised the number of participating publishers and the wide variety of titles on display.
“I’ve just visited the Iraqi booth, but I’m already impressed by the immense scale of the Tehran Book Fair. I hope I’ll have time to see all it has to offer,” he said.
 More than 30 Iraqi publishers and cultural figures, both public and private, are participating in this year’s edition.
Minister Salehi emphasized the importance of cultural diplomacy between Iran and Iraq, highlighting shared historical and cultural ties.
He expressed hope that Iraq’s prominent presence would mark a new chapter in bilateral cultural cooperation, particularly in publishing.