TEHRAN — Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Abbas Salehi on Wednesday called for a renewed national effort to protect the Persian language, describing it as the “main pillar of national identity” and warning of growing threats from digital technologies and foreign linguistic influence.
Speaking at the first coordination meeting of the Council for the Preservation of the Persian Language, Salehi said the responsibility to safeguard the language must be viewed as a “cultural mission” rather than a mere administrative duty.
“Sometimes such meetings are seen merely as an administrative task — but if this responsibility goes beyond a legal obligation and becomes a matter of faith and existential concern, our motivation to serve will multiply many times over,” Salehi said.
The minister described the Persian language as unique among the world’s tongues, noting that Iranians can read and understand texts written more than 1,000 years ago — a feat impossible for most other nations.
Salehi highlighted four key aspects of Persian’s significance: it is the main pillar of national identity; a bridge connecting generations; a unifying force among Iran’s diverse ethnic groups; and a major component of the country’s soft power.
“Iran has always been a land of various ethnic groups. What has bound this diversity into a single national identity throughout history is the Persian language,” he said.
“The threads of our national cohesion are woven with Persian. If we want Iran to remain intact — especially at a time when greed toward this land has increased — we must view it from the perspective of national security.”
On soft power, Salehi recounted a recent visit to Kyrgyzstan, where he observed the enduring influence of Persian culture.
“We visited Chinghiz Aitmatov’s house museum. His genealogy was written in Persian by his mother,” he said. “Iran’s soft power in Central Asia, Anatolia, and the Indian subcontinent is built on the Persian language.”
Salehi warned of two major threats: the infiltration of foreign vocabulary and structures, and the rise of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence and social media, which are altering linguistic habits worldwide.
“These new developments — alongside previous challenges — have doubled the necessity of preserving the Persian language,” he said.
Addressing institutional shortcomings, Salehi announced the creation of a new Office of Literature and Persian Language within the Ministry of Culture, which will function at the level of a general directorate.
“One of the structural deficiencies of the ministry was the absence of an independent unit for Persian language. If we take a strategic view of the language’s importance, we must address this problem,” he said.
The office, headed by prominent poet Gholamreza Tarighi, was established in November of last year but faced delays due to the outbreak of the Ramadan War.
“This responsibility does not belong to one ministry alone. The Ministry of Science, the Chamber of Guilds, the police, executive bodies, the media — all institutions bear responsibility,” Salehi said, urging a collective national effort to preserve what he called a “divine blessing.”