The role of the Persian literature in expanding the cultural anddiplomatic ties between Iran and Vietnam was discussed at a seminar heldin Hanoi on May 27 by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) andthe Iranian Embassy in Vietnam.

IranianAmbassador Alvandi Behineh said that Iran and Vietnam set up theirdiplomatic ties in 1973, but their potential for cooperation has yet tobe tapped fully.

Mutual understanding of eachother’s language and literature is useful to develop cooperation inculture and boost the exchange between intellectuals and peoples, headded.

According to VASS Vice President Pham VanDuc, the bilateral cultural and literature ties have recorded positivedevelopments. Previously Persian literature was translated intoVietnamese through a third language, but the country now has sometranslators who work directly in Persian.

Somemajor Persian works have been published in Vietnam recently, including acollection of ancient Persian poems published in 2011 and a collectionof Persian fable poems published in 2012. Works by the great poet SaadiShirazi have also been introduced to Vietnamese literary researchers onthe special issue of the Literature Research Magazine in March thisyear.-VNA