On September 11, 2025, Seyed Abbas Salehi, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance of the Islamic Republic of Iran, visited the IOM RAS as part of the 11th Saint Petersburg International United Cultures Forum.

Mr. Masud Ahmadvand, Head of the Cultural Center at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Russian Federation, also participated in this event. Honourable guests were welcomed by Dr. Irina F. Popova, Director of the IOM RAS, Corresponding member of the RAS. After the talks, the delegation from Iran met with IOM RAS researchers and colleagues from other Saint Petersburg institutions of science, culture and higher education in the Green Hall of the Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace. Representatives of the Committee for External Relations of Saint-Petersburg, Saint Petersburg Association for International Cooperation, the State Museum of the History of Religion delivered their welcome speeches. Joint projects and development of cooperation in scientific research, culture and educational programs were the topics of speeches by Dr. Efim A. Rezvan, Doctor of Sciences in History, Head of the Laboratory "The International Center of Islamic Studies" at the Peter the Great Museum of anthropology and ethnography (Kunstkamera) RAS, Dr. Nikolay N. Kazanskiy, Doctor of Sciences in Philology, Academician of the RAS, E.P. Pischurnikova, Lecturer at the Department of Iranian Philology at the Saint Petersburg State University, Pavel B. Lurie, Candidate of Sciences in Philology, Head of the Central Asia, Caucasus and Crimea Section of the Oriental Department at the State Hermitage Museum.

Mr. Salehi in his response speech emphasized the role of Saint Petersburg as a center of Iranian studies and education of specialists in Iran, as well as the importance of the IOM RAS manuscript collection and research on Iran conducted by the Institute. The Minister noted that joint projects are necessary in order to develop and foster this tradition, and one of the most important tasks for the near future is to find opportunities for their realization. At the end of the visit, Iranian studies researchers at the IOM RAS showed the guests an exhibition of Persian manuscripts from the Institute’s collection and Dr. Irina F. Popova gave a guided tour of the Department of Manuscripts and Documents.

Photos are available on the Russian website.