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Iran hails Tajikistan’s push to revive traditional Persian script
The head of Iran's Academy of Persian Language and Literature commended Tajik President Emomali Rahmon after he ordered the introduction of a school course aimed at teaching students the traditional Persian script and classical texts, according to a statement released by the academy.
Under Rahmon's directive, Tajikistan's Ministry of Education will begin teaching a course titled "Alphabet and Texts of the Ancestors" in schools to strengthen students' knowledge of the Persian language and its traditional writing system, the academy said.
In a letter addressed to Rahmon, Academy President Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel welcomed the move, describing it as an important step toward reinforcing Tajikistan's national identity and one that would be warmly received in Iran.
According to the academy, Haddad Adel said the decision would complement previous initiatives under Rahmon's leadership to promote the Persian language and literature, including the publication of the book “Language of the Nation” and efforts to encourage the reading of the “Shahnameh”.
He said teaching the traditional Persian alphabet would help younger generations in Tajikistan connect more closely with their cultural and literary heritage, arguing that the script is an essential component of the Persian language. “Script is the written visage of a language, and teaching the ancestral alphabet in Tajikistan can be seen as a blessed step toward ‘unveiling’ and ‘revealing the face’ of the beautiful bride that is the Persian language in Tajikistan,” he said.
“Undoubtedly, acquainting the capable children of Tajikistan with, and enabling them to master, the script of their ancestors will have a deep and enduring effect on consolidating the national identity of the great and dignified people of Tajikistan.”
Haddad Adel also congratulated Rahmon on behalf of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature and the Sa’adi Foundation, expressing hope that the initiative would strengthen national identity in Tajikistan.
Tajikistan, where the Tajik language is closely related to Persian, currently uses a Cyrillic-based alphabet adopted during the Soviet era. Efforts to promote knowledge of the traditional Persian script have been part of broader discussions on the country's linguistic and cultural heritage.