Close language family ties

Because of the close linguistic ties between Ossetian and Farsi, North Ossetia and Iran have sustained and strengthened relations. The NOSU Center for Iranian Culture opened in 2014 through the involvement of the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Moscow, Mekhdi Sanan.

The Center coordinates joint activities with Iran’s public and educational institutions.

Its main activities include:

  • culture and enlightenment;
  • science and research;
  • education;
  • international relations.

Students are taught to read the Shahnameh (The Epic of the Persian Kings) in the original as part of the Persian program. Specialists from Iran, lecturers in Persian language and literature from the Allameh Tabataba’i University, conduct the courses.

The students are divided into three levels of competency, — beginners, intermediate and advanced and at completios they all recieve certificates.

“The course offers a short-term internship at the Allameh Tabataba’i University, where students immerse in the cultural and language.  The program includes courses for improving one’s qualifications” Madina Sokhiyeva, director of NOSU’s Iran Center, announced.

Signed agreements between Kosta Khetagurov North Ossetia State University and Allameh Tabataba’i University enabled the launching of these courses. When Alan Ogoev, the rector of NOSU, paid an official visit to the Iranian university these agreements were reinforced and consequently led to further and closer mutual cooperation.

The Persian language (Farsi) has a rich cultural heritage going back approximately 3000 years. The language has left traces in nations living on the Iranian highlands, in the eastern regions of the Black Sea and on the coast of the Caspian Sea, in the southern, central and eastern regions of modern Iran, as well as in isolated territories of India, Central Asia and southern China. Presently, it is found in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and there are about 110 million people who speak it.
The modern world knows it as the enchanting, beautiful, mystical and inspiring language of Ferdowsi, Nizami, Rudaki, Omar Khayyam, Saadi, Hafez, Rumi and others. As Persian belongs to the Iranian group of the Indo-European (Arian) language family its influence is felt nearly everywhere, because Indo-European is one of the most widespread language groups in the world. Ossetian, as mentioned before, also belongs to this group.