Iranian vice president honors composer Loris Tjeknavorian in Yerevan

Iranian Vice President Seyyed Hamid Pourmohammadi met with renowned Iranian-Armenian composer and conductor Loris Tjeknavorian on November 9 at Yerevan's Blue Mosque, during the presentation of the Armenian translation of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, praising his valuable lifelong work and significant contributions to the arts, the Iranian Embassy in Armenia said.

During the meeting, Pourmohammadi expressed gratitude to Tjeknavorian for his invaluable contribution to music, emphasizing the artist's important role in promoting Iranian culture and literature, as well as strengthening cultural ties between the peoples of Iran and Armenia.

Referring to Tjeknavorian's opera Rostam and Sohrab, he highlighted the great creative potential of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh for the creation of immortal musical and theatrical works.

Speaking about his deep love for the Shahnameh and Ferdowsi's epic stories since childhood, Tjeknavorian discussed the influence of this literary heritage on the development of his own creative path, emphasizing the importance of expanding cultural and artistic cooperation between Iran and Armenia. He also described the peoples of Iran and Armenia as sharing one united and indivisible soul, noting that political borders cannot divide them.

During the event, the renowned artist was presented with one of the luxurious and exclusive editions of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh. Mehdi Shafiei, Deputy Minister for Artistic Affairs at Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, also presented him with the minister's letter of appreciation in recognition of his long-standing valuable work and significant contributions to the field of music.