St. Petersburg:The rector of Saint Petersburg State Institute of Culture has announced the university's interest in creating a Persian language department. This development comes as Iranian Culture Minister Abbas Salehi visited the institution during his trip to Russia.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Minister Salehi is in Russia to participate in the Days of Iranian Culture and the International Forum of United Cultures. He is also engaging in talks with his Russian counterpart, emphasizing the importance of enhancing cultural cooperation between Tehran and Moscow.

Alexander Turgayev, the rector, highlighted the university's long-standing history since its founding in 1918 and its role in training many significant figures in Russian culture and arts. He expressed great admiration for Iran's rich culture, art, and civilization, noting his early exposure to Iranian cinema through the film "The Leopard of Mazandaran," which sparked his enduring interest in Iranian culture.

The university currently offers six foreign languages and is keen on adding Persian to its curriculum. Minister Salehi expressed support for this initiative and has instructed Iran's cultural attach© in Russia to collaborate with their Russian counterparts to establish the Persian language department.