Ali Akbar Salehi: Diplomacy and prudence should once again be among the priorities / Returning to rationality is a basic necessity / The difficulty of problems does not mean that they are unsolvable and many problems can eventually be solved.

Referring to his years of experience in the negotiations, the head of the Iranian Studies Foundation said: Difficult issues do not mean that they are unsolvable, and many problems can be solved in the end. These problems usually arise from false images that different parties have of each other in their minds; People like Dela Valle can help correct these images and policy makers should pay attention to such voices.

Ali Akbar Salehi, speaking at the commemoration ceremony of Pietro Della Valle, said: Regardless of the positions of governments, interaction between researchers, thinkers and civil society institutions can help to resolve misunderstandings between nations and countries. These connections keep the channels of dialogue open; Channels that politics sometimes closes.

The head of the Iranology Foundation, at the ceremony commemorating the 400th anniversary of Pietro Della Valle's return to Rome from his trip to Iran, on Thursday, October 23, by explaining the cultural, social and historical aspects of the travelogue of this Italian traveler, emphasized the role of cultural communication in strengthening understanding between nations and considered diplomacy and wisdom to be essential priorities in today's world.

In this event, which was held in collaboration with the Iranian Studies Foundation and the Italian Embassy in Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi expressed his gratitude to Paula Amadei, the Italian ambassador, for holding this program and the efforts to expand understanding and cooperation between the two countries.

Referring to the importance of the gathering of Iranians and Italians after four centuries to commemorate a person who dedicated years of his life to the knowledge of Iran, the head of Iranology Foundation said: This occasion, especially in the situation where the region is facing crises and threats, is a reminder that the bonds formed in the context of history and culture can remain stable even in the most difficult times.

He considered Pietro Della Valle's travelogue to be one of the richest narratives written by a European about Iran, and by examining the three cultural, social and historical dimensions of this work, he explained its capacity to understand Iran four centuries ago.

Describing the cultural dimension of the travelogue, Salehi said: Della Valle did not look at Iran from a distance; He learned Persian, read Hafez's poems with great admiration and even tried to write poetry in Persian. This Italian traveler has also described the gardens and palaces of Isfahan and the celebrations held in the large square of this city.

Referring to Della Valle's attention to the ancient works of Iran, the head of the Iranology Foundation added that he copied signs in the ancient inscriptions in Persepolis. Inscriptions that no one in Europe could read at that time. Della Valle correctly guessed that the writing direction of these lines is from left to right.

Explaining the social dimension of this traveler's works, he stated: His letters present a vivid picture of people's daily life; From markets and workshops to silk trade, prices and currency, food and clothing, and the way judges deal with disputes. Della Valle also recorded the lives of Armenians, Georgians, Jews, Zoroastrians and Indians who lived side by side in Iranian cities. According to Salehi, these writings reflect the rich social and cultural diversity of Iranian society at that time.

Salehi further paid attention to the historical dimension of the travelogue and said: Della Valle spent some time in the court of Shah Abbas and gave a vivid picture of this king. In his narration, Shah Abbas asked his European guests in detail about the customs and government systems of their countries; According to the head of the Iranology Foundation, this issue shows that there was curiosity and a desire to know on both sides of the communication.

He added: Historians, including Iranian historians, still refer to Della Valle's writings to understand the way of life and governance in Iran four centuries ago. Della Valle did not write about a subject unless he had seen it himself or checked its accuracy with reliable sources. For the Italian readers of that period, his letters also open a window to a country that most of them got to know from legends and rumors.

Referring to the history of the publication of these works, the head of Iranology Foundation said: The first volume of Della Valle's travelogue was published in Rome in 1650 and his writings were later translated into French, German and Dutch languages. His Persian letters have also been available to Iranian readers in Persian language since 1969; However, the complete English translation of this work has been published only in recent years.

Salehi stated that after four centuries, Pietro Della Valle continues to help introduce the two nations of Iran and Italy to each other, and considered his book as a clear example of the capacity of cultural knowledge to deepen relations between nations.

He said: This kind of knowledge reduces suspicion and mistrust, and the importance of this issue is more than ever in the current situation.

The head of Iranology Foundation reminded: Della Valle was not a representative of any government, but an independent person whose curiosity and desire to know formed the motivation for his travels and writings. However, his letters have contributed to the understanding between Iran and Europe more than many official documents of his time.

He considered this issue as an important lesson for today and said: Regardless of the positions of governments, interaction between researchers, thinkers and civil society institutions can help to resolve misunderstandings between nations and countries.

These connections keep the channels of dialogue open; Channels that politics sometimes closes.

In another part of his speech, the head of Iranology Foundation said that he preferred not to drag a cultural event into political issues, but today the world is facing a situation where some powers insist on sanctions, pressure and threats instead of dialogue and interaction.

Referring to the words of the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, in April and in the middle of the war, he said: "Tonight, an entire civilization will be destroyed; A civilization that will never return."

In response to such a view, Salehi emphasized the permanence of Iran's civilization by referring to the narratives of Iranian travelers and said: Their answer is simple: Iran's civilization is a permanence.

He continued: Iranian civilization does not define its identity in opposition to Greece, Europe or any other victim.

The head of the Iranology Foundation then pointed out that the threats against civilization this year have been accompanied by the realities of war, and considered the Minab disaster as a clear example of this situation and reminded: Minab also has a place in the narrative of Pietro Della Valle's life.

This subtle hint, in Salehi's words, provided the context for the connection between the historical narrative of Della Valle and the disaster of Minab; A city where during the 40-day war, an attack on a school was considered a war crime.

Recounting part of Della Valle's personal history, Salehi highlighted the human dimension of this bond, explaining that at the end of 1621, Della Valle lost his wife, Mani, while waiting for a ship to return home. His wife died after falling ill and losing the child she was pregnant with. Della Valle kept his wife's body with him for more than four years until he could finally bury her in Rome.

At the end of his speech, he considered the return to rationality as a basic necessity and said: Diplomacy and prudence should once again be among the priorities.

He also requested policymakers to pay attention to the views of travel writers, thinkers and researchers who have a deeper understanding of other cultures and can play a role in drawing new paths for decision-making.

In the continuation of the ceremony, Paula Amadei, the ambassador of Italy in Iran, referring to the place of Pietro Della Valle in the history of cultural relations between the two countries, said that this Italian tourist stayed in Iran for more than seven years, learned the Persian language and got acquainted with the customs and lifestyle of the people of this land. According to him, in his writings, Della Valle not only recorded the route of his journey, but also introduced the details of Iranian life and his observations of Iranian society and culture to the European audience.

Amadei explained that Della Valle's writings provide readers with information about the daily life of people, the court of Shah Abbas I, customs, architecture, nature and food of Iranians. These descriptions have turned his travelogue into a valuable source for understanding Iran in the Safavid period and depict parts of Iranian life and culture from the perspective of a European traveler.

The Italian ambassador also mentioned Della Valle's personal and bitter experience in Iran and recalled that his wife died in the south of Iran; An event that connects a part of this traveler's personal life with the history of his trip to Iran. Della Valle's long stay in Iran, from this point of view, was not just an opportunity to observe and record information, but was accompanied by deep emotional and human experiences.

Regarding the fate of the copies of Della Valle's travelogue, Amadei said that the original manuscript of this work is kept in the Vatican archives. He also mentioned the preparation and publication of an implemented and annotated version of the work by Italian researchers and expressed hope that this version will be translated into Persian so that Iranian researchers and enthusiasts can benefit from it more.

In another part of his speech, he mentioned the naming of the Italian school in Tehran after Pietro Della Valle and considered this naming as a symbol of the continuity of cultural ties between Iran and Italy. From Amadei's point of view, Della Valle's memory and works still have the capacity to introduce new generations to the history of communication between the two countries and expand the field of cultural dialogue between them.

The ceremony to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Pietro della Valle's return to Rome from his trip to Iran was held by reviewing the written heritage of this Italian traveler and examining the cultural, social and historical aspects of his observations. In addition to recalling the value of Della Valle's travelogue for understanding Safavid Iran, this event emphasized the importance of scientific and cultural communication, dialogue between nations, and the role of rationality and empathy in facing human differences and suffering.