On February 3, a delegation from the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, headed by the country’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Russian Federation Kazem Jalali, visited the headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society in Moscow. The honored guests got acquainted with historical documents and artifacts from the funds of the RGS. The participants also discussed joint projects during the meeting.
During the negotiations, the interest in implementing joint projects in several key areas was confirmed. Special attention was paid to the development of publishing, preparation of publications, and scientific work. Cooperation to preserve and popularize the legacy of the outstanding researcher Nikolai Zarudny was considered as a starting priority.
Nikolai Alekseevich Zarudny (1859–1919) was an outstanding Russian zoologist who made four large-scale expeditions to Iran. His fundamental work «The Third Expedition to Eastern Persia» is a valuable scientific source containing unique information about the geography and ethnography of Eastern, Southern, and Central Iran in the early 20th century.
The parties also agreed to work out the organization of joint exhibitions and close cooperation with the Iranian Geographical Association, in particular in preparation for the celebrations of BRICS Geographer’s Day.
Ilya Gurov, First Deputy Executive Director of the RGS, showed unique rarities from the funds of the Russian Geographical Society to Ambassador Kazem Jalali, Cultural Adviser Masoud Ahmadvand and Research Adviser Ali Mohaghegh. The guests were shown historic treasures, including «Atlas of Captain Kruzenshtern’s Journey Around the World», «Russian Atlas» from 1745, and the specialized work «Drawings for the Study of the Caspian Fishery» from 1861.