Hawzah News Agency- According to officials from the International Affairs Department of the Center for the Management of Iran’s Islamic Seminaries, the new phase comes amid major global transformations and reflects a calculated pivot toward the East as a key arena for future scholarly, cultural, and religious interaction.
The initiative seeks to establish the necessary institutional infrastructure and human-resource capacities required to realize the plan’s long-term vision across East Asian nations.
High-Level Delegation to East Asia
An official delegation representing the seminary administration, including Hojatoleslam Mohammadreza Barteh and Hojatoleslam Mohammad Sadeq Amin-Din, held meetings with academic figures, cultural elites, university representatives, and religious leaders in the region.
During the meetings, the two sides reviewed prospects for joint cooperation and emphasized translating preliminary understandings into structured, operational programs.
Hojatoleslam Barteh highlighted what he described as the discursive capacity of the Ahl al-Bayt school of thought and the rich legacy of Iranian-Islamic civilization, saying historical affinities and mutual understanding between Iran and East Asia constitute a valuable foundation for future collaboration.
Building Sustainable Academic and Cultural Ties
He underlined the need for language preparedness, culturally informed engagement strategies, and the systematic training of specialized human resources to ensure long-term and sustainable cooperation.
According to Barteh, fostering theoretical openness, organizing elite academic exchanges, and facilitating reciprocal delegations are essential pillars for deepening interaction between Iranian seminaries and Eastern institutions.
Hojatoleslam Amin-Din, for his part, pointed to longstanding intercultural and interfaith exchanges between Iran and East Asia, describing the region’s relative insulation from waves of Islamophobia as a strategic opportunity.
He said this environment provides fertile ground for expanding scholarly, theological, and civilizational dialogue based on mutual respect and shared ethical concerns.
Strategic Pivot Toward the East
The Second Five-Year Plan positions the Eastern world not merely as a geographic focus but as a civilizational partner in a shifting global order increasingly characterized by multipolar dynamics.
Officials say the initiative aligns with broader efforts to strengthen South-South cooperation and diversify Iran’s international academic engagement beyond traditional Western frameworks.
The plan includes expanding joint research projects, launching comparative religious studies programs, developing digital platforms for cross-border scholarly collaboration, and promoting Persian and Islamic studies in academic centers across East Asia.
Toward a Long-Term Vision
The International Affairs Department stressed that deepening scientific, cultural, and religious ties with Eastern countries is a central objective of the seminaries’ five-year roadmap.
Observers note that the move reflects a broader recalibration of intellectual diplomacy, in which Iran’s religious institutions seek to play a more proactive role in shaping global discourse, particularly in regions undergoing rapid economic and cultural transformation.
By focusing on sustainable institutional partnerships, elite exchanges, and knowledge-based cooperation, Iran’s Islamic seminaries aim to consolidate their presence in East Asia as part of a long-term strategic outlook in the evolving international landscape.
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