During the meeting, which took place in the Imam Khomeini
Hussainiyah on March 15, 2025, Imam Khamenei expressed his pleasure about the growth of committed and Revolutionary poetry, noting that the poems recited during the gathering were generally good and of high quality. He remarked that the expanding wave of poetry, especially among the youth, is very promising, and the report on the literary activities of poets over the past year indicates that our committed and Revolutionary poets have excelled in their endeavors this year.
Imam Khamenei emphasized that poetry is a distinctive art form and medium whose importance remains undiminished by other types of media. He remarked, "The more poetry progresses and the number of skilled poets increases, the more joy it brings us. Of course, it is also expected that alongside quantity, the quality of poems should also improve."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution emphasized that a key condition for the qualitative growth of poetry and poets is their refusal to settle for their current level of poetic achievement. He added, "Our era could be one where poets like Saadi, Hafez, and Nezami are produced, because, unlike the Taghut era, when distinguished poets did not receive respect or attention, in the current period, poets enjoy a high level of social respect and attention. Their presence and recognition in the media, radio, and television have provided a suitable environment for nurturing exceptional poets."
He characterized the contemporary style of Persian poetry as unparalleled and a result of the Revolutionary era, remarking, "This artistic distinction provides another foundation for the rise of poets and significant achievements in poetry during our time."
Imam Khamenei highlighted the impact of a poet's inner self on their work, encouraging poets, particularly the younger generation, to adhere more closely to piety and foundational knowledge while upholding religious principles. He added that "the reason the Quran advises poets to engage in frequent dhikr [remembrance of God] is that the purer and more transparent the poet's inner self is, the purer and more transparent their poetry will be."
The Leader emphasized the necessity of drawing from the treasure trove of Persian literature and the artistic resources found in the works of prominent Iranian poets. In another piece of advice to poets regarding the frameworks of romantic poetry and ghazals, he stated, "There is nothing wrong with writing romantic poetry that reflects the outpouring of the poet's affectionate emotions, but romantic poetry in the tradition of Persian literature has always been chaste and noble. Therefore, do not allow your romantic poetry to stray from the realm of modesty and nobility and become tainted by indecency and shamelessness."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that enhancing poetic themes and steering clear of an abundance of low-level common can elevate the quality of poetry. He added that educational themes expressed with eloquent and pleasant language, accompanied by delicate and refined poetic emotions, make poetry prominent and distinguished.
He underscored that the many social ideas sparking enthusiasm today hold great potential for poetry. "During this meeting, poems were recited in honor of martyrs Soleimani, Raisi, Nasrallah, and Sinwar. These revitalizing concepts can be kept alive in people's minds through poetry, much like the expression of monotheistic, epistemological, and wise concepts in poetry, which is also very valuable and has its own audience."
Imam Khamenei viewed the tradition of starting poetry recitals with the glorification and praise of God as a commendable practice that contemporary poets should follow.
During this gathering, 36 poets recited their poems on a range of religious, social, and political topics. Prior to the Maghrib and Isha' prayers, a number of poets had a close discussion with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and shared their works with him.
