On Oct. 13, 2023, Ehsan Doostmohammadi speaks at the fourth Belt and Road Publishing Experience Exchanging Conference in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Iran, a country located in western Asia, was a key player in connecting oriental and occidental civilizations through the ancient Silk Road. Recorded exchanges between Iran and China can be dated back to the period when Zhang Qian, a Chinese envoy in the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE–24 CE), was sent to the Western Regions, which is an important milestone for the amicable exchanges between the two countries. Literary exchange is an important part of cross-cultural communication and a significant way for citizens from both countries to increase understanding and promote friendship.

In recent years, with the constant development of Iran-China relations, cultural exchanges between both countries have deepened, and the translation and publication of modern and contemporary Chinese literature in Iran have grown significantly. In 1999, Iran published the Persian version of The True Story of Ah Q by Chinese writer Lu Xun (1881–1936), paving the way for the translation and communication of modern and contemporary Chinese literature in Iran.

Prior to 2016, Chinese literary works published in Iran were primarily translated from other languages such as English, French and German, and the quantity was also relatively limited. From 2016 to 2019, Iran experienced a significant surge in the translation and publication of Chinese literature, with an average of five works directly translated from Chinese into Persian and made available to Iranian readers annually. Direct translation based on the original Chinese text not only ensures translation accuracy but also enables Iranian readers to appreciate the charms of Chinese literature in a more direct and original manner.