Writings next to a map of Iran during the Araghji conference  in India

Photos of a map behind Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a press conference in India have gone viral over the past few days.

The map of Iran appears in the photos circulating next to verses by the Iranian poet, Abolghasem Ferdowsi, in which it is stated: "If Iran must fall, let this body fall."

The location of the map in circulation was hung at the Iranian embassy in New Delhi, India, where Araqchi attended the meeting of BRICS foreign ministers from May 14 to 15, amid geopolitical tensions caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Araqchi's Statements and the Geopolitical Context

The appearance of the map coincided with prominent statements made by Araqchi, in which he stressed that the Strait of Hormuz is an "exclusively Iranian-Omani" waterway, and that there is no international waters separating the two sides.

The Iranian minister announced direct coordination with the Sultanate of Oman to manage the strait, in addition to discussing imposing transit fees on commercial ships, in a move that may redraw the rules of navigation in the region.

In another context, the minister called on India to continue its investments in the strategic port of Chabahar, describing it as a "golden gateway" for New Delhi to Central Asia and Europe, stressing that the project is capable of bypassing US sanctions and boosting economic cooperation between the two countries.

Who is Abu al-Qasim al-Ferdowsi?

According to the biography published by the official Iranian News Agency, Ferdowsi "was born in 329 AH in the Tus region of Khorasan in northeastern Iran, and died in 416 AH, and many writers and researchers in the field of literature describe Ferdowsi, who became internationally famous as Homer of Iran (the great Greek epic poet).

 Thanks to his masterpiece, Shahnameh (The Book of Kings), Ferdowsi was able to take an important step in preserving Persian culture and literature, and the poet dedicated his life to the revival of the Persian language and tried with all his might to leave an immortal mark on the ancient Iranian culture.