Persian poetry and politics

Persian poetry and politics

From The Global Jigsaw by BBC World Service

December 25, 2025 · 36 min

About this episode

The episode explores the relationship between Persian poetry and political legitimacy among leaders in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan.

How poetry is used by Persian speaking leaders to build legitimacy and shape the political narrative. Across Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, millions share a language - and a passion for poetry. But with its abundance of lovers and wine, Persian poetry sits uneasily with Iran’s theocratic leaders. We explore their complicated relationship with this facet of Persian identity, and how they occasionally turn to verse to secure popular appeal. Producer: Kriszta Satori Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg Music: Pete Cunningham

People in this episode

Hosts: Krassi Ivanova Twigg, Kriszta Satori

Topics covered

  • Persian poetry
  • politics
  • cultural identity
  • Iran
  • Afghanistan
  • Tajikistan

Keywords

  • Persian poetry
  • politics
  • Iran
  • cultural narrative
  • legitimacy
  • theocracy
  • Afghanistan
  • Tajikistan

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan

More episodes of The Global Jigsaw

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Global Jigsaw podcast page.