Reading: In the following page, you will find a brief summary of how the Iran-Iraq war began, published on the official website of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution. Its vocabulary is necessary for understanding the rhetoric of the ruling circles of Iran on the Iran-Iraq war.
Listening: This is an interview with the former Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC during the Iran-Iraq war mostly focusing on Qasem Soleymani, regional politics and the Iran-Iraq war.
Subject of Conversation: The influence of the Iran-Iraq war on the Iran-West diplomatic relations (تاثیر جنگ ایران و عراق بر روابط سیاسی ایران و کشورهای غربی)
During the discussion, students will explore how the Iran–Iraq War shaped Iran’s diplomatic relations with Western countries. They will discuss the war’s long-term political and psychological impact on Iran’s foreign policy, including themes such as distrust, self-reliance, and resistance. The discussion will help students practice expressing opinions, making historical connections, and using vocabulary related to war, diplomacy, and international relations.
Homework:
- Please carefully read the whole text of the article of the day and study the vocabulary.
- Watch the entire interview in the Listening section and underline the questions discussed in it in Persian (about 100-150 words).
- Do some background research on tomorrow’s topic and related vocabulary to prepare for the discussion.
Vocabulary (Reading):
| Persian Word | Transcription | English Translation |
| جنگ تحمیلی | jang-e tahmili | “The Imposed war” |
| علیه | ‘aleyh | against |
| تجاوز | tajāvoz | attack |
| مرز مشترک | marz-e moštarek | shared border |
| همزمان | hamzamān | at the same time |
| هواپیمای نظامی | havāpeymā-ye nezāmi | military airplane |
| فرودگاه | forudgāh | airport |
| بمباران کردن | bombārān kardan | to bomb |
| ماشین جنگی | māšin-e jangi | war machine |
| اسلحه | aslahe | arms |
| تجهیزات نظامی | tajhizāt-e nezāmi | military equipment |
| به سرعت | be sor’at | quickly |
| پیشروی کردن | pišravi kardan | to advance |
| وسیع | vasi’ | expansive (areas) |
| دفاع مقدس | defā’-e moqaddas | “Holy Defence” |
| مرزنشین | marznešin | someone who lives near the border |
| عدم | ‘adam | lack |
| آمادگی | āmādegi | readiness |
| قساوت | qasāvat | cruelty |
| بعثی ها | ba’asihā | members of the Ba’ath party |
| در هم شکسته شدن | dar ham šekaste šodan | to be defeated |
| موجود | moujud | extant, existing |
| تخریب | taxrib | destruction |
| تَل | tal | pile |
| به چیزی بدل شدن | be čizi badal šodan | to turn into something |
| کاشانه | kāšāne | small house, hut |
| آواره شدن | āvāre šodan | to be displaced |
| به شدت | be šeddat | heavily |
| آسیب | āsib | damage |
| از هم گسیختن | az ham gosixtan | to tear apart |
| بازسازی | bāzsāzi | restoration |
| سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی | sepāh-e pāsdārān-e enqelāb-e eslāmi | IRGC |
| تأسیس شدن | ta’sis šodan | to be created/established |
| تأسیس کردن | ta’sis kardan | to create, to establish |
| نیرو | niru | force |
| تجربه | tajrobe | experience |
| کافی | kāfi | enough |
Vocabulary (Listening):
| Persian Word | Transcription | English Translation |
| مکان | makān | place, location |
| فرماندهی | farmāndehi | command, leadership |
| سالگرد | sālgard | anniversary |
| شهادت | šahādat | martyrdom |
| دفاع مقدس | defā‘-e moqaddas | Sacred Defense (Iran–Iraq war) |
| مبتکر | mobtaker | innovator |
| ابداع کردن | ebdā‘ kardan | to invent, to devise |
| خلاق | xallāq | creative |
| متمایز کردن | motamāyez kardan | to distinguish |
| رویداد | ruydād | event, incident |
| محقر | mohaqqar | humble, modest, small |
| خلق کردن | xalq kardan | to create |
| ایام (مفرد: یوم) | ayyām (sing. youm) | days |
| مقبره | maqbare | tomb, shrine |
| یادداشت کردن | yāddāšt kardan | to note down, to take notes |
| حوادث (مفرد: حادثه) | havādes (sing. hādese) | events, happenings |
| متأثر کردن | mota’asser kardan | to affect, to move emotionally |
| جثه | jesse | body, physique |
| عظیم | ‘azim | enormous, great |
| به وجود آوردن | be vojud āvardan | to create, to bring into existence |
| صحنه | sahne | scene, stage |
| جبهه | jebhe | front (military or ideological) |
| استعداد | este‘dād | talent, capability |
| تشخیص دادن | tašxis dādan | to distinguish, to discern, to determine |
| قابلیت | qābeliyyat | ability, worthiness, capability |
| اطمینان پیدا کردن | etminān peydā kardan | to gain certainty, to become confident |
| سوء استفاده | sū’-e estefāde | misuse |
| کمین | kamin | ambush |
| طمع داشتن | tama‘ dāštan | to covet, to desire greedily |
| بلعیدن | bal‘idan | to swallow |
| عملیات | ‘amaliyyāt | operation(s) |
| نیروی قدس | niru-ye Qods | Qods Force (IRGC’s special forces unit) |