Iran's Chess & Backgammon Diplomacy: 2000 Years of India Ties

• Iran's embassy in India used social media to promote cultural diplomacy, highlighting shared history through chess and backgammon.
• The initiative emphasizes over two millennia of cultural exchange between Iran and India, framing games as symbols of enduring civilisational ties.
• The embassy referenced the Shahnameh, an epic poem, which recounts chess arriving in Iran from India as a gesture of friendship.
• According to the Shahnameh, Iran responded by creating backgammon, symbolizing an intellectual dialogue between the two nations.
• This diplomatic approach positions India and Iran as ancient civilizations with a history of creative and intellectual exchange.

Why It Matters: Iran uses ancient games for cultural diplomacy, strengthening India ties.