TEHRAN –- Iranian satirists are to be honored at Iran’s first Satirical Book of the Year awards.

“The event is a symbolic act through which we can pay tribute to Iranian satirists who were active in this field from March 1996 to March 2006,” the event’s secretary said during a press conference at Andisheh Hall yesterday.
“We asked all Iranian publishers to submit their works in the realm of satire which were published during the ten years between March 1996 and March 2006 to the Satirical Book of the Year awards secretariat,” Abdoljavad Musavi added.
Manuchehr Ehterami, Hushang Moradi Kermani, Masud Kimiagar, and Mohammad Torki will judge 276 submitted works, and two poets and three writers will be awarded, Musavi mentioned.
He lamented the fact that Iranian officials neglect satirical books and that the books are never reviewed properly in the Iranian press.
He expressed hope that the event would help raise the status of satire in Iran.
The awards will be presented on December 16 at Andisheh Hall