An interview with Ali Tatari in the 2nd Oral History Conference
Ali Tatari
Interviewer: Maliheh Kamaledin
Translated by: Mohammad Karimi
Ali Tatari is the oral history expert of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) Library and Documents Center and also the director of “Oral History Project of Majlis”. He has done his first interview with “Mohammad Afrasyabi” one of the old personnel of Senate, National Assembly and Islamic Assembly.
We had and interview with him during the 2nd Oral History Conference on 29-30th Sep. 2010:
When did the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) Library and Documents Center enter Oral History as a consideration?
In 2009 I delivered the proposal along with the regulations and goals to Dr, Jafarian. After some session of discussion he approved a unit under the title of Oral History should be established in Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) Library and Documents Center.
What was the aim of this unit?
Since we produce documents, we believe that we should scientifically pursue oral history in Majlis; this is our main job and we consider parliament members, managers and the staff as our target.
What is you future program?
We are about to find parliament members (PMs) of different periods; generally speaking, from 1906 up to now we have had 32 parliaments that 24 of them go back before the revolution and rest are Islamic republic parliaments. Our priority is the 1st Majlis after the revolution: because we may lose some PMs because of old age. We have prepared a list of all PMs of Islamic Republic and have found their addresses and information as much as we could. We are going to gather these people’s documents and scan them. Then, we will publish the brochure and abstract of their interview in separated books.
What is your approach toward Oral History in Iran?
There is no academic background for this field in Iran; however, it is about two years that it being noted more; and it is a good sign of progress.
In what subjects do you think more work can be done in oral history?
I think indexing in oral history need care. We have 60 projects and 15 of them is about to be published. I will explain it later more.
How many PMs have been interviewed up to now?
I think we have interviewed with less than 10 PMs. We are trying to proceed faster. We have talked to three people in this regard. Abbas Mirzaee, PM of Teheran during the last three pre revolution parliaments; Mohammad Afrasyabi, one of the Senate managers, and Sirus Izadi who died two or three days after the interview on Fetr celebrations. He was a writer and left oriented. He was not a PM but had good information to narrate. Considering these problems, the job is a hard one and needs speed.
We are trying to spread our interviews and bring the parliament staff to list of interviewees; because these interviews sometimes alights some dark aspects of Iranian Parliament history.
Number of Visits: 7354
The latest
- Memoirs of Majid Yousefzadeh
- Oral History News/April–May 2026
- Expert Panel Session on Oral History of the Country – (Part 1)
- 100 Questions/ 32
- Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War Doctor – 32
- Ta An Setareh (Up to that Star) (Part One)
- Memoirs of Mohammad Kazem Taqavi
- Theory Two: The Borderline Legitimacy Crisis of Oral History in the Academic System
Most visited
- 100 Questions/ 30
- Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War Doctor – 31
- 100 Questions/ 31
- Theory Two: The Borderline Legitimacy Crisis of Oral History in the Academic System
- Ta An Setareh (Up to that Star) (Part One)
- Memoirs of Mohammad Kazem Taqavi
- Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War Doctor – 32
- 100 Questions/ 32
Authenticating Oral History: From Possibility to Necessity
The use of oral history as one of the historical sources has long been one of the principal challenges facing oral historians and those who employ it in contemporary historiography. The development of international standards for oral history, as well as IRIB standards, was intended to address the criticisms raised in this regard. The relationship between Diplomatics in written records and oral history is reciprocal.100 Questions/27
What is the place of research ethics in compiling oral history?We asked several researchers and activists in the field of oral history to express their views on oral history questions. The names of each participant are listed at the beginning of their answers, and the text of all answers will be published on this portal by the end of the week.
Photo Album from The Doctor of fly
The Doctor of fly, authored by Fatemeh Dehghan Niri, presents the memoirs of Dr. Mohammad-Taqi Khorsandi Ashtiani, Professor Emeritus and a subspecialist in Otolaryngology at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Compiled within the framework of oral history, the work recounts different stages of his life—from childhood and years of ...The Beating Pulse of a Nation at the Moment of Nowruz
Every year, in the days and nights leading up to Nowruz, Shohada Square had a special charm. A few days before the New Year, the shops would fill with customers, and street vendors would take over the sidewalks. You could find everything in their stalls (from items for the Haft Sin table, candles, goldfish, and spring flowers to clothes, bags, and shoes).
