(This text is translation of an introduction that Matei Visniec has writen for the play “Single Cells” written by Jalal Tehran. This play was translated to French in 2018 by I’ Espace d’ un instantnamed les unicellulaires)
What is Jalal Tehrani talking about?
Matei Visniec
‘Single Cells’ of Jalal Tehrani reminds me of my youth when I was dealing with censorship as a writer and I had to find a way to expand my expressive space. Among this exploration, I found 
a mysterious and complicated way which was mostly allegorical and symbolic. Poetic, comic and ridiculous ideas came to my writing arsenal.
I found a way like the indirect speaking, which was often more impressive than the direct way. It’s obvious that sarcasm in literature can be traced back to the Soviet Union and fledgling democracies of Eastern Europe in twentieth century; which is exactly the parts of the world and eras that artists had been dealing with censorship. An explorer writer while facing a list of prohibitions and cutural security, initiates adjustment. What I realized after reading this article is that speech always wins and is more powerful than all adminstrative forces. Jalal Tehrani in “Single Cells” has made a collage of three stories which is crowded by disordinary and unusual characters, with a congestion of questions that are metaphysical and theatral. The answers are burning. The play is sharp and tears up like a blade. It can be discovered quickly that behind these words, there is a strong skill and delicate provocation. Simultaneaously there is a dramatic battle against the self-censorship. Every single word and gesture that the writer designs, is a trap that he has laid for you. He puts a complicated world against the nature. Then reports the results to you. This dram is being read as a poem in which you don’t have all the hints while reading. We know that there is a poetrical custom and philosophical myths in the ancient persian litrature. Perhaps poem plays a significant role for indirect speaking in the history about what I mentioned first when the conversation is forbiden somewhere, or it’s not easily permited. It’s around two decades in Europe that we have discovered the potency of cinema of Iran. Where the directors make the most impression with the least facilities. Everything is like a “water mark”. It’s the same here. Continuous balance practice on a rope. I like Iran indicating the history of human and civilization. Percieving and publishing even one moment of the atmosphere that Jalal Tehrani has made for us is really valuable and regarded. Tending to plunge in his writings is not without risk. He has put pearls in the ocean of his works. The ones who are not deeping down this ocean, don’t have smiles. After reading his works I’m totally sure that Jalal Tehrani conceals many possible interpretation ways from us. It’s our responsiblity to adapt ourselves with him in order to discover his indirect speaking.