A Pathology of Challenges in Political Simultaneous Interpretation؛

(Case Study of Naim Qassem's Speech on February 16, 2026)

Abstract

The ever-increasing expansion of political, economic, and cultural interactions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Arab countries has made the need for attention to Arabic-Persian simultaneous oral interpretation more evident than ever. Simultaneous interpretation in the realm of political discourse is of particular sensitivity due to its direct impact on international relations, such that any error in conveying concepts, meanings, and political stances can have far-reaching consequences at the level of relations between states and nations. Adopting a descriptive-analytical method, the present study aims to identify and analyze the most significant challenges of political simultaneous interpretation from Arabic into Persian by examining the political speech of Naim Qassem, the Secretary-General of Lebanon's Hezbollah, delivered on February 16, 2026. The findings of the research indicate that the challenges faced by the interpreter can be classified into two general categories: linguistic and extralinguistic challenges. Among the linguistic challenges, the most frequently observed problems include reduction of words and sentences in the source language, their expansion in the target language, lack of exact equivalents for lexical items and grammatical structures, as well as borrowing from the source language. Furthermore, in the domain of extralinguistic challenges, the high speech rate of the speaker and the interpreter's weak listening comprehension were identified as the most important factors affecting the quality of simultaneous interpretation.

Keywords: TranslationChallenges, Oral Interpretation, Simultaneous Interpretation, Political Discourse, Naim Qassem's Speech