What it means
صلح (solh) is borrowed from Arabic, where it derives from the root ص-ل-ح (s-l-h), carrying meanings of reconciliation, soundness, and rightness. In Persian it primarily means peace in the political sense, the absence of war or armed conflict between parties. The phrase صلح و آشتی (solh o âshti) pairs it with the native Persian word for reconciliation to intensify the sense of restored harmony. A related concept is آرامش (ârâmesh), which is a native Persian word meaning calm or tranquility, more personal and emotional rather than political. The direct antonym is جنگ (jang, war).
How to use it
- صلح بین دو کشور برقرار شد. (solh beyn-e do keshvar barqarâr shod.) “Peace was established between the two countries.”
- ما خواستار صلح هستیم. (mâ khâstâr-e solh hastim.) “We are calling for peace.”
- پیمان صلح امضا شد. (peymân-e solh emzâ shod.) “The peace treaty was signed.”
- صلح واقعی هنوز دور به نظر میرسه. (solh-e vâqe’i hanuz dur be nazar mirese.) “Real peace still seems far away.”
Cultural note
In Persian classical poetry, solh often appears alongside its opposite jang in moral or philosophical pairings, as in Rumi’s writing, where inner peace and outer conflict mirror each other. In modern Iran, صلحطلبی (solh-talabi, pacifism or peace-seeking) is used both as a neutral description and, in some political contexts, as a critique of those who oppose military confrontation. The United Nations peacekeeping missions are referred to as نیروهای حافظ صلح (niruhâ-ye hâfez-e solh, peace-keeping forces) in Persian news media.