This article is devoted to the current condition of teaching Russian as a foreign language in the Iranian audience. The author focuses on the main components of the learning process, considering the existing problems in this sphere, indicating the reasons for a decline in the quality of students’ preparation and suggests ways to improve the quality of the Russian language learning. The relevance of the study is determined by the new quality requirements, the forms of teaching Russian as a foreign language in Iran and the increasing number of students learning the Russian language, as well as the need to develop studentsphilologists’ communicative competence in all kinds of speech activities. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that the article analyzes characteristic features of learning Russian as a foreign language in the Iranian audience and the causes of decline in the quality of preparation of students-philologists. The paper applies an analytical-descriptive method of research, including the study and analysis of the features of Russian language learning in the Iranian audience: approaches to learning, content, principles, methods, organizational forms and teaching aids. On the basis of the study the author suggests ways to improve the quality of future Iranian Russianists’ preparation. To this end, it seems appropriate: to revise the objectives, content and learning technologies; to analyze and update methodological principles of preparation with a focus on the formation of students' communicative competence; to focus on more effective and upto-date teaching methods in the learning process; to make all practical lessons speech and writing skillsoriented, and to use modern audiovisual teaching aids on a regular basis.
