Iranian authorities said on Friday that at least 120 museums and historic buildings across the country have suffered damage from strikes carried out by the United States and Israel since the war began nearly a month ago.
“At least 120 museums, historic buildings and cultural sites in various provinces have been directly targeted and have sustained severe structural damage,” said Ahmad Alavi, an official at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage in Tehran, according to the state television broadcaster.
Historic landmarks among the damaged sites
Among the sites cited by Alavi is the Golestan Palace in Tehran, an iconic complex listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He also mentioned damage to the Marble Palace, the Teymourtash Museum, and the Saadabad Palace, all located in the Iranian capital.
The Saadabad complex includes a large park with several pavilions built in the early twentieth century that were later converted into museums dedicated to Iran’s cultural history.
In addition to museums, the area also houses residences of the Iranian president and the provincial governor, while facilities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the judiciary are located nearby.
War began with strikes on 28 February
The United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February, carrying out strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggered a conflict that has since spread across the region.
Iran, a country with a history stretching back thousands of years, possesses a significant cultural heritage that has long been supported in part by tourism.
UNESCO sites affected
In mid-March, UNESCO recorded damage at four of the country’s 29 World Heritage sites. These include the Golestan Palace, often compared to Versailles and one of the oldest landmarks in Tehran, the Jameh Mosque of Isfahan, the Chehel Sotoun Palace in Isfahan, and the prehistoric sites of the Khorramabad Valley.
Damage reported in several cities
Residential buildings were also damaged in Bushehr, a coastal city on the Gulf, particularly in the historic port district of Siraf, which contains numerous buildings dating back 100 to 200 years.
In Isfahan, the Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a seventeenth-century architectural complex surrounded by mosques, a palace and a historic bazaar, also suffered damage.
Source: AFP
