Airstrikes damage 17thcentury mosque in Isfahan
Airstrikes damage 17th-century mosque in Isfahan
TEHRAN – Recent airstrikes on the Iranian city of Isfahan have damaged the historic Imam Mosque, also known as Masjed Jameh Abbasi, according to a provincial heritage official.
The attacks, carried out by U.S.-Israeli forces, resulted in the collapse of tiles from the mosque’s arcades on Sunday morning, IRNA reported.
Seyyed Rouhollah Seyyed-al-Asgari, Deputy Director-General of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department of Isfahan province, confirmed the damage occurred around 08:00 a.m. local time near Pasdar Street, close to the Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
He stated the mosque, had suffered damage from a series of explosions and airstrikes. The mosque’s historical structure, built of brick with aged mortar under its ornate tiles, is particularly vulnerable to damage from repeated attacks. Seyyed-al-Asgari warned that recurring incursions into the city could lead to irreversible damage to Isfahan’s abundant cultural heritage.
“Isfahan is a historically significant city with numerous UNESCO-listed sites,” the official underlined. “These repeated incursions by enemies can inflict irreparable harm on these historical artifacts.” He then emphasized Iran's commitment to preserving these monuments, adhering to international conventions designed to protect them from war-related destruction.
In response to the ongoing attacks, Iran has deployed “blue shields”, temporary protective barriers erected over vulnerable historical landmarks, aiming to demonstrate their non-military and cultural status and facilitate their preservation.
Beyond the Imam Mosque, the headquarters of the Isfahan provincial cultural heritage department, which is inside a centuries-old building, also sustained damage due to airstrikes on Sunday morning. Its core structure was largely spared, suffering only superficial damage to its roof, the official said.
Iranian Minister of Science, Research and Technology Hossein Simaee-Sarraf recently sent a letter to UNESCO urging condemnation of the recent attacks, citing violations of international humanitarian law and attacks on UNESCO-protected sites, following damage to Tehran’s sole World Heritage site, Golestan Palace. The letter detailed damage across education, culture, and communications sectors, and asserted a systematic targeting of civilian life, endangering hospitals and aid organizations. It underscored UNESCO's duty to act when protected sites face destruction.
Constructed beginning in 1611 under the patronage of Shah Abbas the Great, the mosque has stood as a cultural and religious beacon at the heart of Isfahan for over four centuries. It crowns the southern edge of Imam Square, which is flanked by other monumental Safavid structures including Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Ali Qapu Palace, and the Qeysarieh Bazaar entrance.
In those days, vast open space of the Naqsh-e Jahan Square hosted celebrations, polo matches, military assemblies, and public events, underscoring Isfahan’s nickname “Nesf-e-Jahan”, meaning “half of the world.”
AM
source: tehrantimes.com