Tehran intensifies plea to UNESCO amid mounting threats to cultural heritage sites

Tehran intensifies plea to UNESCO amid mounting threats to cultural heritage sites

TEHRAN – Iran has issued a plea to UNESCO for accelerated and enhanced protection of its national treasures, urging the organization to help safeguard all of its World Heritage sites amidst a growing barrage of attacks and regional instability.

The urgent request, formally submitted to UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany, follows significant damage to the historic Golestan Palace in Tehran and the Jameh Mosque of Isfahan and Isfahan’s 17th-century Chehel-Sotun Palace, marking a disturbing escalation of threats to Iran’s rich cultural heritage.

This development underscores a critical vulnerability of cultural landmarks in volatile regions and emphasizes the urgent need for stronger international legal frameworks to safeguard such irreplaceable assets during armed conflicts.

The letter, authored by Ali Darabi, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, underscored the perilous situation, directly citing Articles 9 and 10 of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1999).

This legal framework requires warring parties to refrain from attacking cultural objects and sites which are of historical, artistic, architectural, or scientific importance, and to take measures to prevent damage during conflicts.

Iran is proactively seeking to inscribe all of its World Heritage properties onto the “Enhanced Protection Cultural Properties” list to expedite the review and implementation of comprehensive safeguarding measures.

To facilitate the urgent process, pinpoint geographical coordinates of all Iranian World Heritage sites have been provided to UNESCO Secretariat.

“These historical and cultural sites possess value far beyond national borders,” Darabi emphasized. “Their protection is an ethical and international responsibility… Urgent and extraordinary safeguarding of this cultural heritage is an unavoidable necessity.”

Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Iran has disseminated the letter to a broad range of governmental bodies to foster seamless coordination and decisive action across relevant ministries.

Adding further push to the request, Hossein Simaei-Sarraf, Iranian Minister of Science, Research and Technology, penned a separate communication to UNESCO, vehemently condemning recent attacks as egregious violations of international humanitarian law and a systematic attempt to endanger civilian life and infrastructure through targeting protected cultural sites.

He clearly underscored UNESCO’s mandate and the organization’s crucial role in intervening to prevent further destruction.

Iran’s storied cultural landscape boasts a legacy spanning millennia, deeply interwoven with its national identity and artistic expression. This rich heritage, however, has not been resistant to the ravages of conflict throughout its history.

The most poignant example is the deliberate damage inflicted upon the historic Jameh Mosque of Isfahan during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. Iraqi forces knowingly targeted the mosque, resulting in irreparable and lasting damage.

This historical precedent serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of conflating cultural heritage with military objectives and underscores the criticality of international legal protection.

Condemnation and urgent call for action

Iranian cultural heritage expert Eskandar Mokhtari-Taleqani has recently condemned the recent attacks. He has firmly declared these actions a direct affront to international heritage law.

“The destructive impact is undeniable,” he asserted. “The amount of debris is concerning, and significant portions of the Golestan Palace’s exterior have been damaged. Specifically, the ceiling ornamentation in the Hall of Mirrors suffered severe damage and is crucial to a significant cultural restoration.”

Mokhtari-Taleqani highlighted the pressing need for immediate, comprehensive damage assessments conducted by international teams, including prominent institutions like the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

Furthermore, he emphasized the vital role of robust media coverage to raise global awareness and amplify the significance of these pivotal events in the safeguarding of cultural heritage.

Mokhtari-Taleqani also underlined Iran’s adherence to the 1952 Hague Convention, a cornerstone of international law mandating the protection of cultural property during wartime.

“Violation of these international conventions counts as ‘counter-cultural’ acts and is deeply concerning because damaged heritage is tantamount to a ‘counter-human’ violation,” he added. He vehemently criticized the stance of the United States for withdrawing from UNESCO and obstructing collaborative efforts aimed at establishing accountability for such acts, stating that Iran’s urgency is a compelling demonstration of its obligation to uphold international agreements.

His criticism specifically directed toward Israel’s continued UNESCO membership underscores the complex dynamics and potential ramifications of conflicting stances within these vital organizations.

Significance of Iran’s World Heritage sites

Iran boasts an unparalleled concentration of UNESCO-designated World Heritage sites, encompassing historical monuments, religious sanctuaries, archaeological sites, and natural landscapes of extraordinary significance.

These sites aren’t merely relics of the past; they are vibrant expressions of Iran’s cultural identity and hold immense global importance.

The Golestan Palace, for example, is an exquisite embodiment of Persian architecture and artistry, witnessing centuries of history and serving as a crucial hub of royal power.

The Jameh Mosque of Isfahan exemplifies the grandeur of Islamic architecture and is a deeply significant center for religious observance and cultural exchange. These are merely two examples of Iran’s treasure trove of cultural heritage.

A sustained disruption to this heritage undermines not only Iran’s national narrative but also diminishes the collective human patrimony. The destruction of these sites represents a cultural loss for the entire world, a diminishing of the human understanding of the past, and the disruption of intercultural dialogues.

Furthermore, these World Heritage properties function as significant drivers of sustainable tourism, generating economic benefits and fostering cultural exchange.

AM

source: tehrantimes.com