Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, said his country is pursuing cases related to the US-Israeli aggression against its cultural heritage sites within the framework of international law and regulations.
In a message posted on his X account on Sunday, on the occasion of World Heritage Day, Gharibabadi stated that at least 149 historical sites and museums across 20 Iranian provinces were damaged during the recent conflict. The affected sites reportedly include five UNESCO World Heritage sites, seven historical urban districts, and 54 museums.
Referring to May 18, which is also marked annually as International Day for Monuments and Sites, he said that this year has a different color and meaning for Iran, which is striving to preserve its civilizational identity in the wake of the recent US-Israeli-imposed war.
“We must talk about the damage to dozens of museums, historical monuments, and cultural works of the country during the unprovoked attacks by the United States and the Zionist regime across Iran,” he noted, reminding that these cultural sites were protected by international law.
The senior diplomat referred to the 1954 Hague Convention and the fundamental rules of humanitarian law, saying they call for the protection of cultural property in armed conflicts and that museums, historical sites, works of art, and civilizational collections must not fall victim to aggression.
Enumerating the number of US-Israeli attacks on historical sites, Gharibabadi said the extent of destruction and damage to Iran’s cultural heritage during the aggression showed the violations committed had gone beyond the prohibition and were intentional.
The Islamic Republic of Iran will record, document, and pursue the attacks on its cultural heritage responsibly within the framework of international law, he added.
He underscored that Iran’s cultural heritage is not just the national property but is part of the common memory of humanity and thus any aggressive power would not be allowed to target the history of the Iranian nation for its military and political goals.
