UNESCO Issues Serious Warning over Damage to Iran’s World Heritage; Golestan Palace among Affected Sites
| Paris — Mr. Lazare, Director of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, expressed deep concern over the impact of the initial regional hostilities on World Heritage Sites, stating that several Iranian properties inscribed on the World Heritage List had sustained damage. |
According to him, Iran currently has 29 properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, four of which have sustained damage. Among the affected properties is Golestan Palace in Tehran, which is often compared to the Palace of Versailles in France.
Mr. Lazare emphasized: “At UNESCO, we have communicated the geographical coordinates of all these historic sites to all parties to the conflict, and everyone is aware that these sites must not be targeted or subjected to any form of destruction.”
He added: “These sites bear witness to the history of the civilizations of 18 countries in the region. We are speaking about Tehran, but similar cases exist in the Gulf countries as well. UNESCO calls for the immediate protection of these sites and underscores the importance of the shared cultural heritage of humanity.”
