Iran objects to planned transfer of Cyrus Cylinder to Israeli Library
Iran raised objections to the British Museum’s reported plans to transfer the ancient Cyrus Cylinder to the National Library of Israel, expressing deep concern about the potential risks associated with such a move.
Hadi Mirzaei, director general of the General Office of Museums, raised concerns in separate letters addressed to Amir-Hossein Ghareebnejad, vice president for Cultural Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ali-Akbar Mottakan, the secretary-general of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO, IRNA wrote.
Mirzaei expressed worries about the planned transfer, stating, “The transfer of this historical artifact will undoubtedly be inappropriate.”
The letter pointed out that the British Museum intends to move the Cyrus Cylinder, currently displayed in the US, to the national library of the occupying regime in Al-Quds (Jerusalem) from October 4 to November 28, 2024.
Mirzaei emphasized Iran’s intellectual property rights over the Cyrus Cylinder and urged a ban on its transfer.
He also called for legal action based on the 1945 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property.
The Cyrus Cylinder, a relic from the Achaemenid dynasty, is recognized as the earliest and most ancient declaration of human rights, representing a significant part of Iranian identity and civilization. The principles within the Cyrus Cylinder influenced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.