13 looted antiquities repatriated to Iran from Italy
Thirteen Iranian antiquities, including a rare Iron Age vessel and centuries-old ceramics, were formally returned to Tehran in Rome after joint efforts by the Iranian Embassy in Italy and the country’s heritage police.
The handover ceremony, attended by Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sabouri and commander of the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Italy Giorgio Zarantonello, capped a two-year legal process, Asriran reported.
The artifacts had been seized in the northern Italian province of Trento during investigations that began in 2022. Officials said the restitution underscores growing cultural cooperation between the two nations, which have both been victims of illegal trafficking of historical objects.
Among the returned items are twelve decorative ceramics—bottles, bowls, jugs, and plates—from diverse periods of Iran’s history. They include Qajar works from the 19th century, Nishapur pottery from the 10th century, Tabaristan wares from the 10th and 11th centuries, Kashan and Gorgan pieces from the 12th and 13th centuries, and lusterware and enameled ware ceramics from Rey and Kashan.
The most striking object is a black clay spouted jug, traced back to the second to first millennium BC. Experts said it originated from Lorestan, a region known for its Iron Age craftsmanship. The jug had been smuggled abroad following illicit excavations before resurfacing in Italy. Scholars noted its resemblance to pieces held at the British Museum in London.
Sabouri described the return as a “clear sign” of cultural partnership between Iran and Italy. “Such exchanges help restore the missing fragments of historical and cultural memory to nations,” he told reporters at the embassy.
Iranian officials said they hope to build on this case by expanding cooperation with Italy to safeguard ancient heritage and prevent further losses to the black market in antiquities.