Iran forms task force to protect historic sites from land subsidence
Iran has launched a national task force to combat land subsidence threatening the country’s cultural heritage, officials said Thursday. The initiative, ordered by First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, follows an analytical report from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts highlighting the escalating risk to historic sites.
Farhad Azizi, director-general of the Office of National and World Heritage Sites, said the subsidence “is the result of unchecked groundwater extraction, illegal well-drilling and unsustainable cropping patterns.”
He noted that while his ministry does not directly oversee land management, the threat to historical artefacts requires urgent intervention.
The task force will focus on four main areas: safeguarding historical and cultural assets, integrated management of groundwater resources, reforming water consumption with smart restrictions, and preserving the natural environment.
Specialized provincial working groups have also been established in Isfahan and Fars. These teams bring together provincial departments of cultural heritage, agriculture, water and energy, and environmental protection, implementing a participatory model prioritizing heritage conservation.
In addition, the Research Institute for Cultural Heritage and Tourism has formed a scientific study group to monitor data, develop preventive models, and provide actionable, research-based solutions to both national and provincial task forces.
“This is a multi-layered, specialized and participatory structure,” Azizi said. “We will strive to halt subsidence alongside our heritage sites.” He emphasized that the approach combines inter-agency coordination, modern technologies, and local community involvement, offering a model for integrated natural resource and heritage management in Iran.