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Mazandaran hosts over 3,000 artefacts; 800 officially registered
"Of these, 800 artefacts have been nationally registered, and the rest are in the process of registration or are historically valuable. These artefacts may be governmental, private, or quasi-governmental," Izadi added.
The official also pointed to the vastness of historical sites in the province as well as the shortage of funds and legal challenges of national registration.
“According to the law, regarding tangible historical sites and monuments, whether they are under the control of government agencies or in the possession of private individuals, all are obliged to preserve and maintain them,” Izadi said.
“However, unfortunately, the budget for cultural heritage is insufficient, and with these funds, we can only maintain those among the 3,000 sites that have been nationally registered.”
The director-general of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts of Mazandaran Province underscored the issue of boundaries and the re-evaluation of historical sites, which incurs high costs, as one of the most significant problems.
"This issue must be institutionalized in the culture of heritage studies and among cultural heritage enthusiasts, otherwise we will face many problems," Izadi said.
"When a site is nationally registered, according to the law, it must either be bartered, acquired, or compensated for. However, since we do not have the budget to purchase the property, a right is created for the owner that is practically not fulfilled.”
Izadi also touched on the emphasis of the Seventh Development Plan (SDP) on the tourism sector, saying, "Issues such as high-rise construction, mixed-use tourism complexes, ecotourism, and health tourism have been exempted from taxes and duties."