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Ancient Iranian artifacts stay in China over security concerns
Iranian cultural authorities have placed hundreds of loaned antiquities in secure storage facilities in China after extending major exhibitions, ILNA reported, as wartime conditions and airspace restrictions delay their return.
The artifacts, dispatched under flagship cultural diplomacy initiatives, include 211 objects spanning the Iron Age to the Safavid era showcased in the ‘Glory of Ancient Iran’ exhibition, followed by 151 additional pieces under “Land of Mehr.”
Displayed first in Beijing and later touring Shanghai and Urumqi, the collections drew broad international audiences before their schedules were prolonged.
With regional hostilities disrupting logistics, Iranian officials traveled overland to China to oversee the transfer of the items from exhibition venues into “secure” museum storage.
“We checked and repacked each piece with precision,” said Tehran’s Deputy Cultural Heritage Director Morteza Adibzadeh, describing the operation as meticulous and fully supervised. The artifacts were sealed in standard wooden crates and relocated under joint Iranian-Chinese oversight.
Adibzadeh emphasized there was “no cause for concern,” noting that the items remain protected under binding international protocols and formal agreements with Chinese counterparts. He added that the works will remain in safeguarded repositories until safe transport conditions are restored.
Originally slated for return in May 2026, the timeline has become uncertain as transport risks mount. Officials acknowledged that moving high-value antiquities requires specialized logistics, insurance coverage, and secure transit corridors, conditions currently constrained.