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Tehran vows to pursue accountability for damaged heritage
Iran will document and pursue international legal accountability for damage inflicted on its cultural heritage during recent US and Israeli attacks, Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said on May 17 to mark International Museum Day, as UNESCO and other international bodies continue to voice concern over threats facing the country’s historic sites.
In a message posted on X on Sunday, Gharibabadi said this year’s International Museum Day (May 18) carried a “different meaning” for Iran, where celebrations honoring the country’s civilizational legacy have been overshadowed by damage to museums, historical landmarks and cultural institutions during the February 28 attacks, IRNA reported.
“At least 149 historical sites and museums across 20 provinces sustained damage,” he said, adding that the toll included five UNESCO-listed properties, seven historic urban fabrics and 54 museums.
He said the incidents had widened concerns beyond civilian casualties and the prohibition on the use of force, arguing that Iran’s “historical and civilizational memory” had also come under attack.
“Iran’s cultural heritage is not merely a national possession,” Gharibabadi wrote. “It forms part of the shared memory of humanity.”
The remarks came after UNESCO expressed concern in March over reported damage to several Iranian heritage sites, including areas surrounding Tehran’s Golestan Palace and historical districts in Isfahan.
UNESCO officials later said the agency had intensified emergency monitoring efforts and shared coordinates of protected heritage sites with parties to the conflict in a bid to avert further destruction.
Citing the 1954 Hague Convention and the core principles of international humanitarian law, Gharibabadi said cultural property must remain protected during armed conflict and “must not fall victim to aggression, military negligence or disregard for international legal obligations.”
Iranian cultural authorities have since launched extensive damage assessments and preservation work at affected museums and monuments, while officials have stepped up diplomatic engagement with international heritage organizations.
The attacks triggered reactions from archaeologists, museum experts and heritage scholars worldwide, with several international petitions warning that damage to Iran’s ancient sites would represent an irreversible loss to world civilization.
Gharibabadi said Tehran would continue documenting the incidents through international legal channels, adding that Iran would not allow “the history of the great Iranian nation to become a casualty of today’s military and political objectives”.