Russia pledges help to restore Iran’s damaged heritage sites
Russia has offered to help restore Iranian historical sites damaged during recent attacks and agreed to expand tourism and cultural cooperation with Iran, senior Iranian heritage official Hojatollah Ayoubi said after meetings with Russian officials in Moscow.
Ayoubi, senior adviser to Iran’s minister of cultural heritage and head of the ministry’s Center for International Affairs and Diplomacy, made the announcement at the conclusion of a visit to the Russian capital, where he attended the sixth International Travel Forum “Puteshestvie” and held talks with Russian cultural and tourism authorities, IRNA reported.
The forum was held in Moscow from June 10 to 14.
“We witnessed a strong determination within Russia’s Ministry of Culture to introduce Iran’s culture, art, history and cultural heritage more broadly,” Ayoubi said. “They have also expressed readiness to dispatch restoration experts to Iran promptly to assist in rebuilding damaged historical monuments.”
The discussions came as Iran advances efforts to safeguard and restore heritage sites affected by recent military attacks. Earlier this month, Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Reza Salehi-Amiri said 149 historical sites across the country sustained varying levels of damage, with some suffering losses ranging from 10% to 90%.
Tehran and Isfahan recorded the heaviest impact, including parts of the UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace and sections of the historic Chehel Sotoun complex.
Ayoubi said Russian officials also signaled strong interest in accelerating tourism exchanges. During meetings with Russia’s deputy minister of economic development for tourism and the head of Moscow’s Tourism Committee, both sides discussed removing structural barriers that have limited travel flows between the two countries.
“There is a very strong will on the Russian side to rapidly expand tourism relations with Iran,” Ayoubi said, noting that many Russian travelers currently visit destinations in the region despite Iran’s extensive cultural and natural attractions.
The two sides signed a Tehran-Moscow tourism cooperation action plan covering 2026-2028. One of the key initiatives seeks to facilitate financial transactions for Iranian and Russian tourists traveling between the two countries.
The forum, held at Moscow’s VDNKh exhibition complex, brought together representatives from Russia’s regions and delegates from 32 countries, including Iran. Addressing a specialized panel on tourism and international cooperation, Ayoubi highlighted new tourism routes across Iran and underscored the enduring strength of the country’s civilization and cultural heritage.
Salehi-Amiri has said technical assessments and emergency conservation measures are already underway, while a national and international campaign is being organized to support the restoration of damaged sites.