UNESCO network pushes global effort to protect Isfahan heritage sites
The head of a UNESCO inter-university network said efforts are underway to mobilize international expertise and support for the protection of Isfahan's World Heritage sites following damage sustained during the recent US-Israeli war of aggression.
Speaking at a meeting of Isfahan's Cultural Heritage Association, Mehrdad Hejazi said the network had established a joint UNESCO academic chair involving 11 countries to focus on cultural heritage preservation.
Hejazi said the initiative was launched as wartime damage to Iran's historical monuments emerged, adding that discussions were underway to attract international financial and technical assistance for conservation efforts.
"These monuments are part of the world's heritage, and we should direct both material and non-material resources from outside the country toward their preservation," he said, according to the state news agency IRNA.
Hejazi said the network had held several international conferences that resulted in expressions of interest from foreign partners. Japan has indicated its readiness to provide technical cooperation for the conservation of Isfahan's historic monuments, while Turkey has also expressed willingness to participate in preservation projects, he said.
Although current restrictions have limited the direct deployment of foreign experts, consultations are continuing on ways to implement the proposed cooperation, Hejazi added.
He also called for greater engagement with Iranian cultural heritage specialists living abroad, saying many researchers and experts overseas had voiced concern over the status of Isfahan's historic sites and could contribute to conservation efforts.
Hejazi said recent international discussions had also generated offers of support for preserving parts of Isfahan's cultural heritage, including Armenian historical sites. Raising global awareness of the city's historical significance could help secure broader international backing for conservation and tourism, he said.
Several of Isfahan's historic monuments were damaged during US-Israeli strikes in March. The attacks affected areas surrounding the UNESCO-listed Naqsh-e Jahan Square and the Safavid-era government building. Historic landmarks reported to have sustained damage include the Chehel Sotoun Palace, Ali Qapu Palace, Ashraf Hall, the Timurid Hall, Jebeh Khaneh Mansion, which houses the Museum of Decorative Arts, and Rekib Khaneh Mansion, home to the Museum of Contemporary Art.