Bastam heritage bid seeks breakthrough after 18 years
The long-standing bid to secure UNESCO world heritage status for the historic Bastam Complex in Shahrud, Semnan Province, may be entering a more active phase, as local heritage officials call for stronger provincial coordination and high-level decisions to overcome obstacles to its inscription.
Seyyed Mohammad Sadegh Razavian, head of the Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Shahrud, described the bid as an 18-year-old demand, stressing that the removal of barriers requires coordinated efforts among provincial authorities and relevant government agencies.
Talking to ISNA, Razavian said the site’s world heritage inscription was of considerable importance and should be placed among the region’s top priorities.
He noted that the Cultural Heritage Department had pursued parts of the process, but said further progress would depend on broader provincial support, cooperation among relevant institutions and strategic decision-making.
Razavian also referred to efforts to appoint a manager for Bastam’s World Heritage nomination dossier, expressing hope that the appointment would pave the way for more serious follow-up and help resolve outstanding issues after nearly two decades.
He emphasized that advancing the nomination would require a firm commitment at the provincial level and coordination meetings among the agencies involved.
According to Razavian, efforts are continuing through various channels to remove obstacles and move the nomination forward.
Bastam is one of the prominent historical complexes in Shahrud, with structures dating from the pre-Seljuk period through the Qajar era.
The complex includes the shrine of Imamzadeh Mohammad ibn Ja’far al-Sadeq, the mausoleum of Bayazid Bastami, Bayazid’s monastery and mosque, the Oljaitu, the mausoleum of Ghazan Khan, a Seljuk-era mosque and minaret, the Jaame Mosque, the Kashaneh Tower and the Shahrokhiyeh School.
Razavian highlighted the architectural significance and distinctive beauty of the site’s historic buildings, underscoring the importance of securing international recognition for the complex.
Whether the latest efforts will finally overcome the longstanding obstacles to Bastam’s World Heritage inscription remains to be seen.