Unesco fears for fate of historical sites during iran war

UNESCO Alarmed as Iran Heritage Sites Damaged by US-Israeli Conflict

By Michaela Cabrera

UNESCO Expresses Concern Over Damage to Iranian World Heritage Sites

PARIS, March 11 (Reuters) - UNESCO said it is deeply concerned about the fate of world heritage sites in Iran and across the region, after Tehran's Golestan palace, often compared to Versailles, and a historic mosque and palace in Isfahan were damaged in the war.

The United Nations' cultural agency on Wednesday urged all parties to protect the region's outstanding cultural sites, saying four of Iran's 29 world heritage sites had been damaged since the start of the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran.

UNESCO's Official Statement and Regional Concerns

"UNESCO is deeply concerned by the first impact that the hostilities are already having on many world heritage sites," Lazare Eloundou Assomo, director of the World Heritage Centre, told Reuters, adding he was also concerned for sites in Israel, Lebanon and across the Middle East.

Golestan Palace: Symbol of Iran's 19th Century Grandeur

Tehran's Golestan palace, damaged in U.S.–Israeli strikes, is testimony to the grandeur of Iran's civilization in the 19th century, he said.

Historical Significance of Golestan Palace

The palace was chosen as the Persian royal residence and seat of power by the Qajar family and shows the introduction of European styles in Persian arts, according to the UNESCO website. The last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, held a coronation ceremony there in 1969.

"We sometimes even compare it with the Versailles Palace in France, for instance, and it has suffered, unfortunately, some damage. We don't know the extent for the moment. But clearly, with the images that we have been able to receive, we can confirm ... it has been affected," Eloundou Assomo said.

Photos of the interior of the palace have shown piles of smashed glass and shards of wood on the floor, and shattered woodwork.

Damage to Isfahan and Other Heritage Sites

Isfahan's Historical Importance

Isfahan was one of Central Asia's most important cities and a key point on the Silk Road trading route. Its Masjed-e Jame (Jameh Mosque) is more than 1,000 years old and shows the development of Islamic art through 12 centuries.

Khorramabad Valley and Additional Sites at Risk

Buildings close to the buffer zone of the prehistoric sites of the Khorramabad Valley have also been damaged, UNESCO said.

UNESCO's Protective Measures and Call to Action

UNESCO has shared coordinates of key cultural sites to all parties, Eloundou Assomo said, and was monitoring damage.

"We are calling for the protection of all sites of cultural significance ... everything that tells the history of all the civilisations of the 18 countries in the region," he said.

(Writing by Ingrid MelanderEditing by Alexandra Hudson)