Heritage Under Fire: Usisraeli Strikes Damage UNESCO-Listed Golestan Palace In Tehran

(MENAFN- Jordan Times) AMMAN – Tehran's Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Iran's most significant historical complexes, has reportedly sustained damage following US–Israeli strikes on the Iranian capital.

According to local media, shockwaves and debris from an attack near Arag Square, located within the buffer zone of the site, caused damage to parts of the palace, including windows, doors and mirrored elements.

The palace's famed mirrored halls and museum collections had reportedly been moved to secure storage prior to the strike, a precaution increasingly adopted by cultural institutions in times of escalating hostilities.

Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013, Golestan Palace is a masterpiece of the Qajar era. Built primarily in the 19th century, it reflects a fusion of Persian craftsmanship and European architectural influences. Once the seat of government for the Qajar dynasty, the complex remains one of Tehran's oldest surviving architectural ensembles and a symbol of Iran's political and artistic history.

Beyond the physical damage, the incident raises broader concerns about the protection of cultural heritage in armed conflict.

UNESCO has expressed“concern” over the protection of heritage sites across the Middle East amid the escalating war. The organisation stated that it has“communicated to all parties concerned the geographical coordinates of sites on the World Heritage List as well as those of national significance, to avoid any potential damage.” It also reiterated the obligations enshrined in international law, including the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and the 1972 World Heritage Convention.

Under the 1954 Hague Convention, cultural sites must not be deliberately targeted and must not be used for military purposes. States parties are obligated to respect and safeguard such sites, including those located within buffer zones. The Convention also provides for enhanced protection mechanisms for sites of exceptional importance.

Iran is home to 29 UNESCO World Heritage sites, reflecting millennia of cultural development. Damage to Golestan Palace, even if indirect, underscores the vulnerability of heritage in contemporary warfare, particularly in urban environments where military targets and historic sites exist in close proximity.

As conflicts intensify, the effectiveness of international legal protections will depend not only on treaties, but on restraint in their application. The situation in Tehran serves as a reminder that cultural heritage, while protected in principle, remains exposed in practice.

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