Iranian Experts Race To Repair 149 Damaged Heritage Sites

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Iranian cultural professionals are working to repair 149 historical monuments across 18 provinces and 29 cities following recent US-Israeli strikes, according to Iran's ministry of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts (MCHTH).

Specialists began documenting blast damage, salvaging architectural fragments, and conducting emergency repairs weeks before a ceasefire paused the nearly 40-day war on April 8. The conflict, which started on February 28, caused extensive civilian and cultural losses in addition to damage to military and nuclear facilities. Iran holds over 34,000 sites on its National Heritage List.

Among the properties affected are three Unesco World Heritage Sites. These include Tehran's 400-year-old Golestan Palace, Isfahan's 17th-century Chehel Sotoun Palace, and a section of the Trans-Iranian Railway. Reuters found no comparable damage to Unesco-listed sites during two decades of US and allied campaigns in Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Afghanistan, indicating the unprecedented scale of destruction to cultural sites in just 40 days of war.

Farhad Azizi Zelani, director general of national and world heritage sites at the MCHTH, stated he was informed of damage to each site within hours of the attacks. He said,“For all of us who have worked for years in the field of cultural heritage protection, hearing such news was extremely painful, especially regarding Golestan Palace.” The palace, blending Persian and European styles, was damaged on the second day of the war by a nearby blast that also affected the historic Grand Bazaar.

Tayeebeh Golnaz Golsabahi, a vice president of the International Council of Museums, described news of the Golestan Palace damage as“deeply distressing.” She was in Tehran working on heritage projects when the war began and focused on verifying information with colleagues despite early communication restrictions. Azizi Zelani confirmed that initial fears about other sites also proving vulnerable were well-founded, with each new report of damage reminding staff of years of preservation efforts.

Where feasible, staff continued visiting affected sites to secure buildings, cover damaged openings, repair roofs, install scaffolding, and catalogue decorative elements for future reinstallation. Golsabahi noted that documentation remains a crucial first step, even after the ceasefire, to guide future conservation efforts. Iran has been in“extensive correspondence” with Unesco's World Heritage Centre and other international bodies since the war's start, requesting technical and financial aid. Although Azizi Zelani reported a stated readiness for cooperation, no financial support has materialized thus far. Unesco declined to comment on its work in Iran.

Despite ongoing exchanges of fire and threats of renewed military action, emergency conservation efforts continue. Damage assessments by technical experts from provincial cultural heritage offices, national agencies, and international organizations have been confirmed by provincial technical councils and the ministry's cultural heritage deputy. Assessments at Chehel Sotoun and other damaged sites in Isfahan have also been confirmed by official judiciary experts, forming part of a broader effort to compile technical and legal documentation for“legal processes and international follow-up efforts.” In April, Iran's justice minister, Amin Hossein Rahimi, announced the country would pursue all available legal and international mechanisms to claim compensation for the damage.

Restoration work has already commenced at certain sites. At Golestan Palace, teams are collecting and coding shattered fragments, with emergency roof repairs prioritized due to approaching autumn. Japan has offered support for the palace's conservation. At Chehel Sotoun, teams have secured the site and stabilized damaged sections, with major restoration pending funding. On the Trans-Iranian Railway, emergency repairs were conducted immediately, restoring operations and preventing transport network disruption. Azizi Zelani stated,“The next phase will involve preparing comprehensive restoration plans, securing the necessary funding and carrying out major restoration work.”

Funding presents a significant hurdle, with preliminary estimates placing damage costs to Iran's heritage sector at approximately 7.5 trillion tomans, or around $40 million at current exchange rates. While Iran possesses considerable conservation expertise, enabling much of the work to proceed, Azizi Zelani expressed deeper concern over the possibility of further destruction if attacks resume. This risk has prompted new guidelines to enhance preparedness at historic sites.

Most of Iran's major museums, with a few exceptions, remain closed, with collections packed and moved into storage. Golsabahi noted concerns about sufficient resources, conservation materials, and specialist expertise, as well as supporting museum professionals. She explained,“Ultimately, the resilience of museums depends not only on protecting collections but also on supporting the professionals responsible for their care.” Extended closures will limit public access to culture and engagement with heritage. Golsabahi emphasized,“Museums are not only places where collections are preserved; they are also spaces for learning, dialogue and community engagement.”

The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, home to one of the largest collections of Western Modern art outside Europe and the US, including works by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Vincent van Gogh, is an exception. Its director, Reza Dabirinezhad, confirmed that the uncertainty has profoundly affected operations. In May, the museum launched“Art and War,” a free weekly program exploring artistic responses to conflict, offering a space for recovery to the war-affected community. However, the museum has not fully reopened, keeping its collection stored in safes in case strikes resume.

Source: The Art Newspaper

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