In a post on his X account on Sunday marking the International Museum Day that falls on May 18 this year, Kazem Gharibabadi said this year’s occasion carries a different meaning for Iran because, alongside honoring the country’s civilizational identity, attention must also be drawn to the damage caused to dozens of museums, historical buildings, and cultural sites during the US-Israeli war of aggression.
The Iranian deputy foreign minister said at least 149 historical sites and museums across 20 Iranian provinces were damaged during the recent imposed war, including five UNESCO-registered sites, seven historical districts, and 54 museums.
He stressed that under the 1954 Hague Convention and the fundamental rules of international humanitarian law, cultural property must be respected and protected during armed conflicts. Museums, historical sites, cultural buildings, artworks, and civilizational collections, he said, should not become victims of aggression, military recklessness, or disregard for international humanitarian obligations concerning the protection of cultural heritage.
The deputy foreign minister further argued that the damage inflicted on Iran’s cultural heritage during the recent aggression demonstrated that the scope of violations committed by the US and the Zionist regime extended beyond the prohibition on the use of force and the protection of civilians, targeting the historical and civilizational memory of the Iranian nation as well.
He described the situation as a clear manifestation of the “lawless behavior” of the American and Israeli regimes.
Gharibabadi also emphasized that Iran’s cultural heritage is not merely a national asset belonging to Iranians, but “part of the shared memory of humanity.”
He said the Islamic Republic would document and pursue the attacks on its cultural heritage within the framework of international responsibility, stressing that Iran would not allow any power to sacrifice the history of the great Iranian nation for its present-day military and political objectives.