JAKARTA - Iranian authorities have transferred key historical artifacts from major museums to safe storage facilities across the country, according to statements shared on social media by Iran Air's official accounts.
The decision was taken following Israeli attacks on a number of targets in Tehran on Friday morning last week. The transfer was carried out as a precaution to protect the country's cultural heritage.
"In response to the recent Israeli attack on Iran, Iranian authorities have completed the emergency transfer of major historical artifacts from major museums to safe storage facilities across the country," Iran Air tweeted on Twitter, as reported by The National June 17.
No further details on the transfer have been published, while the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts has yet to issue an official statement.
The nature of the storage facilities, the chronology of operations, or specific artifacts involved is still unclear. It is also not known whether further action will be announced in the coming days.
Iran is known to be home to several of the most important museum collections in the region, including those owned by Iran's National Museum and the Reza Abbasi Museum in Tehran.
These institutions store archaeological materials dating back thousands of years, from the Empire of Achaemenid and Sassania to ceramics, textiles, and manuscripts that are inluminated from the Islamic era.
Israel's attack on Iran marks a sharp increase in regional tensions. The attack hit several cities, including the capital Tehran, killing several high-ranking generals and dozens of civilians.
Iran has also carried out retaliatory attacks targeting a number of regions in Israel
Israel launched airstrikes in the "Raising Lion" operation targeting Iran's nuclear and military facilities on Friday morning. The attack was retaliated by Iran, which launched retaliation against a number of targets in Israel.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the attack, saying Iran had enough enriched uranium to make several bombs and a few days, so it needed to act against "an imminent threat", as quoted by The Times of Israel.
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Tehran itself says it has the right to peaceful nuclear power, but its rapidly growing uranium enrichment program has raised concerns in the West and across the Gulf, the country wants to develop nuclear weapons.
"We defend ourselves; our defense is completely legitimate. This defense is our response to aggression. If aggression stops, of course our response will also stop," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday.
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