JAKARTA - The Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tuesday, stated that a joint air attack by the United States and Israel damaged 114 cultural and historical sites throughout Iran.
"Based on field assessments and expert reports, so far 114 sites, including World Heritage, national sites, and historical locations, have been damaged," the Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage said in a statement.
The sites affected by the brutal US and Zionist regime attacks include 48 museums and six historic urban areas in Tehran, Isfahan, Sanandaj, Kermanshah, Qom, and Khansar.
The damage is geographically widespread, with Tehran recording 60 cases, Isfahan 20, as well as other provinces such as Lorestan, Kermanshah, Bushehr, Qom, Alborz, East and West Azerbaijan, Mazandaran, Sistan-Baluchestan, Gilan, Ilam, Khuzestan, and Fars.
According to the ministry, based on the principles of international law, especially the 1954 Hague Convention, the destruction of cultural heritage is a violation of international obligations and a threat to human history.
Therefore, the Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage urges international organizations, especially UNESCO, to play a more active, effective, and preventive role in protecting cultural heritage threatened by conflict.
It is stated that nine official letters have been sent through diplomatic channels to various international institutions, including UNESCO, the Asian Cultural Heritage Alliance, the International Council of Museums, the International Council of Monuments and Sites, and the World Tourism Organization.
"Iran's cultural heritage is a legacy of the past for the future, and its protection is a national and humanitarian obligation," the ministry said.
Escalation has increased since the US and Israel launched a joint attack on February 28, which reportedly killed more than 1,340 people, including Iran's then-supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
Tehran retaliated with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel and other countries, such as Jordan, Iraq, and the Gulf region, which host US military assets.
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