“Over 730 Historical Sites” Damaged in Recent Iran Floods

Iran’s Cultural Heritage Organization says floods at the beginning of the current Persian year have damaged over 730 historical and archaeological sites across 25 provinces.

Mohammad Hassan Talebian, Deputy for Cultural Heritage, told ILNA news agency that his organization has conducted a “detailed” review of “all damages inflicted on cultural heritage” in various provinces due to flooding.

Mr. Talebian has put the total amount of damages at approximately 380 billion tomans.

This cultural heritage official emphasized that to prevent further deterioration of damages, their restoration and reconstruction “must begin as soon as possible.”

Mohammad Hassan Talebian says the most significant problems exist in the field of waterway infrastructure, and reconstructing these areas is beyond the capacity of the Cultural Heritage Organization alone.

The Deputy for Cultural Heritage says Italian restorers are currently working at Persepolis and a UNESCO expert has traveled to Shushtar, although this trip was previously planned.

Among the historical sites that have raised concerns is Falak-ol-Aflak Castle, and Talebian says the landslide of an artificial mound upon which Falak-ol-Aflak Castle was built has created concerns.

Falak-ol-Aflak Castle, or Dez Shapurkhwast, is located in Lorestan Province and is a historical structure whose construction dates back to the Sassanid period.

Source: Radio Farda