Transfer of Iran’s Three-Thousand-Year-Old Treasures to China and Officials’ Failure to Respond
Iran’s three-thousand-year-old treasures, after being transferred to China, have not yet been returned, and officials are avoiding transparent accountability.
In recent years, Iran has hosted events that have endangered the country’s historical and cultural heritage. One of the most significant of these events was the transfer of a number of valuable ancient Iranian artifacts, including a Achaemenid golden goblet and a collection of three-thousand-year-old objects, to China under the title “The Splendor of Ancient Iran Exhibition in China” in 1402 (2023-2024). Two years after this transfer, these artifacts have still not been returned to Iran, and the silence of the country’s official and cultural institutions has raised serious questions and widespread concerns among experts and cultural heritage enthusiasts.
In late 1402 (late 2023), a collection of ancient artifacts belonging to Iran, including pieces from the Median, Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanid periods, was transferred to one of China’s national museums to participate in an exhibition titled “The Splendor of Ancient Iran.” At the forefront of this collection was the Achaemenid golden goblet; an unparalleled work of ancient Iranian metalwork that holds incomparable historical and artistic value.
The resolution for the export of Iran’s historical artifacts to China, based on Article 138 of Iran’s Islamic Republic Constitution and signed by “Mohammad Mokhber,” First Vice President of Ibrahim Raisi’s administration, was approved and announced in the Cabinet of Ministers. Based on this authorization, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, in an official action, transferred 211 historical artifacts along with five recreated pieces for display at the “The Splendor of Ancient Iran in China” exhibition to that country.
According to the initial announcement by the Cultural Heritage Organization, these artifacts were supposed to be returned to the country within a maximum of three months, but were subsequently extended for six months. In June 1403 (June 2024), the contract was extended again for six months. However, now that approximately two years have passed since the transfer of these artifacts to China, no report of their return has been published, and media and cultural activists have faced vague and non-transparent responses from officials.
Cultural heritage experts have warned about the possibility of these artifacts remaining or being transferred to Chinese institutions. Some unofficial sources have mentioned the possibility of exchanging these artifacts for economic or political interests in bilateral relations, claims that have neither been denied nor confirmed by officials to date.
Dr. “Naser Kaviania,” Iranian archaeologist and researcher, stated in an interview with media outlets: “The transfer of such treasures without transparency, oversight, and guarantees of return, contradicts the principles of protecting cultural heritage and national interests. Silence on this issue could lead to the loss of an important part of our historical identity.”
Social media users have also called for clarification regarding the fate of these artifacts. To date, no official institution, including the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or the Customs of the Islamic Republic, has provided accurate information. Given the importance of these artifacts as part of world heritage and belonging to the Iranian people, and considering the plunder of much of Iran’s cultural heritage and assets by the Islamic Republic system, the demand for their immediate and unconditional return should become one of national priorities.
