Construction of ‘Bein Al-Haramain’ in Shiraz with Destruction of Historic Fabric

According to statements by “Mohammad Mahdi Kalantari,” the historic fabric of Shiraz is being destroyed to build “Bein Al-Haramain.”

For approximately ten days, officials have initiated demolition operations on the historic fabric and houses of Shiraz, and the publication of this news on social media has sparked reactions from many people, as well as officials of Fars Province and cultural heritage enthusiasts.

Officials have also given residents of these historic houses a few days to evacuate their homes under these difficult living conditions, and if they refuse and do not leave their homes, their water, electricity, and gas will be cut off.

Mohammad Mahdi Kalantari is a PhD student in building restoration and historic fabric, lecturer and secretary of the scientific association of restoration at Iran University of Science and Technology, who published statements in support of historic buildings and in opposition to the officials’ decision for this demolition.

In his speech to members of the Fars Tweeps group, he announced: “The Road and Urban Development Organization, following the June resolution of the current year, began forced acquisition. This means that some government projects receive approval, and afterwards properties that are in the path of that project must be demolished. After that, the owner is informed that with a deed of ownership, they must surrender their properties at a price announced by official court appraisers. If the owner complies with this action, fine; otherwise the appraised amount is deposited in the court account and the property is demolished. This is an aggressive seizure. The pricing is also one-fifth or one-tenth of the actual value of the properties, and is not even paid to the owners in cash.

And this amount is only enough for the owner to live in a rental house. That is, previously they owned a house and now they must be a tenant.”

Mohammad Mahdi Kalantari also spoke about contradictory statements from the General Director of Road and Urban Development of Fars and the Supreme Council. He announced that since Mr. Talaban was not present at the meeting and had no information about the contradictory statements of officials, upon entering the meeting in response to the main question about the basis of the acquisitions he made, he said: “The sanctuary needed a wider width of about 150 meters and cultural heritage enthusiasts would certainly object. We considered a middle ground and halved it, which is sufficient for the sanctuary, and based on these calculations we made the acquisition and approved it. The decisions are also legal because we received delegation of authority from the president and no one can object.”

The complete video of this speech and people’s opposition can be viewed below.

Dr. Kalantari also announced in an interview: “Officials in their positioning want to create Bein Al-Haramain. That is, they want to open it from Shahcheragh to the sanctuary threshold. According to the city council spokesperson and the design of the sanctuary complex, Dr. Ali Abadi, they plan to plow 360 hectares of historic fabric to connect different sanctuaries, and we say this should not happen. Because this fabric is one of the best historic fabrics and it is an identity document of ours, 90 percent of which remains intact.”

 It should be noted that the General Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Fars Province also, in reaction to this news, announced: The Ministry of Cultural Heritage and consequently the General Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Fars Province, based on its inherent duty and in accordance with legal regulations, opposes any destruction of historic fabric, and has not issued any permit or positive response to inquiries from this general department that would lead to the destruction of fabric and the loss of history, culture and identity, and opposes it.

These demolitions are a new scenario of the Islamic Republic regime to disrupt public minds from the uprising of nationwide revolution aimed at overthrowing the regime by destroying historic fabrics and the culture and identity of Iranians. The Islamic Republic government and its agents have so far gone to any lengths to stay in power, from suppression, arrest, execution of children and adults, to fake earthquakes and displacing people in Khoy, and destroying historic fabrics and turning homeowners into renters in Shiraz.

According to the Iranian people, this is the way of life and governance of Ali’s justice and Islam, which the Islamic Republic regime has held Iranian people captive to for 44 years.