US-Israeli airstrikes damage 56 Iranian heritage sites

Iran's Ministry of Heritage and Culture said that at least 56 museums, historical monuments and cultural sites have been damaged in the ongoing US and Israeli airstrikes in the country.

The Islamic Republic News Agency quoted the ministry as saying that at least 19 of the damaged sites are located in the capital Tehran. These include important sites such as the UNESCO-recognized historical Golestan Palace, the traditional Tehran Bazaar and the former Senate building.

Outside the capital Tehran, extensive damage has been reported in the historical city of Isfahan in central Iran. In particular, part of the Imam Shah Mosque located in the historic 'Naqsh-e-Jahan Square', known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been damaged. The country's Ministry of Culture expressed deep concern that these important sites of ancient Persian civilization and Islamic architecture have been caught in the war.

The intensity of the attacks has caused cracks in the structures of many centuries-old buildings, and there are fears that the artistic craftsmanship of some structures will be permanently destroyed. Although international law provides for the protection of cultural sites in times of war, Iran's thousand-year-old heritage is now under threat as a result of the current conflict.

Source: Al Jazeera.