One of Tehran’s most famous historic buildings was damaged by an airstrike as violence escalates in the Middle East, Iranian authorities have claimed.
The Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, suffered damage from debris and a shock wave following an airstrike on Arag Square, which is located on the buffer zone of the site.
Iran’s government shared photos that appeared to show damage done to the palace, which holds a collection of Iranian and European crafts and gifts from the eighteenth to the twentieth century.
Windows and antique mirrors in the historic building were smashed as a result of the strike, the photos showed. The pictures could not be independently verified.
Neither Israel nor the US have claimed responsibility or confirmed that such an airstrike took place.
The palace was originally built during Iran’s Safavid dynasty in the 16th century and rebuilt to its current form in 1865.
UNESCO released a statement expressing concern over the protection of cultural heritage sites during the conflict.
“On Monday 2 March, the Golestan Palace in Tehran, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was reportedly damaged by debris and the shock wave following an airstrike to the Arag Square, located in the buffer zone of the site in the Iranian capital,” they said.
“UNESCO continues to closely monitor the situation of cultural heritage in the country and across the region, with a view to ensuring its protection. To that end, the Organization has communicated to all parties concerned the geographical coordinates of sites on the World Heritage List as well as those of national significance, to avoid any potential damage.”
It urged all parties to respect that cultural property is protected under international law.
Touraj Daryaee, professor of history and director of the Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture at UC Irvine, has called the site “the Versailles of Persia/Iran” due to its unique structure.
Following a visit to the site, Iran’s cultural heritage minister Reza Salehi-Amiri claimed it was an attack on "Iran’s cultural and national identity”, according to Iranian media.
The war between Israel and the US and Iran entered its fourth day on Tuesday. State media said the death toll in Iran had risen to 787, citing the Iranian Red Crescent.
President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday night “you will be finding out very soon” what will happen next in Iran, and predicted the conflict would go on for four to five weeks.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that “the hardest hits are yet to come from the US military” in a sign of further planned attacks.
