WANA (Mar 12) – Seyed Abbas Araghchi, foreign minister of Iran, criticized UNESCO for what he described as silence following Israeli strikes on Iranian historical monuments.

 

In a post on X, Araghchi said Israel had targeted Iranian sites dating back as far as the 14th century, adding that several locations listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites had been struck.

 

“It’s natural that a regime that won’t last a century hates nations with ancient pasts,” Araghchi said. “But where is UNESCO? Its silence is unacceptable.”

 

Tehran’s Golestan Palace, some of Isfahan’s historic sites, and historic landmarks in Sanandaj were damaged during U.S.–Israeli attacks.

 

Among the affected sites of Sanandaj were the historic Asif Mansion, Salar Saeed Mansion, and Khosroabad Mansion, buildings considered significant parts of Iran’s architectural and cultural heritage.

 

According to reports, decorative elements and sections of the structures’ original architecture were damaged, leaving what observers described as a “wound on the cultural memory of a nation.”

A view of debris at the historical monument Golestan Palace following an Israeli and U.S. strike on the Justice Building in the area, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 3, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)