WANA (Mar 13) – Recent missile attacks on areas surrounding Azadi Tower in Tehran have caused damage to a cafe-gallery within the tower’s cultural complex, authorities reported. The explosions, resulting from nearby missile impacts, affected parts of the venue that hosts artistic and cultural events.

 

Azadi Tower, one of Tehran’s most iconic landmarks and a registered site on Iran’s National Heritage List, has long attracted both residents and tourists.

 

The cultural and artistic complex at the tower has, in recent years, hosted numerous exhibitions, performances, and cultural events, playing a significant role in the capital’s cultural life.

 

Constructed by architect Hossein Amanat in 1970 and inaugurated in January 1971, the tower’s architecture combines elements of Achaemenid, Sassanid, and Islamic styles. It was officially registered as a national heritage site in 1974.

 

Built as a monument, the Azadi Tower complex spans approximately 5,000 square meters, including the main tower. Its lower levels house a museum, library, science hall, Iranian studies hall, gallery, assembly hall, and spaces for music concerts and theatrical performances. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the complex’s cultural and artistic activities.

A person holds up an Iranian and Palestinian flag near Azadi Tower during the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, February 11, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)