WANA (Oct 26) – Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has dismissed rumors suggesting that the country’s UNESCO World Heritage sites may be delisted.

 

Farhad Azizi Zelani, Director General of World Heritage Sites at the ministry, called such claims baseless and emphasized that any registration or removal from the UNESCO list is a complex, expert-driven process carried out at the international level after thorough review.

 

The rumors have surfaced following reports that some of Iran’s World Heritage sites require restoration or conservation work.

 

Azizi Zelani told reporters that “if sites were removed from the World Heritage List following every minor change or perceived threat, many countries’ properties would have been delisted immediately after their registration.” He described the rumors as the result of “misunderstanding and inaccurate analysis.”

 

He urged all government agencies, local authorities, and citizens to take shared responsibility for safeguarding Iran’s World Heritage sites, stressing that these monuments “belong not only to the people of Iran but to all humanity.”

 

Azizi Zelani added that rather than fueling speculation or fear, collective cooperation and community engagement are needed to ensure these global treasures contribute more effectively to the sustainable development of their surrounding regions.

 

He concluded that the protection, restoration, and proper management of these sites require “national synergy.” The ministry, he said, is fully committed to preserving these cultural treasures, but achieving long-term goals depends on public participation: “Every individual and institution must play their part so that Iran’s World Heritage sites can have a greater role in the daily lives of our people.”

Persepolis, Takht e Jamshid, UNESCO SITE, Shiraz

Persepolis, Located in Iran’s Fars Province. Social media/ WANA News Agency