WANA (Apr 07) – Following threats by the Israeli regime to attack Iran’s railway, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts sent an official letter to UNESCO’s Director-General, describing the threat as a clear assault on the shared heritage of humanity and calling for an explicit, immediate, and deterrent response from the international organization.

 

On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, issued a warning in a letter to the Director-General of UNESCO regarding the potential consequences of Israel’s threat to attack Iran’s national railway, emphasizing the urgent need to protect this global heritage.

 

The letter states: “Iran’s national railway is among the most outstanding examples of contemporary architecture and engineering in the country, constructed over many years with the collaboration of Iranian and European engineers, artists, workers, and specialists, and later developed using local knowledge.”

 

Referring to the international significance of the site, the minister noted that “the unique values of this technical and cultural collaboration, and its impact on the contemporary history of West Asia, ultimately led to the inclusion of Iran’s national railway in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2021 during the 44th session of the organization in China, with full consensus among member states.”

 

Salehi Amiri further emphasized Iran’s deep concern over the threats, stating: “This historic and civilizational heritage is not only one of the most important symbols of Iran’s contemporary geographic, cultural, and economic connections, but is also recognized as part of the shared heritage of humanity.”

 

Highlighting the historical importance of the railway, he added: “The railway passes through multiple provinces, including Golestan, Mazandaran, Semnan, Tehran, Qom, Markazi, Lorestan, and Khuzestan, traversing diverse natural and cultural landscapes, including the Hyrcanian forests without causing destruction, and stands as an exemplary model of territorial connectivity and the civilizational memory of a nation.”

 

Using clear and cautionary language, the minister stressed: “Any act of assault, destruction, or attack against this invaluable site constitutes an attack on the cultural heritage of the Iranian nation and damages a legacy that belongs to all humanity; such actions are morally, humanely, and legally condemned and violate the shared responsibility of states and international institutions to safeguard human heritage.”

 

The letter continues: “Given that threats to critical infrastructure and historical sites can endanger civilian lives, an attack on Iran’s national railway, in addition to damaging a registered World Heritage site, would carry severe humanitarian consequences and contradict the conscience of humanity.”

 

Salehi Amiri also warned that “silence in the face of such threats weakens the international system for the protection of human culture and history. Therefore, UNESCO’s Director-General and the organization are expected to use their legal, ethical, and international authority to take an explicit, immediate, and deterrent stance, urging the global community to uphold its responsibility in protecting this world heritage.”

 

He concluded: “It is imperative that all international institutions, governments, academic and cultural circles, and the conscious global public take urgent and effective action to prevent any assault on Iran’s national railway and other cultural and historical heritage of this land, as cultural heritage represents the living memory of humanity, and attacking it constitutes an assault on humanity, history, and our shared future.”

According to the latest statement from Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, more than 130 historical sites in Iran have been damaged or destroyed in previous U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Iran has repeatedly called on international organizations, including UNESCO, to act as a deterrent against such attacks.