WANA (Jul 15) – Iran’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Ambassador Ahmad Pakatchi, announced that a series of Iranian caravanserais and heritage zones are queued for serial inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

 

Speaking virtually at a press conference held Monday at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Pakatchi highlighted the complexities of global heritage registration, calling it a multifaceted process involving architectural, urban, political, and diplomatic considerations.

 

Celebrating the inscription of the prehistoric Khoramabad Valley, Pakatchi emphasized Iran’s robust cultural diplomacy. “Iran holds significant influence in cultural diplomacy,” he said. “Other nations can benefit from our experts in this field.”

 

He added that the Khoramabad Valley—dating back 60,000 years—marks Iran’s oldest registered heritage on the UNESCO list. “This site has preserved its cultural continuity across millennia, opening a new chapter in the protection of our heritage,” he stated.

 

Heritage Distribution Across Provinces

Pakatchi noted Iran’s strategic approach to heritage registration by ensuring geographical diversity in submissions. “It’s essential that sites from various provinces be considered, and Lorestan has previously had caravanserais recognized as heritage,” he said. “This approach not only represents regional diversity but introduces the world to the depth of Iranian civilization across the entire country.”

 

He also underscored the cultural coexistence seen in Khoramabad Valley, where early Homo sapiens and Neanderthals lived together, a legacy of peaceful ethnic and cultural cohabitation that continues in the region today.

 

Pakatchi concluded by expressing hope for the continued success of the Iranian people in global cultural arenas.

 

Lorestan Home to 5,000 Historical and Natural Sites

Lorestan Governor Seyed Saeed Shahrkhani also spoke at the event, noting that the province is home to 5,000 valuable historical and natural sites, with 2,600 officially registered to date.

 

“The registration of Khoramabad’s prehistoric sites is a national honor,” he said. “The caves in the valley, with their 60,000-year-old history, represent one of the most unique UNESCO submissions in terms of antiquity.”

 

Shahrkhani added that 14 prominent landmarks in the valley were included in the file, making it Iran’s 29th World Heritage Site. He emphasized that this inscription places greater responsibility on local authorities while opening up new scientific, economic, and cultural opportunities.

 

“Lorestan must now rise to the stature of a global cultural city,” he urged, noting that both past and present governments have invested significantly in the region’s tourism infrastructure.

 

Pioneering Research in Human Evolution

Lorestan’s Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, Ata Hassanpour, shared details of past research in the valley.

 

“In the 1960s, two international anthropologists settled in Khoramabad Valley for five years, identifying 17 sites, six of which were fully excavated,” he explained.

 

“Their findings were published in leading international journals. Any serious anthropological research must include a visit to Khoramabad.”

 

He described the 27-kilometer-long valley as one of Iran’s most significant archaeological zones, with six key prehistoric sites, and the addition of Falak-ol-Aflak Castle bringing the total to seven locations in the UNESCO submission.

 

UNESCO has officially dated human habitation in the valley to over 60,000 years, with early evidence of stone tool industries found in the “Yafteh Cave” from the Paleolithic era.

 

Hassanpour expressed regret that, due to political tensions and Israeli aggression, Iran was unable to present Falak-ol-Aflak Castle during the UNESCO deliberations. However, he announced plans for new archaeological studies and publications to support the castle’s future inclusion.

 

He thanked the people of Khoramabad for their cooperation in cleaning and preserving the archaeological zones, ensuring they are ready for future exploration and international recognition.

Iranian Caravanserais in Line for UNESCO Listing. Social media/ WANA News Agency