Iran’s Damask Rose Listed on UNESCO’s Tentative List
WANA (Nov 11) – The Director-General for Registration and Preservation of Intangible Heritage at Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts announced that Iran’s Damask Rose (Gol-e Mohammadi) has been placed on UNESCO’s Tentative List, with documentation for its inscription already completed.
Alireza Izadi, head of the department, said in an interview that despite reports claiming Saudi Arabia had registered the Damask Rose under the name “Taif Rose,” such claims are scientifically inaccurate. He emphasized that UNESCO does not grant ownership of tangible products but rather recognizes skills, rituals, and cultural traditions associated with them.
“In intangible heritage files, we do not register the physical product itself but the traditional skills and cultural spirit behind it,” Izadi explained. “In the case of golab (rosewater), it is not the essence or extract that is registered, but the traditional craft of rosewater distillation and its associated rituals.”
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WANA (May 23) – When the name “Rosewater” is mentioned, the mind instinctively drifts to Persia—a land that has simmered its roses in copper cauldrons to extract the pure essence of softness and healing from their petals for centuries. Rosewater has found its place everywhere from the luxury kitchens of Paris to beauty salons […]
Izadi highlighted that rosewater distillation has deep cultural roots in Iran, especially in Kashan, where it is intertwined with local customs, chants, and ceremonies — unlike in Saudi Arabia, where such traditions do not exist. He noted that while Saudi Arabia may produce floral extracts in the Taif region, these differ significantly from the Iranian rosewater-making tradition.
He confirmed that Iran’s dossier on the Damask Rose has been placed on the national tentative list and fully documented between 2020 and 2022, adding: “We hope that within the next one or two years, the traditional craft of rosewater distillation and the cultural practices surrounding the Damask Rose will be officially inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list under Iran’s name.”
Izadi also stated that Iran currently has 58 dossiers awaiting global registration, covering various cultural, historical, and artistic elements. “Our goal is not competition,” he said, “but the accurate representation of Iran’s cultural heritage and preservation of its authenticity.”
Iranian Damask Rose: A Fragrance Claimed by Saudi Arabia
WANA (Nov 09) – The news seemed simple at first glance, yet beneath it lay something far beyond agricultural rivalry: Saudi Arabia has officially registered the Damask rose under the name “Taif Rose” as a global heritage brand. At the same time, Turkey is seeking to register its Damask rose extract as “Isparta Rose […]
Experts have criticized Saudi Arabia’s move to register the “Taif Rose,” noting that Iran is the world’s largest producer of Damask Rose, with over 30,000 hectares of cultivation.
According to Iraj Rastgar, head of Iran’s Damask Rose Museum, the rose (Rosa damascena Mill) is native to Iran and represents a vital part of the country’s cultural and genetic heritage. He called its global registration under Iran’s name a national necessity and an act of safeguarding the nation’s heritage.
Iranian Damask Rose. Social media/ WANA News Agency
