US and Israel attack Iranian cultural sites

24 March 2026

First the Golestan Palace in Tehran, then the Chehel Sotoun Palace in Isfahan. The US and Israel are attacking historical cultural sites – just as they did in their previous acts of aggression in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine. Some of these sites are protected by UNESCO and recognised as World Heritage Sites. UNESCO has therefore sounded the alarm, yet the bombing continues.

An attack on cultural heritage – wherever in the world it occurs – is not merely an attack on a country or a nation. It is an attack on the historical memory and the shared cultural capital of all humanity. The destruction of these sites means, as the Iranian scholar Mojtaba Najafi put it: “My memory is being razed to the ground.”
    Since the start of the US-Israeli attacks, some of Iran’s most significant historical sites have been targeted. These sites are not only part of Iran’s historical identity, but also an integral part of the world’s cultural heritage.
    From the perspective of international law, such actions are clearly unlawful. Under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, the parties to the conflict are obliged to protect cultural, historical and religious sites from attack or damage. The preamble to the Hague Convention (1954) states that damage to cultural property, regardless of which people it belongs to, constitutes damage to the cultural heritage of all humanity, as every people makes its own contribution to world culture.
    Similarly, the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention emphasises that outstanding cultural and natural properties are not the exclusive property of a single state, but are regarded as the common heritage of humanity. Their preservation is therefore a global responsibility. The destruction or endangerment of such sites thus constitutes a serious violation of international law and may, in certain circumstances, even be classified as a war crime.
    Added to this is UN Security Council Resolution 2347, which classifies attacks on cultural sites as a violation of international law. A statement by US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth is cause for concern, in which he said that America would not apply “stupid rules” of warfare in this conflict. According to the NGO Blue Shield, it is precisely these rules that embody international humanitarian law – not only for the protection of cultural heritage, but also of hospitals, schools and the entire civilian population.

Attack on the Golestan Palace

The scale of this problem becomes clearer when one considers specific examples of Iran’s significant historical sites. A prime example is the Golestan Palace in Tehran. This royal complex, whose origins date back to the Safavid period [16^th–17^th centuries] and which was expanded during the Qajar period [1789–1929], is a unique example of the fusion of traditional Persian architecture with 19^th-century European artistic influences. The palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a living testament to Iran’s political and cultural transformations in the modern era. Damage to this complex would represent an irreparable loss of an important chapter in history.
    On 1 and 2 March 2026, the shockwave from a missile strike on the nearby Arag Square severely damaged the palace: the famous Hall of Mirrors was shattered, historic wooden doors (Orsi) were destroyed, and arches and panelling were damaged. UNESCO Director Lazare Eloundou Assomo stated that the palace was comparable to the Palace of Versailles.
    Another significant monument is the Shah Mosque (Isfahan) – also known as the Abbasid Mosque – in the historic city of Isfahan. This masterpiece of Safavid architecture is situated in the heart of the historic Naqsh-e Jahan Square and, with its impressive dome, precise geometric architecture and unique tiling, is regarded as one of the most significant examples of Islamic architecture in the world. Any damage to this building would be a loss not only for Iran, but also for the history of Islamic art and architecture as a whole.
    In western Iran, the monumental Falak-ol-Aflak Castle is also situated in the city of Khorramabad. This mighty fortress, whose history dates back to the Sassanid Empire [3^rd–7^th centuries], is one of the most significant historical defensive structures on the Iranian plateau. Over the centuries, it has witnessed political, military and cultural developments and today stands as one of the most important historical symbols of the Lorestan region.

Attack on Chehel Sotoun Palace

Furthermore, Isfahan is home to a unique ensemble of historic buildings which together form an extraordinary cultural landscape. These include the magnificent Chehel Sotoun Palace from the Safavid era, with its famous murals depicting historical events in Iran, as well as the impressive Ali Qapu Palace, a symbolic Safavid government building that reflects the political and artistic grandeur of that era.
    Pictures show smashed doors, broken windows and rubble. The Muqarnas ornamentation and the wall paintings in particular have been damaged. Damage caused by shock waves from nearby explosions has been confirmed. The Masjed-e Jame is Iran’s oldest Friday Mosque and a building featuring layers of Islamic architecture from the 8th to the 20^th century. It too was damaged by the tremors.
    The Falak-ol-Aflak fortress, dating back to the Sassanid Empire from the 3rd to the 7th century AD, is situated in the historic Khorramabad Valley. On 8 March 2026, an attack on the fortress perimeter completely destroyed the Lorestan Provincial Cultural Heritage Office and damaged the archaeological museums. Five staff members were injured. The valley was only added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2025.
    On 14 March 2026, Iran’s Ministry of Culture reported at least 56 damaged cultural sites [as of 25 March, an UNESCO official reported 132 damaged cultural and historical sites], including 19 in Tehran alone, and twelve in Kurdistan, Isfahan, Lorestan, Kermanshah, Bushehr and Ilam. Since 17 March 2026, reports have indicated that more than 100 sites have been affected. UNESCO has officially confirmed at least four of these. Iran and Lebanon’s request to place further sites under enhanced protection is currently before UNESCO.
    The consequences of such attacks are by no means limited to Iran. The destruction of cultural heritage has far-reaching global consequences. Firstly, it represents the irretrievable loss of a part of humanity’s historical memory – a memory that scholars, artists and future generations need in order to understand the development of human civilisation. Secondly, it undermines international standards for the protection of cultural property in armed conflicts, thereby opening the door to similar crimes in other parts of the world. Thirdly, such acts exacerbate cultural tensions and the sense of global injustice.

The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas

Over the past few decades, the world has watched in horror as extremist groups such as al-Qaeda and Islamic State have destroyed historic sites. A particularly shocking example was the demolition of the famous Bamiyan Buddhas by the Taliban. These acts were rightly condemned worldwide as crimes against humanity’s cultural heritage. If similar patterns now emerge in the context of state warfare, this represents a dangerous step backwards for the international legal system and the civilisational values that have been built up over decades.
    It is also worrying that there is a real danger of further attacks on Iran’s cultural heritage and even on its archaeological sites in the coming hours or days. Such a development could trigger a cultural catastrophe – a catastrophe whose damage would affect not only Iran but also the cultural heritage of all humanity.
    If similar patterns are now emerging in the context of state-led warfare, this represents a dangerous step backwards for the international legal system. This is all the truer given that the US simultaneously announced its withdrawal from UNESCO – one of the key instruments of multilateral cultural protection. The looting of the Iraqi National Museum in 2003 following the US-led invasion, or the destruction of Palmyra in 2015, demonstrate that cultural catastrophes in times of war are not accidents, but the consequences of deliberate or negligent decisions.
    Preventing such a tragedy requires an immediate and resolute response from the international community. International organisations in the field of culture and heritage conservation, in particular UNESCO, as well as archaeologists, historians, art historians and other figures in the cultural sphere worldwide, should condemn these acts with a clear and resolute voice. Only through widespread international condemnation and moral and legal pressure can we prevent such attacks from recurring and a global cultural catastrophe from becoming a reality.
    Cultural heritage serves as a bridge between the past, the present and the future. Its destruction signifies not only the loss of stone and mortar, but also the severing of future generations’ connection to the history of humanity. Defending Iran’s cultural heritage is therefore also a matter of defending humanity’s shared heritage and the civilizational memory of our world. •

(Translation Current Concerns)

* Dr Reza Gholami is a Senior Lecturer in Political Philosophy at the Research Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies in Tehran, Iran, and Cultural Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Austria.