An international seminar on the defunct Halilroud civilization, in southern Iran, would be held in Jiroft on February 1-2, 2005.

Domestic and foreign scholars and specialists who have studied the cultural heritage of Asia and Iran will attend the conference, said Head of Kerman province Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department Mohammad Sam.

"A Harvard University professor and another French scholar will be among the prominent attendees," he added, estimating 30 specialized essays to be presented at the seminar.

Researchers are expected to present results of their studies on the Halilroud civilization in a bid to specify its status in the course of human, Sam noted.

In the run-up to the seminar, Jiroft’s archaeological museum is slated to be inaugurated in Dec 20, 2004, while authorities plan to break ground on the city’s grand museum in the interval.

Experts believe that Halilroud with its branches is one of the most vital cultural-civilizational arteries of Iran's central desert and southeastern Iran. According to them The Halilroud archaeological area provided a suitable habitat for various tribes and development of their civilizations.