Graffiti
carved with a sharp objects over the murals of 15th
century Aliqâpu Palace, Esfahân
Iran’s
Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) finally
has decided to step up actions by prosecuting those who
damage historical monuments.
Officials have announced that as per the law, owners of
historical monuments will receive sentences ranging from
one- to 10-year imprisonment if they cause any damage to
monuments, CHN said.
Although the organization has so far pursued the policy of
encouraging owners to protect historical monuments, the
growing trend of destruction of edifices registered as
national heritage sites has made it imperative to
prosecute those who do not heed the warnings.
Many owners consider monuments as a hindrance to earning
more profits, so they want to construct residential units
in place of their ancestral property.
Deputy head of Tehran Cultural Heritage and Tourism
Department for technical protection said that destruction
of some sections of Afrasiab House, City Theatre and
Moinfar House and many other edifices in Tehran will force
sections of national heritage pertaining to the Qajar and
Pahlavi eras to permanently go into oblivion.
Qadir Afarvand further said that such destructive actions
are not just limited to the people but a number of state
enterprises also fail to protect old buildings.
