(Iran
Daily) -- Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism
Organization (ICHTO) has taken over the
administration of Saadabad (S'adâbâd) Palace and
Cultural Complex from the government following a
cabinet decision to the effect.
Saadabad Palace used to serve as a venue for
welcoming foreign dignitaries during the
administration of former president Mohammad
Khatami, according to CHN.
The cabinet of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
decided last Sunday night (October 16) to hand
over Saadabad Palace to ICHTO and said that the
government will not use the palace to receive
foreign dignitaries.
Head of Saadabad Palace Cultural Complex Mohammad
Abdolalipour thanked the government for handing
the palace back to ICHTO and said that it
indicated government’s positive attitude toward
cultural heritage.
He said that ICHTO will make arrangements to open
Saadabad Palace to the public enabling public to
visit the compound.
“In the next three months, we will make
preparations to turn sections of the Palace which
were used to host foreign dignitaries into museums
and open them to the public.“
There are 18 museums at Saadabad Palace, several
halls of which were used for receiving foreign
dignitaries or holding cabinet meetings. They
included museum of anthropology, a collection of
articles belonging to the Prince Reza Pahlavi, son
on last Pahlavi king, and palace of the Empress
Farah Pahlavi. They will be reverted to museum
which will be open to the public, Abdolalipour
said.
