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LONDON, (CAIS) -- Only one month after inscription of Bistun in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, this unique historical site is now facing new challenges caused by implementation of civil development policies in the area. Construction of Harsin industrial city near Bazan Abad village and continuation of activities by Kermanshah’s Polymer Company have put Bistun’s world registration at risk.

Announcing its concerns, UNESCO has demanded the authorities of Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) to present full explanations for the construction of Harsin industrial city in the vicinity of this world heritage site.

Construction of Harsin industrial city is to take place in an area covering 90 hectares which is located at a distance of three kilometers from Bistun and two kilometers from Kermanshah Polymer Company. Up until now, 30 hectares of the land needed to perform this project has been bought. Construction of this city gained approval in 2005 by the planning council of Kermanshah province and the governmental committee.

In a letter sent to ICHTO last week, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee asked the Organization to provide explanations about the construction of the industrial city of Harsin in vicinity of Bistun.

Considering that Bistun has been registered in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites during the 30^th session of the World Heritage Committee which was held in July 2006 in Lithuania, in the letter submitted to ICHTO, UNESCO has reemphasized that according to the provisions of paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, any kind of development project in the vicinity of world heritage sites can only be performed after obtaining the approval of World Heritage Committee and must be implemented in a way that would cause no harm to the cultural landscape of the registered site.

From the beginning, implementation of new projects in the vicinity of Bistun historical site, including construction of Harsin and expanding Kermanshah’s Polymer Company were seen as real threats to this historic site and its registration in the list of UNESCO. Therefore, the authorities of ICHTO and the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department of Kermanshah province reached to an agreement to stop and relocate any kind of development project in this area. However, after only one month after the world registration of Bistun, all the previous promises were forgotten and new talks for continuing construction activities in the vicinity of this historical complex have been initiated.

The historic site of Bistun is located in Kermanshah province. It was registered in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites on July 13th, 2006 in a decision made by the World Heritage Committee in its 30th session which was held in Lithuania. The Complex is comprised of numerous valuable historical remains such as the Median Temple, Darius the Great inscription, Parthian relief, and the Sasanian monument of Bistun. 

Should the construction activities continue in the cultural landscape of this world heritage site, Iran would face serious consequences, which could also include exclusion of Bistun from the World Heritage List and its nomination for the list of World Heritage in Danger.

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