Cement Factory Continues Threatening Rey's Ancient Sites - CAIS Archaeological & Cultural News of Iranian World©

LONDON, (Shapour Suren-Pahlav - CAIS) -- The Tehran Cement factory in Rey in southern Tehran, continue to be a threat to the ancient Iranian heritage in the area, including the 7,000-years-old Cheshmeh Ali, Arsacid fort and its royal palaces and a Mausoleum denoted to the princess Shahrbanou, the alleged-daughter of Yazdegerd III, the last Sasanian King of Kings.

"The experts believe that the factory has inflicted irreparable damage to cultural heritage sites in the area and should cease operating", Mohammad Ali Nezamzadeh told the Persian daily Sharq.

He said that the blasts in the nearby mountains, which provide raw materials for the factory, caused shockwaves in the area damaging the 1,400 year old mausoleum.

The official said that head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) visited Bibi Shahrbanou Tomb and called for protecting the cultural heritage site from damages.

Meanwhile, deputy head of ICHTO for protection of cultural heritage, Ghadir Afrovand said that Royal Cemetery, Naghar-khaneh Tower and the remnants of Arsacid watchtower on the western part of Bibi Shahrbanou mountain are on verge of ruin.

He said that currently archaeologists are involved in excavating near the (Rashkān Fort), the spring-capital of Arsacid Dynasty and its imperial Palaces. The site belongs to prehistoric era adding that the historical site would become a tourist attraction.

As the result of the factory being owned (over 50%) by "Bonyad-e Mostazafan va Janbazan", ICHTO and the nation are unable to stop them from turning Iranian heritage into cement.

The Bonyad is the biggest Holding Company in the Middle East, the most notorious religious foundation controlled by ruling clerics, blatantly claiming ownership of some 400 companies in all sectors of the economy with "no competition," and an annual turnover of funds second only to the government itself.

The foundation, was created following the wave of the illegal confiscation of Iranians' assets in the aftermath of the revolution in 1979. The religious entity is linked to the senior-clerics, their families and prominent members of the Islamic regime, and overseen by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. It owns billions of dollars of illegitimate assets worldwide and is acting like a sponsored Mafia organization. Due to a special regulation, it's not subject to any taxation and finances the special expenses of the regime's higher leadership.

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