Addressed to:
The Secretary-General of the United Nations; the International Criminal Court; the specialized agencies of the United Nations, including UNESCO; the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS); the International Council of Museums (ICOM); the International Committee of the Blue Shield; and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
According to official documentation from Iran's Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, reports by Iranian and international media, and field observations by members of non-governmental organizations active in the field of cultural and historical heritage—particularly members of UNESCO-affiliated professional bodies such as ICCROM, ICOM, and ICOMOS—military attacks by the United States and Israel between February 28, 2026, and April 8, 2026, caused serious damage to approximately 132 historical monuments and heritage sites across 18 provinces of Iran.
Tehran Province sustained the greatest damage, with more than 60 affected sites, followed by Isfahan Province with 23 sites, and Khuzestan and Kurdistan Provinces with 13 sites each. Some of these monuments, including Golestan Palace and Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Others—including Chehel Sotoun Palace, Shah (Imam) Mosque, Azadi Tower, Sepahsalar Mosque, the Tomb of Baba Taher, the Falak-ol-Aflak Complex, Safiabad Palace, Kuh-e Khwaja Archaeological Site, and dozens of other distinguished works of Iranian art and architecture—constitute an invaluable part of the shared heritage of humanity.
Under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its 1954 and 1999 Protocols, any direct or indirect targeting of, or damage to, historic buildings, archaeological sites, or museums is strictly prohibited. Cultural property enjoys special protection and must never be regarded as a military objective under any circumstances.
Some of the damaged buildings, such as the Art Research Institute of the Iranian Academy of Arts, possessed not only historical value but also served important scientific and research functions. Designed in 1931 by the Georgian architect Nikolai Markov, the building was formerly the residence of Professor Yahya Adl, the founder of modern surgery in Iran. Its destruction by a rocket strike constitutes a clear violation of the principle of distinction under international humanitarian law. As a research institution and architecturally significant building with no military function, it was protected under Article 52 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions and Article 27(3) of the Second Protocol (1999) to the 1954 Hague Convention.
Similarly, the damage inflicted upon the Rafizadeh Synagogue and the destruction of historic Torah scrolls handwritten on natural parchment by Jewish religious scholars fall squarely within the protections afforded by the 1954 Hague Convention and Article 8 of the Rome Statute, which recognizes the intentional destruction of cultural heritage as a war crime.
These monuments are integral elements of the civilizational identity of a nation that has made profound contributions to the development of human civilization. We also draw your attention to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2347 (2017). Furthermore, the jurisprudence of the International Criminal Court, particularly the Al Mahdi case (2016), established that the intentional destruction of cultural heritage constitutes an independent war crime.
Accordingly, we respectfully call upon the international organizations addressed in this statement, consistent with their respective mandates, to:
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Investigate and document the damage inflicted upon Iran's cultural heritage by dispatching independent and qualified assessment missions, verifying the extent of the destruction, and reporting their findings to UN Member States to help establish the truth and prevent similar acts in the future.
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Establish effective mechanisms, in accordance with customary international law, to condemn the responsible parties and ensure reparations sufficient to finance the restoration and reconstruction of the damaged heritage. Greater attention should also be given to strengthening legal mechanisms for holding states accountable for violations of international law.
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Activate UNESCO's Heritage Emergency Fund (HEF) to support the conservation, restoration, and reconstruction of these irreplaceable cultural assets.
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Document and study the experiences and testimonies of affected communities as part of humanity's oral history and collective memory, ensuring that researchers preserve these accounts and that the lessons of this tragedy inform public education worldwide.
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Strengthen the emergency protection of endangered cultural heritage through immediate action by the International Committee of the Blue Shield, and encourage all member states to uphold their commitments to safeguarding cultural property during armed conflict.
Furthermore, any purchase, sale, transfer, or movement of Iranian cultural or historical objects by individuals or legal entities within the territories of member states—other than for the purpose of repatriation to Iran—should be regarded as illicit trafficking and prohibited. INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO) should adopt urgent and appropriate measures to prevent the looting, illegal transfer, and trafficking of cultural property and historical artifacts recovered from damaged or destroyed sites.
The destruction of a nation's cultural heritage is not merely an attack on historic buildings and archaeological sites. It is an assault on humanity's shared history and collective memory—a profoundly anti-cultural and anti-human act that all states have a responsibility to prevent. The international community bears a historic responsibility in the face of such irreparable losses.
The signatories of this letter call upon both themselves and the international community to fulfill this shared historical and moral responsibility.
Respectfully,
Coalition of Iranian Civil Society Organizations for the Protection and Preservation of Cultural Heritage (NGOs)
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