TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Reza Salehi Amiri has formally asked UNESCO to condemn the Israeli regime’s threats against the Trans-Iran Railway (TIR), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In a letter to UNESCO Director-General Khalid Al-Anani, Salehi Amiri expressed deep concern that any attack on the railway would amount to an attack on world cultural heritage sites and endanger the lives of civilians.
Reza Salehi-Amiri, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, has formally asked UNESCO to condemn the Israeli regime’s threats against the Trans-Iran Railway (TIR), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In a letter to UNESCO Director-General Khalid Al-Anani, Salehi Amiri expressed deep concern that any attack on the railway would amount to an attack on world cultural heritage sites and endanger the lives of civilians.
The minister said the Trans-Iranian Railway is a masterpiece of modern engineering and architecture, built through decades of collaboration between Iranian and European experts and later expanded using domestic expertise. Due to its outstanding cultural and technological value, it was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2021 with the unanimous support of member states.
Spanning eight provinces, including Golestan, Mazandaran, Tehran, and Khuzestan, the railway passes through diverse natural and cultural landscapes. What is remarkable is that it traverses the ancient Hyrcanian forest without causing environmental damage.
Salehi Amiri emphasized that the railway is not only a symbol of Iran’s geographical and economic ties, but also part of humanity’s common heritage. He called on UNESCO and the international community to take a clear and deterrent stance to protect this heritage.