TEHRAN – Iran’s General Directorate of Museums announced that it has started legal action to prevent the sale of two historical coins at a foreign auction house.
The move came after the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism warned CNG Auction House about an upcoming auction of ancient coins, some of which are believed to have come from archaeological sites in Iran. Included.
Leila Khosravi, head of the General Directorate of Iranian Museums, ordered the seizure of two specific coins that are conclusively linked to ancient sites in Iran, as soon as the ministry was informed of CNG’s intention to auction the coins. He said he had taken the required measures. CHTN reported on Thursday.
The ministry sent a formal notice to the relevant authorities requesting them to stop the sale.
As mentioned by CHTN, the coins in question date from the pre-Achaemenid and Sasanian eras, and the sale was first reported by Iranian media. In response, the ministry’s cultural heritage division acted quickly to assert Iranian ownership and demand the return of the artifacts. Despite these efforts, a report from a local lawyer revealed that the CNG auction house had sold one of the coins the previous day and the other was still pending sale.
Khosravi added that the ministry continues to explore all legal avenues to ensure that Iran’s rights are upheld and recover both coins. He said that in accordance with international law and UNESCO regulations, cultural property obtained through illegal excavation or smuggling is prohibited from being sold or acquired in any museum or auction house in the world and must be returned to its country of origin. He emphasized that it must be done.
Founded in 1975, Classical Numismatic Group (CNG) is a prominent auction house specializing in ancient, medieval and British coins.
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