US-Israeli airstrikes have damaged 114 cultural and historical sites across Iran, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts said on Tuesday.
"Based on the latest field assessments and expert reports, so far 114 cultural and historical sites, including World Heritage sites, nationally registered sites and valuable historic locations, have been damaged," the ministry said in a statement.
Among the damaged sites are 48 museums and six historic urban areas in Tehran, Isfahan, Sanandaj, Kermanshah, Qom, and Khansar, the ministry said.
According to the statement, the damage spans a wide geographic area, with Tehran reporting 60 cases, and Isfahan 20, as well as other provinces, including Lorestan, Kermanshah, Bushehr, Qom, Alborz, East and West Azerbaijan, Mazandaran, Sistan and Baluchestan, Gilan, Ilam, Khuzestan, and Fars.
"According to established principles of international law, especially the 1954 Hague Convention, any military action that results in the destruction of or damage to cultural heritage is a clear violation of international obligations and a direct threat to humanity's historical memory," the statement said.
The ministry called on international organizations, especially UNESCO, "to move beyond minimal positions and play a more active, effective and deterrent role in protecting cultural heritage under threat."
It said nine official letters have been sent through diplomatic channels to international bodies, including UNESCO, the Asian Cultural Heritage Alliance, the International Council of Museums and the International Council on Monuments and Sites, as well as the World Tourism Organization regarding the attacks on cultural sites.
"Iran's cultural heritage is a trust from the past for the future, and protecting it is a national and human obligation," it added.
Regional escalation has continued to flare since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, so far killing over 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
