CHTO official Yunes Samadi said that Iran has tried about 15 cases involving smuggling of historical and cultural objects over the past two decades in line with the UNESCO Convention of 1970.
He emphasized that the Islamic Republic has stepped up efforts to prevent the theft and smuggling of Iranian cultural artifacts and the illicit transfer of historical and cultural objects through Iranian territory, adding that other countries’ cultural objects confiscated in Iran have been returned to their respective countries.
Recently, Iran returned Kuwaiti historical and cultural objects smuggled to Iran during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, he noted.
Although a committee responsible for the return of cultural objects has not been formed yet, Samadi expressed satisfaction over the fact that relevant officials have been fulfilling their duties based on the UNESCO Convention of 1970 and have been making efforts so that Iran’s smuggled historical and cultural artifacts can be returned.
He also mentioned that Iran is making efforts to reclaim and return the historical artifacts from Jiroft seized from a Kuwaiti national at a London airport last year.
The UNESCO Convention of 1970 formulates basic principles on international protection of cultural objects. It contains the administrative and legislative measures for the contract parties to hinder illegal transfer of cultural objects.
AP/AS/HG
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MNA
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