TEHRAN = A group of journalists, Majlis deputies and culture lovers, have signed a letter addressed to President Seyed Mohammad Khatami in which they asked him to order the restoration and preservation of the historical monuments of Persepolis and expressed their worries about an impending national calamity.

In a part of the letter they wrote that, considering the importance of the historical-national monument of Persepolis in introducing the rich culture and civilization of Iran, and due to the fact that high-ranking officials from different countries visit this historical monument, culture lovers have been distressed on hearing news that this national monument is falling into disrepair due to negligence and lack of proper restoration work.

The letter, which was published by the Shiraz daily *****Nim-Negah*****, was signed by the deputy chairperson of the Majlis Cultural Commission, MP Shoja' Pouryan, Fars Province MPs Jalil Sazegarnejad, Tahereh Rezazadeh, Seyed Ahmad Azimi, Hassan Sha'banpour, Seyed Mansour Kashfi, and Gholam-Hossein Barzegar, and several cultural figures who attended the 9th Press Exhibition.