TEHRAN -- A stair of the northern stairway of the Council Hall of Persepolis was smashed to pieces during a restoration project last week.

The stair tumbled down and shattered as it was being lifted by a crane, a source, who requested anonymity, told MNA on Sunday.
The stair was fractured through its center and some fragments have broken into over 10 pieces, he said.
He said that the accident occurred as result of the dearth of necessary equipment and experts.
Many restoration experts believe that it is unprofessional to use a mechanical crane in the restoration of historical and ancient sites, he noted.
No more details were given about accident.
In November 2008, an anonymous source accused the Parsa and Pasargadae Research Foundation of spoiling the authenticity of the Cyrus Tomb through an inept restoration project, which had been completed by the foundation’s experts in December.