TEHRAN - Iran plans to inaugurate eight new museums dedicated to the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War–referred to in the country as the “Sacred Defense” –by the Iranian year 1407 (March 2028), a senior official announced on Sunday.

Brigadier General Bahman Kargar, head of the Foundation for the Preservation and Publication of Sacred Defense Works and Values, made the announcement during a ceremony at the National Museum of Iran marking International Museum Day, observed globally on or around May 18.

According to Kargar, the number of Sacred Defense and Islamic Revolution museums across the country will increase from 29 to 37 within the next three years. He also noted that plans are underway to establish an international museum in Tabas, a city historically significant in the context of post-revolutionary events.

“Museums are not only guardians of history but also cultural hubs that foster education and intergenerational dialogue,” Kargar said. “In today’s world, modern museums are part of the creative economy and function as instruments of cultural diplomacy.”

He emphasized that Sacred Defense museums are vital for preserving authentic documentation of the war period, combating historical distortion, and strengthening national identity. “The real victors of the Sacred Defense were the people,” he stated.

Highlighting the broader memorial landscape, Kargar noted that Iran currently hosts 58 Sacred Defense monuments in seven provinces, including Bushehr, West Azarbaijan, and Kermanshah, along with over 3,000 memorial sites dedicated to unidentified martyrs.

The ceremony also featured the launch of 271 cultural programs across museums in Iran, with 10 events inaugurated online. These included the exhibition “unfinished narrative” at Reza Abbasi Museum, a knot-themed exhibition at the Carpet Museum of Iran, and a single-object exhibit at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Isfahan.

The Foundation for the Preservation and Publication of Sacred Defense Works and Values, affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran, aims to safeguard war relics, promote the culture of resistance, and support activities such as war-related museum development, memorial ceremonies, and cultural festivals rooted in the Iran–Iraq War.

AM