TEHRAN- Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Reza Salehi-Amiri, has formally urged UNESCO to condemn threats by the Israeli regime against the Trans-Iranian Railway (TIR), a UNESCO World Heritage site. In a letter to UNESCO Director-General Khaled al-Anani, Salehi-Amiri expressed deep concern that any attack on the railway would constitute an assault on global cultural heritage and endanger civilian lives.

Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Reza Salehi-Amiri, has formally urged UNESCO to condemn threats by the Israeli regime against the Trans-Iranian Railway (TIR), a UNESCO World Heritage site. In a letter to UNESCO Director-General Khaled al-Anani, Salehi-Amiri expressed deep concern that any attack on the railway would constitute an assault on global cultural heritage and endanger civilian lives.

The minister described the Trans-Iranian Railway as a masterpiece of modern engineering and architecture, built through decades of cooperation between Iranian and European specialists and later expanded using domestic expertise. Its outstanding cultural and technical value led to its inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2021 with unanimous member-state support.

Stretching across eight provinces—including Golestan, Mazandaran, Tehran, and Khuzestan—the railway passes through diverse natural and cultural landscapes. Notably, it crosses the ancient Hyrcanian forests without causing environmental destruction.

Salehi-Amiri emphasized that the railway is not only a symbol of Iran’s geographic and economic connectivity but also part of humanity’s shared heritage. He called on UNESCO and the international community to adopt a clear and deterrent stance to protect this heritage.