TEHRAN - Iran’s minister of cultural heritage visited the Sa’dabad Cultural-Historical Complex in northern Tehran on Thursday to weigh damage caused by recent air strikes.

Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri toured the damaged sections including the Green Palace? Mellat Palace, Omidvar Brothers Museum? and Royal Costume Museum, as part of a field evaluation of the impact of the attacks, Mehr reported. 

Preliminary assessments indicate that parts of the complex sustained “significant damage” to infrastructure, buildings and some museum items. Authorities said the full scale of the damage would require detailed technical studies and planning for restoration.

Salehi-Amiri said protecting cultural heritage was integral to national identity and security, according to the report.

“Safeguarding these civilizational assets is part of the broader strategy to preserve national cohesion and protect the historical memory of Iranians,” he said during the visit.

Covering roughly 110 hectares of wooded mountainside in northern Tehran, the Sa’dabad complex stands as one of Iran’s most extensive royal estates. First developed in the 19th century, it served as a summer residence for Qajar monarchs, who built the earliest structures on the site. The complex underwent major expansion in the 1920s after Reza Shah of the Pahlavi dynasty made it his residence, a role it maintained until his exile in 1941. His son, Mohammad Reza Shah, later occupied Sa’dabad in the 1970s, using it as one of the main royal compounds during the final years of the monarchy.

Sa’dabad also figured briefly in modern political history. In 1978, U.S. President Jimmy Carter stayed in the palace during his visit to Tehran, a trip aimed at demonstrating American support for the Pahlavi government. Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the complex was nationalized and transformed into a public museum.

Sa’dabad is managed by Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts. Much of the estate has been converted into museums that exhibit a wide range of royal belongings, including furniture, dishware, carpets, miniature paintings, and vintage automobiles. However, a number of buildings remain in use by the Office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, while the rest of the site welcomes visitors who explore its gardens, palaces, and collections.
AM