TEHRAN – Iran has selected the historical port of Siraf in the southern Bushehr province as its official candidate for UNESCO World Heritage inscription in 2026, a provincial cultural heritage official said on Saturday.

Nasrollah Ebrahimi, director-general of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts in Bushehr province, said Siraf’s nomination dossier had been chosen as Iran’s representative for global registration despite competition from other [Iranian] candidates, including [the ancient city of] Tus.

“The submission of Siraf’s dossier to UNESCO was completed last February, and the file has now been officially selected as Iran’s representative for inscription in 2026,” Ebrahimi told reporters.

He said UNESCO experts are expected to carry out an on-site evaluation of the site in September and October this year, despite what he described as wartime conditions affecting the country.

Iranian authorities are continuing preparations for the anticipated assessment, including infrastructure upgrades and the installation of guidance signs at the site, he added.

Located along the Persian Gulf coast, Siraf was one of Iran’s most significant commercial ports from the Sassanian era through the fourth century AH. The port played a central role in maritime trade linking Western Asia with India, the Far East and eastern Africa between the 9th and 11th centuries.

Ebrahimi also highlighted broader tourism and infrastructure projects underway in Bushehr province, particularly in the field of coastal and marine tourism.

Several projects are currently being developed, including tourism initiatives on Khargoo Island, restoration of a traditional boat cemetery, construction of a marine aquarium, expansion of recreational piers, and the development of hotels and tourism complexes in cities including Asaluyeh, Deylam, Imam Hassan, Abpakhsh, Bushehr and Delvar.

He said the province has also issued its first preliminary permit for the construction of a five-star hotel in Deylam county, which is expected to strengthen tourism infrastructure in northern Bushehr.

In the field of research and preservation, more than 10 archaeological programs have been carried out in recent years, including studies of Persian Gulf coastlines, excavations in Siraf, surveys of prehistoric sites in Dayyer county, and boundary assessments for several historical sites.
Between 1966 and 1973, the British Institute of Persian Studies conducted seven seasons of excavation and survey at Siraf, identifying extensive remains of a major port city on the northern coast of the Persian Gulf.

Historians estimate Siraf’s population reached about 300,000 during the early Islamic era, while the modern town has a population of roughly 7,000.

Situated in Bushehr province, the ancient port hosts numerous historical and archaeological sites spanning the Elamite, Achaemenid, Parthian, Sassanid, Islamic and Qajar periods.

Iran has in recent years accelerated efforts to secure international recognition for historically significant sites as part of a broader strategy to promote cultural tourism and heritage conservation.

AM