TEHRAN- The head of the Parliament’s Tourism Fraction has revealed that more than 140 historical monuments across Iran have sustained damage during the Ramadan War and the recent aggressions by the United States and the Zionist regime. 

The government is planning to utilize the expertise of Iranian professionals living abroad to restore these heritage sites, ISNA quoted Mohsen Fat’hi as saying on Monday. 

“It is a golden opportunity for national convergence," he added. 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued an immediate decree for the restoration of all affected sites. A national and international campaign is being designed to manage the process in four distinct phases, including documentation of damage through photo and film, precise assessment of the destruction level, securing domestic and international financial resources and execution of restoration operations, starting with the most critical sites, Fat’hi explained. 

"The government intends to involve Iranian specialists residing abroad in this process," he noted. "Regardless of their place of residence, this is an opportunity for all Iranians to unite around the protection of our national identity."

Fat’hi described the tourism industry as the primary victim of military conflict and instability. "Our cultural heritage has faced a heavy crisis," he stated. "According to reports from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, over 140 historical sites—ranging from the Achaemenid era to the Islamic period—have been damaged in the recent attacks."

He outlined three major challenges facing the tourism sector in the post-war era: physical reconstruction, rebuilding international trust, and supporting the livelihoods of activists in the field. 

Fat’hi further highlighted that cultural heritage is protected under UNESCO conventions. He announced that the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, will pursue the matter in international courts to hold those who attacked these historical sites accountable. "This is a significant diplomatic move to ensure that aggressors answer for their actions against human civilization," he added. 

Addressing the psychological warfare aimed at portraying Iran as an insecure destination, Fat’hi said the Parliament and government have launched a joint package to restore international confidence. 

The strategy includes active tourism diplomacy through professional participation in international exhibitions, inviting foreign journalists and influencers to witness Iran’s security firsthand, and focusing on regional markets. "Our neighbors share cultural affinities and are less influenced by the enemy's psychological operations," he explained.

To revitalize the industry, Fat’hi announced a series of attractive incentive packages for investors, which include tax exemptions such as 10-year tax holidays for projects in underprivileged areas and five-year exemptions for developed regions; regulatory waivers that exempt hotels, eco-lodges, and tourism complexes from land-use change fees; customs relief that allows equipment and machinery for the tourism industry to be exempt from customs duties; and subsidized loans, which provide government-subsidized loans and allocate national lands at government rates to qualified investors.

"The recent crisis proved that Iran’s tourism industry requires urgent investment and modernization," he said, asserting that the new legislative measures would provide the necessary impetus for a swift recovery.

Fat’hi further elaborated on the support packages designed for international stakeholders, stating that all protective and incentive laws regarding foreign investment would be applicable upon approval by the Organization for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance of Iran (OIETAI). 

"There are promising developments regarding the granting of five-year residency permits to foreign investors," the lawmaker revealed. "This serves as a serious signal to the global community to consider the vast opportunities within the Iranian market."

Expressing optimism about the short-term and medium-term outlook of the industry, he emphasized that Iran’s unique potential cannot be overlooked. He noted that the government and Parliament have devised a comprehensive roadmap for the sector’s development.

"A key part of our strategy is focusing on health tourism and pilgrimage tourism as two strategic axes," he said. "These sectors are historically more resilient and less affected by political or security fluctuations."

In a direct message to activists and investors, the head of the Tourism Fraction urged them to remain steadfast. "Do not think of retreat; think of advancement. These circumstances are difficult, but they are transitory," he asserted.

He reassured the private sector that the Parliament is fully committed to their support, pursuing additional financial aid packages and tax relief for tourism units damaged or impacted by the recent war. "Iran’s tourism industry will not only bypass this crisis but, through new investments and strategic planning, is poised for a significant leap forward," Fat’hi concluded.

The Ramadan War has left a painful mark on Iran’s architectural and historical landscape. Iranian cultural and historical sites sustained serious structural damage during the aggression by the US and the Zionist regime. This targeted strikes on these venues are viewed by many as a deliberate attempt to dismantle the physical settings where the country’s sovereign diplomacy and international relations were forged.

Beyond the immediate loss of infrastructure, the targeting of such landmarks represents a grave violation of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property. Iranian officials and cultural experts have characterized these acts not merely as collateral damage of war, but as a systematic civilizational assault aimed at erasing the collective memory and historical continuity of the Iranian people. By striking at sites that represent centuries of Persian heritage and governance, the aggressors have sought to demoralize the nation by undermining the very foundations of its cultural and national identity.

In the face of this cultural tragedy, the Iranian government has prioritized the preservation and restoration of damaged sites as a matter of national security and pride. Moreover, Tehran is preparing a comprehensive legal dossier to be presented to international bodies, seeking to hold the perpetrators accountable for what it defines as war crimes against the shared heritage of humanity, asserting that the nation’s civilizational roots remain indestructible despite the physical toll of the conflict.

SAB/