TEHRAN - Restoration work on Isfahan’s historic buildings damaged during the recent war with the US and Israeli regime has reached 80% completion, with most structural repairs expected to be finalized within two weeks, a municipal official said on Saturday.

Mohammad-Ali Izadkhasti, head of the Renovation and Improvement Organization of Isfahan Municipality, said emergency restoration and stabilization efforts began immediately after the attacks, which damaged several historical sites in the city.

Around 150 historical buildings and heritage sites across Iran, including in Isfahan, sustained damage during the war which was started on Feb. 28, largely due to blast waves caused by missile strikes.

Speaking to IRNA, Izadkhasti said local authorities, under the direction of provincial officials and in cooperation with cultural heritage bodies, launched both technical restoration efforts and public awareness campaigns following the attacks.

“In the first phase, extensive social and media initiatives, including the formation of human chains around historical monuments, were carried out so that the dimensions of this cultural tragedy would be heard around the world,” he said.

Izadkhasti added that municipal authorities and the provincial cultural heritage department had prepared detailed technical and legal documentation assessing the scale of the damage. The files were submitted to Iran’s National Commission for and other relevant international institutions.

The ancient city of , one of Iran’s leading tourist destinations, flourished between the 9th and 18th centuries and became the capital of the Safavid Empire under Shah Abbas the Great. Long regarded as a crossroads of trade and diplomacy, the city is known for its Islamic architecture, bazaars, Persian gardens and historic boulevards.

The Persian proverb “Isfahan nesf-e-jahan ast” — “Isfahan is half the world” — reflects the city’s historical and cultural prominence.

According to Izadkhasti, explosions in southern districts of Isfahan damaged several structures in the historic Takht-e Foulad complex, one of the city’s most significant historical cemeteries and religious sites.

He said restoration and emergency rescue operations began immediately after the attacks.

Among the damaged sites was the Kazerooni Tekyeh, a historical religious structure whose restoration had only recently been completed before it suffered what officials described as severe damage during the strikes.

“Reconstruction work on the site has now begun again,” Izadkhasti said.

He added that structural stabilization and reinforcement measures had also been carried out at Madar Shahzadeh Tekyeh to prevent further deterioration and ensure the building’s stability.

Another historical structure, Mirzaei Tekyeh, located near the reported blast zones, was also exposed to significant damage and remains under active restoration and preservation efforts, he said.

Izadkhasti also outlined damage sustained in the Safavid-era Dowlatkhaneh complex, located in the historic core of Isfahan.

According to him, buildings surrounding the provincial governor’s compound were heavily affected by nearby strikes, including the Rakibkhaneh Mansion, which houses Isfahan’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

“The building sustained extensive damage, and our colleagues quickly entered the implementation phase of restoration,” he said.

Izadkhasti stated that approximately 80% of repairs related to war damage in these areas had already been completed.

“Based on current planning, the operations will be completed within the next two weeks and the structural damage will be fully resolved,” he said.

He noted, however, that restoration work at the Timurid Hall Mansion had not yet entered the implementation stage due to the building’s architectural complexity.

“Experts are currently conducting precise evaluations of the extent of the damage and preliminary studies so that restoration work on this valuable monument can begin soon and with a high degree of accuracy,” he said.

AM