TEHRAN - A new phase of restoration work has begun at the historical windmills that are located in Tabas-e Masina of South Khorasan province, with funding allocated from national budgets, a local cultural heritage official said on Saturday.

Amir-Esmail Shahsavari said the project was an important step toward preserving and restoring the historical structures and advancing Iran’s efforts to secure UNESCO World Heritage status for the country’s traditional windmills.

Such vertical-axis windmills, locally called Asbads, are believed to be among the world’s earliest industrial machines, date back more than a millennium. South Khorasan, regarded as their main hub, contains more than 310 surviving structures, about 79% of the country’s total.

Shahsavari added that Asbads were symbols of Iranian ingenuity in harnessing clean energy. He noted that the region’s strong seasonal winds had contributed to the concentration of Asbads in eastern Iran, particularly South Khorasan.

In the new restoration phase, work will focus on the Asbads in the Khairabad neighborhood of Tabas-e Masina, the official said.

The Tabas-e Masina Asbads are among the structures included in Iran’s proposed UNESCO World Heritage nomination, Shahsavari said, adding that their restoration, rehabilitation and the removal of encroachments within their protected areas were among the priorities for the nomination process.

Most of the Asbads in Tabas-e Masina date to the Qajar period and were inscribed on Iran’s National Heritage List under No. 4661 in 2001. Beyond their historical and architectural significance, the structures reflect indigenous knowledge and the adaptation of earlier generations to the region’s climatic conditions.

Unlike the horizontal-axis windmills that later became widespread in Europe, Asbads use a vertical-axis mechanism designed to harness strong seasonal winds. Traditionally, they were used for grinding grain, pumping water and processing agricultural products, making them an early example of renewable-energy technology.

AM