TEHRAN - Iran ranks 10th worldwide with 30 properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, according to the UN cultural body, placing the country among the world's leading holders of internationally recognized cultural and natural heritage.

Italy leads the global ranking with 62 World Heritage properties, followed by China with 61, France with 56, Germany with 55 and Spain with 50. India, with 45 properties, ranks sixth, while Mexico has 36, the highest total among countries outside Europe and East Asia ahead of the other countries in the ranking.

Iran's total comprises 28 cultural and two natural properties. Its heritage portfolio spans ancient archaeological sites, historic cities, religious and architectural monuments, traditional landscapes and natural ecosystems.

Among Iran's best-known World Heritage properties are Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire; Pasargadae, the first dynastic capital of the Achaemenid Empire; Naqsh-e Jahan (Imam) Square; and Golestan Palace. Iran's natural properties include the Hyrcanian Forests and the Lut Desert.

The country's recent additions include the Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley, inscribed in 2025, and Alamut Castle and Related Fortifications, listed in 2026, according to UNESCO's Iran country profile.

For Iran, its 30 World Heritage properties represent not only important destinations for cultural and nature-based tourism but also physical evidence of the country's long history and its contribution to the shared heritage of humanity.

AM