TEHRAN – The CEO of Book City Institute has sent letters to the National Commission for UNESCO and the UNICEF Representative in Iran, presenting a report on the damages incurred by bookstores and book-related cultural spaces following the recent military attacks by the U.S. and the Zionist regime on Iran.

In a letter to the National Commission for UNESCO in Iran, Ali Jafarabadi introduced the Book City Institute as a cultural, non-profit, and non-governmental institution that, over more than three decades, has become a network comprising nearly one hundred bookstores across Iran. This extensive cultural network, in addition to offering Persian and foreign books, has hosted literary gatherings, book launches, training workshops, and cultural dialogue programs, playing a significant role in daily cultural life and the expansion of book reading culture, IRNA reported.

According to this report, during the recent attacks, six Book City branches in Tehran sustained physical damage to parts of their buildings, interior spaces, equipment, shelves, and book inventory. Reports from booksellers and publishing professionals also indicate that some other bookstores and industry activists have faced varying degrees of damage or disruption in their activities, and the precise assessment of damages is still ongoing in some cases. As a result of these conditions, all cultural, educational, and social programs that were normally held in Book City spaces have been halted.

In this letter, Jafarabadi requested the National Commission for UNESCO to support the documentation of damages, recognize the role of bookstores as part of the community's cultural infrastructure, facilitate dialogue between cultural institutions and professional networks related to the book sector, and provide frameworks for supporting the reconstruction of book-related cultural activities and book reading.

The end of this letter emphasized that the purpose of submitting this report is to draw the global community's attention to the condition of bookstores and book-related cultural spaces – institutions that provide the setting for reading, dialogue, and the exchange of ideas in daily life, and whose protection is of particular importance in times of wartime aggression.

In the letter to Dorina Andreev-Jitaro, the UNICEF Representative in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jafarabadi expressed concern about the impacts of the recent war and military attacks by the U.S. and Israel on the lives of children and cultural spaces related to learning and book reading.

This letter highlighted the importance of cooperation between Book City and UNICEF. Many of these spaces host special sections for children and adolescents, reading programs, educational workshops, and cultural events, providing environments for children to encounter books, engage in dialogue, and foster creativity.

The letter also referred to a three-year cooperation framework between Book City and UNICEF Iran, which began in November 2024. This collaboration was established with the aim of promoting child rights, expanding children's cultural participation, and strengthening inclusive learning opportunities. Following this collaboration, in June 2025, a specialized workshop on 
“Child Rights and Business” was held at the central branch of Book City, attended by managers and booksellers from children's and adolescents' sections of various Book City branches.

The letter also pointed to the consequences of the recent war for children, including the incident at a school in Minab and the attack on a sports complex used by children and adolescents in Lamard, which have raised serious concerns about the safety of spaces related to childhood. Furthermore, the temporary closure of schools and disruption of cultural activities have affected many daily spaces where children encounter books, stories, and cultural activities.

Referring to UNESCO's mission to support culture, knowledge, and access to education, this letter emphasized the necessity of documenting the damages inflicted upon bookstores and book-related cultural spaces, introducing these spaces as part of the community's cultural infrastructure that plays a significant role in the continuity of cultural life and public access to knowledge.

Jafarabadi concluded the letter by referring to UNICEF's global role in supporting children's rights, calling for attention to the impact of these developments on children's lives and cultural spaces related to their growth and learning, and emphasizing Book City;s readiness to continue its cooperation with UNICEF through cultural programs and the promotion of book reading for children.

On February 28, the U.S. and Israel initiated a major, unjustified assault on Iran, resulting in the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and numerous senior officials, along with many civilians, among them women and children.

On the first day of the attacks, the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, Hormozgan Province, became the site of a devastating massacre. While dozens of girls and boys aged between 7 and 12 were beginning their lessons, the school was targeted by a missile strike that caused the building to collapse, trapping children and teachers beneath the rubble. Iranian authorities confirmed a final death toll of 185 people, with about 100 others wounded.

The attacks prompted a swift response from the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), with missile and drone launches targeting Israel and several U.S. bases in the region, occurring less than two hours after the strikes, which have been intensified in recent days.

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