TEHRAN – The Iranian Library and Information Science Association (ILISA) has issued a statement, strongly condemning the aggression against the cultural, scientific infrastructure, and historical memory of the Iranian nation by the US and Israel.

According to Mehr, the text of the statement by the ILISA is as follows:

“Expressing deep concern and profound regret, the Iranian Library and Information Science Association strongly condemns the military attacks by the US and the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly the aggression against the cultural, scientific infrastructure, and historical memory of the Iranian nation”.

“Damage to various types of libraries, including public, specialized, and university libraries, archival and documentary centers, cultural centers, printing houses, bookstores, museums, and valuable historical-cultural monuments, including worrying reports about threats or damage to heritage collections such as Golestan Palace-Museum, is not merely an assault on buildings and objects; rather, it is a clear transgression against the national identity, collective memory, intergenerational knowledge, and civilizational heritage of a nation”.

“Libraries and museums are the custodians of history, culture, knowledge, and peace, and any aggression against them constitutes a blatant violation of human and ethical principles and international cultural law”.

“The Iranian Library and Information Science Association believes that targeting cultural institutions is not only an irreparable loss for the Iranian nation but also a serious damage to the cultural heritage of humanity. Such actions are in complete contradiction with all international norms regarding the protection of cultural heritage during times of war and crisis, including the recognized principles of protecting human heritage”.

“While expressing solidarity with librarians, we, archivists, museum curators, researchers, and all guardians of the country's cultural heritage, call upon international cultural organizations, professional library associations, cultural heritage protection organizations, and global scientific communities not to remain silent in the face of these threats and to adopt a clear and responsible stance to immediately halt any attacks on Iran's cultural and scientific infrastructure”.

“The Iranian Library and Information Science Association also warns that the continuation of such attacks could leave lasting and irreparable consequences on the region's cultural memory, the world's civilizational heritage, and the free flow of knowledge. The international community must take immediate and effective action to prevent the recurrence of these aggressions before the damages become irreversible”.

“Protecting libraries, museums, and cultural centers is protecting the future of dialogue, knowledge, and peace”.

On February 28, the US 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 and commanders, along with many civilians, including women and children.

The Zionist enemy, in continuation of its criminal actions, has targeted completely civilian centers of the country; including schools, art and cultural spaces, bookstores, museum, and ancient sites in several cities.

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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