TEHRAN – A project has commenced to remove hazardous dry trees from the UNESCO-listed Persepolis, amid visitor safety concerns and the risk of fire, a local official said.

Mohsen Najafi, who presides over the Cultural Heritage Office of Marvdasht county, said the operation targets uprooted and withered trees in the landscaped areas and entrance axis of the ancient site, known locally as Takht-e Jamshid.

“The presence of old and dried trees along high-traffic routes had become a critical and potentially dangerous issue,” Najafi said on Wednesday.  He attributed the deterioration to prolonged drought and increasing salinity in underground water sources, which have weakened the trees and heightened the possibility of sudden falling.

Najafi said many of the pine trees were originally planted decades ago because of their shallow root systems, which were considered less likely to damage underlying archaeological layers. However, those same characteristics have made them more vulnerable under current day conditions, leading to instability and uprooting.

He stressed that no healthy trees were cut during the process. “All collected trees had already been detached from their roots,” he said, adding that the work was carried out after obtaining the necessary permits and in coordination with provincial heritage authorities. A qualified contractor was selected to remove and transfer the broken remains, which had also affected the site’s visual integrity.

Efforts to replace the removed trees face legal constraints, Najafi said. Planting new vegetation within the core and primary protected zone of a World Heritage site is prohibited under heritage regulations, creating a challenge for local authorities seeking to maintain green spaces while complying with conservation rules.

Located in Marvdasht county in Iran’s southern Fars province, Persepolis was founded by Darius the Great around 518 BC as the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. The monumental complex, situated about 60 km northeast of Shiraz, was partially destroyed by Alexander the Great in 330 BC. Its remains, including the Apadana Palace and the Hundred-Column Hall, are considered among the world’s most significant archaeological sites.
AM