TEHRAN - Seyyed Ahmad Mohit-Tabatabai, the former president of Iran’s branch of the International Council of Museums, has said cities emerging from conflict should preserve elements of their historical memory while planning reconstruction, citing global examples from London to Hiroshima.

Mohit-Tabatabai said decisions on war-damaged urban spaces should be made on a case-by-case basis, depending on their significance and context. “The city must preserve its memory,” he said, adding that historical memory forms a core part of urban identity and should be considered in rebuilding efforts. He said post-war cities face not only the task of restoring infrastructure but also the question of how to deal with the physical traces of conflict, including damaged residential areas, educational centers and historical sites. Recent discussions in Iran, including references to civilian sites such as Minab’s elementary school, in which some 170 students were martyred, have renewed attention to whether such locations should be cleared and rebuilt quickly or partially preserved as memorials, he said. Drawing on international experience, Mohit-Tabatabai said approaches vary widely. He cited London after World War Two, where large parts of the city, including parliament and historic buildings, were destroyed but later reconstructed based on their original design. “Today, visitors feel they are facing a historic city, while much of it has been rebuilt in line with its past,” he said. He contrasted this with other cases, including the site of the World Trade Center in New York after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, which was not rebuilt in its original form but turned into a memorial space. In Hiroshima, he said, only the atomic bomb impact site was preserved, while the rest of the city was reconstructed. “These examples show there is no single model,” he said. “The type of response depends on the nature and importance of each site.” Mohit-Tabatabai said immediate measures during conflict should focus on emergency actions such as debris removal and preventing further damage, while major reconstruction is usually carried out after the end of hostilities. He said Iran has not consistently marked or preserved sites linked to wartime events. He cited examples in Tehran, including areas affected by missile strikes in the 1980s, where no visible markers remain today. “In many cases, it would have been possible to design memorials or markers indicating what happened at a site, without preserving ruins themselves,” he said. He added that some locations, such as the site of the first missile strike in Tehran, could be designated as memorial points, while surrounding areas are rebuilt. Mohit-Tabatabai said preserving selected traces of conflict can serve cultural and social functions, including education and reflection for future generations, but should be balanced with the need to restore normal urban life. “There is no single rule,” he said. “Each space must be assessed based on its own characteristics, with a balance between reconstruction and preserving historical memory.” AM