Tehran has sustained the most damage, with 19 locations affected, including Golestan Palace, the Grand Bazaar, and the former Senate building, according to the Cultural Heritage Ministry. Golestan Palace, the only UNESCO-listed building in Tehran, was damaged on Sunday, March 1, as the United States and Israeli forces intensified their offensive against Iran. UNESCO confirmed that Golestan Palace was damaged by a strike in its buffer zone, Arg Square, and the palace reportedly sustained damage from a nearby missile blast, with images showing debris, blown-out windows, and damaged mirror and glasswork. Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency reported that Golestan Palace sustained damage in the aftermath of a US-Israeli strike, and the site's famous mirrored throne room and museum artifacts had earlier been moved to a vault.
Historic sites were impacted in Isfahan, Kurdistan, Lorestan, Kermanshah, Bushehr, and Ilam provinces, including parts of Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, according to the ministry's statement. Other sites that have been damaged in the ongoing conflict include the 17th-century Chehel Sotoun palace and the Masjed-e Jāme mosque in Isfahan. Chehel Sotoun in Isfahan was damaged following airstrikes in the area, according to Iranian state media, and a video posted to X by Iranian state media appears to show doors blasted open and shattered grand windows at Chehel Sotoun Palace. The office of Isfahan provincial government, located approximately 100 meters from the palace, was targeted by a strike on March 9. Four of Iran's 29 world heritage sites have been affected since hostilities began, according to the United Nations' cultural agency.
Museums and historic complexes in the cities of Sanandaj, Khorramabad, and Siraf were also affected, according to the ministry. A museum attached to the Falak-ol-Aflak Castle in Khorramabad was completely destroyed last month, according to local officials. The Falak-ol-Aflak Castle in Khorramabad in Lorestan province was also damaged, but the main structure remained intact, according to the head of Lorestan's heritage department, Ata Hassanpour.
Artefacts from Tehran's museums, including the National Museum of Iran, Sa'dabad, and Niavaran palace complexes, had been evacuated to secure facilities by January 5, according to Sedaye Miras News Agency. Similar evacuations were carried out nationwide, including at the Persepolis museum in the Fars province.
Concerns are growing that the polluting effects of bombs will cause permanent environmental damage to Iran. In the first week of the war, Israel hit oil depots around Tehran, covering the city in noxious black fumes.
The Falak-ol-Aflak Castle in Khorramabad in Lorestan province was also damaged, but the main structure remained intact.
Iran's senior cultural officials visited Golestan Palace on Monday, March 2, to inspect the damage, with the minister describing the attack as a clear violation of international rules. Iran's cultural heritage minister, Reza Salehi-Amiri, described the incident as an attack on Iran's cultural and national identity and said a formal report would be submitted to UNESCO.
UNESCO has confirmed damage to other World Heritage-listed sites in Iran and Lebanon, including the archaeological site of the ancient city of Tyre in Lebanon. UNESCO joined other United Nations bodies and senior officials in condemning both the US-Israeli strikes and Iran's retaliatory attacks. The Cultural Heritage Ministry's statement cited international law, including the 1954 Hague Convention and UN Security Council Resolution 2347, which call attacks on heritage sites violations of international law.
Historians and archaeologists warn that Iran's ancient cultural heritage is at risk of being damaged by US and Israeli bombs. Experts specializing in the Middle East note that mosques, museums, and the only UNESCO-listed building in Tehran, the Golestan Palace, are in danger of being destroyed by US-Israeli airstrikes. Several western museums and institutions are working with archaeologists in Iraq to repair damage caused by Islamic State.
International and local responses to the heritage damage have been swift, with Iran's cultural heritage minister condemning the attacks as targeting national identity. UNESCO's involvement in documenting damage and expressing concern underscores the global significance of these sites.
The legal and identity-based consequences of the attacks are significant, as Iran's cultural heritage minister emphasized the violation of international norms. The attacks raise questions about accountability under frameworks like the 1954 Hague Convention.
The exact total number of cultural heritage sites damaged in Iran during the conflict remains unclear. The timeline of damage to Golestan Palace shows discrepancies, with some sources citing March 1 and others March 2. Environmental impacts from the bombings and oil depot strikes are still being assessed, with long-term effects yet to be determined. The current condition and repair status of damaged sites, including Golestan Palace and Chehel Sotoun, are not fully detailed, and it is unknown whether there are verified reports of damage to other UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Iran beyond those mentioned.