Strikes raise fears for Iran heritage
Reports say historic sites and children killed in raids
Recent U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran reportedly caused major collateral damage to sites of immense historical and cultural value, some over 2,500 years old, representing the cradle of Persian civilization.
Several remnants of the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sasanian eras sustained structural harm—irreparable losses of ancient science, art, and governance. Critics question the strikes’ "surgical" nature, noting their proximity to protected sites and alleging either disregard for cultural preservation or deliberate demoralization.
UNESCO’s muted response has drawn accusations of geopolitical bias and failure to uphold the 1954 Hague Convention protecting cultural property. Beyond heritage loss, civilian infrastructure was hit: a school complex strike reportedly killed over 160 children.
Such attacks on educational institutions are widely viewed as war crimes under the Geneva Conventions, provoking global outrage and likening the erasure of a nation’s past to the destruction of its future.
