Centuries-old palaces and mosques in Isfahan, Iran’s celebrated cultural capital, lie in ruins after a series of air raids struck the city’s historic centre, leaving officials to warn of a devastating loss to both national and global heritage. AnewZ’s Touraj Shiralilou visited the city.
Ishfahan's historic old quarter has been left in ruins following intense air raids that targeted government buildings and nearby heritage sites.
Governor-General Mehdi Jamalinejad described the damage as catastrophic, with preliminary estimates placing losses at between $200 million and $300 million. Iconic landmarks, including Chehel Sotun Palace (Forty Column Palace) and sections of the Imam Mosque in the famed Naqsh-e Jahan Square, have been seriously damaged.
“It is with a heavy heart that I stand beside what remains of Chehel Sotun,” Jamalinejad told AnewZ in an exclusive interview. “These sites are not merely national treasures - they are part of the heritage of humanity itself.” He criticised international organisations for remaining silent on what he described as deliberate attacks on protected cultural sites.
Iranian officials allege that detailed information about Isfahan’s monuments had been shared with foreign governments in advance, as part of formal coordination intended to prevent harm. They argue that this information was disregarded in the planning of the strikes.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei condemned the attacks on the city’s cultural capital as “an aggression against the civilisational heritage of humanity.” He also referenced last week’s damage to Golestan Palace near Tehran’s historic bazaar, calling it part of a worrying pattern of disregard for Iran’s cultural heritage.
Meanwhile, the broader conflict shows no sign of abating. Iran held official funeral processions today for senior military commanders killed during the ongoing U.S.–Israeli campaign, attended by high-ranking clerics and state officials.
In a dramatic development, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei was announced as the nation’s third leader following the delayed burial of his father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which had been postponed for security reasons.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards issued a mobile message claiming that Iranian attacks on U.S. and Israeli interests in the region have caused more than $25 billion in losses, highlighting tensions between Washington and some of its European allies over the campaign.
As the conflict enters its 12th day, the destruction of sites such as Chehel Sotun, the Imam Mosque, and Golestan Palace is seen not only as a national tragedy but as a profound loss to global cultural heritage.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said the country must continue strengthening its nuclear capabilities to deal with what he described as an increas...
Andy Burnham, the frontrunner to be Britain’s next Prime Minister, was sworn in as a member of Parliament on Monday, just hours after Keir Starmer a...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 23 June, covering the latest developments you need to know. ...
A shooting in Montreal, Canada has left three people dead, including a police officer, a civilian and the suspected attacker, police said. ...
The United States eased sanctions on Iran for 60 days as President Donald Trump warned he would do "what I have to do" if Tehran failed to honour the ...
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said the country must continue strengthening its nuclear capabilities to deal with what he described as an increasingly unstable global security environment.
Andy Burnham, the frontrunner to be Britain’s next Prime Minister, was sworn in as a member of Parliament on Monday, just hours after Keir Starmer announced his resignation from the top job.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 23 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A shooting in Montreal, Canada has left three people dead, including a police officer, a civilian and the suspected attacker, police said.
At least thirteen people have died and sixty-six have been injured following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hub at Ras Laffan, authorities said on Sunday.
Cape Verde’s remarkable FIFA World Cup debut continued on Sunday (21 June) as the tournament newcomers held Uruguay to a 2-2 draw. Goalkeeper Vozinha was once again at the centre of the story, this time with his mother watching from the stands.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on a landmark internet deal that will allow traffic to pass through Azerbaijani networks.It's the latest deal to highlight the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
Three students have been killed and at least seven injured after two of their peers opened fire in a high school in the Philippines, police said. A spokesperson for the police said the two suspects, aged 14 and 15, had been arrested and a police pistol confiscated. Bullying is a possible motive.
The United States eased sanctions on Iran for 60 days as President Donald Trump warned he would do "what I have to do" if Tehran failed to honour the deal.
A United Nations official has warned that efforts to stabilise southern Syria remain stalled nearly a year after deadly sectarian violence in Sweida province, with tensions between Druze factions, Bedouin communities and state authorities still unresolved.
Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks in New Delhi on the sidelines of the BRICS security advisers’ meeting, in the latest sign of gradual efforts to stabilise ties after years of border tensions.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Brussels for talks with EU leaders as Kazakhstan seeks to expand its partnership with Europe beyond energy and raw materials, with a growing focus on technology, connectivity and industrial cooperation.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment