In a social media post, Araghchi said “multiple UNESCO World Heritage Sites have been struck” amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran. He asked why global institutions charged with protecting cultural heritage have not responded more forcefully.
“It’s natural that a regime that won’t last a century hates nations with ancient pasts,” he wrote, urging UNESCO to speak out.
The US and Israeli strikes have damaged at least four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Golestan Palace in Tehran, Chehel Sotoun Palace and the Masjed‑e Jāme (Friday mosque), both located in Isfahan, and Persepolis, located in Iran's Fars province, as well as other sites.
Inside Golestan Palace, a cultural jewel often compared to France's Palace of Versailles for its architectural grandeur, videos and images show shattered glass, broken woodwork, and debris scattered.
Built in the 16th century and expanded during the Qajar dynasty, Golestan Palace in Tehran is a lavish palace complex and one of Iran’s oldest historic monuments. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its intricate tile work, mirrored halls, and ceremonial halls that reflect Iran’s royal history.
In Isfahan, on the other hand, the Chehel Sotoun Palace, otherwise known as "Forty Columns," suffered damage as a result of explosions near government buildings that have caused surrounding historic monuments, including palaces and mosque complexes, to suffer collateral damage.
Constructed in the 17th century during the Safavid era, Forty Columns is a pavilion and palace known for its elegant wooden columns, frescoes, and gardens. It is part of Isfahan’s historical landscape and a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well.
Chehel Sotoun Palace. Photo courtesy of Tasnim
The third site to suffer damage, Masjed-e Jāme, located also in Isfahan, is an architectural masterpiece dating back over 1,000 years, reflecting Seljuk and Safavid designs.
The final site on the list is Persepolis, located in Iran's Fars province. Built in 515 BC, Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire, predating Rome and the Golden Age of Athens.
Its ruins include monumental staircases, intricately carved reliefs, and massive columns, representing one of humanity’s earliest and grandest imperial capitals.
The affected sites are among the nearly 30 Iranian sites designated as under special protection as part of UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
An US-Israeli strike near Meidan Emam Mosque in Esfahan caused damaged to the building. Photo courtesy of Tasnime news agency.
UNESCO has expressed deep concern about the fate of heritage sites across Iran and the broader region, urging all sides to protect cultural property.
“What is happening is clear to all: In these increasingly modern conflicts, it’s civilians who pay the price, it’s civilian infrastructure that pays the price, and we’ve all seen the destruction of priceless historical heritage,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said this week.
One nonprofit group pointed to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saying last week that America’s approach to the war would not include “stupid rules of engagement.”
“That’s an extremely important statement because it’s those rules of engagement that embody international humanitarian law, which is not just the protection of cultural heritage, but the protection of all civilian populations and structures, including your hospitals, your schools, etc.,” Patty Gerstenblith, president of the US Committee of the Blue Shield, an international organization dedicated to protecting heritage in conflict, disaster and crisis, told AP.
Araghchi’s criticism comes amid a stark contrast with past responses to cultural destruction. When the Taliban destroyed the Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan in 2001, UNESCO’s leadership condemned the act as "a crime against culture and humanity."
In the Russian invasion of Ukraine, UNESCO and Western leaders publicly decried attacks on cultural heritage sites and urged protection under international law.
Israel is bombing Iranian historical monuments dating as far back as the 14th century. Multiple UNESCO World Heritage Sites have been struck.
It's natural that a regime that won't last a century hates nations with ancient pasts. But where's UNESCO? Its silence is unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/7eu09Cjiyf
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 12, 2026
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