TEHRAN -- Iran has reported damage to 149 historic monuments, including five UNESCO World Heritage properties and 49 museums, in terrorist U.S.-Israeli attacks, according to Ali Darabi, Iran’s deputy minister of cultural heritage.
Speaking at the seventh ordinary meeting of the Governing Council of the Regional Research Centre for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in West and Central Asia, which opened at Tehran’s Laleh Hotel on Tuesday, Darabi said the affected sites had displayed the Blue Shield emblem, which identifies cultural property protected under the 1954 Hague Convention.
“The damage inflicted on these historic sites represents a clear violation of the protections established under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict,” Darabi said.
He said the damage extended to monuments, museums and other cultural heritage sites, raising concerns about the protection of cultural property during armed conflict.
The Blue Shield emblem is associated with the international
 framework for safeguarding cultural property during hostilities. 
Darabi also pointed to damage affecting economic, industrial, educational and healthcare infrastructure, including schools and universities. 
He said insecurity and travel restrictions have prevented some council members and guests from attending the Tehran meeting in person, while complicating regional cooperation over the past two years.
Despite these challenges, Darabi said the center has maintained its professional networks and continued its activities, including a workshop in Armenia, initiatives supporting women as bearers of living heritage, civil-society networking and training programs for policymakers.
He outlined proposed priorities for 2026–2027, including community resilience to climate change, traditional water knowledge, traditional healing practices, food systems and capacity-building programs in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to support implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Hasan Fartousi, secretary-general of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO, highlighted the role of living heritage in maintaining cultural connections across political and geographical borders. 
Referring to shared traditions such as Nowruz and Mehrgan, he said common cultural practices could promote mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence and regional cooperation.
Fartousi also said the Tehran-based center should act as a bridge connecting communities, governments and institutions, rather than duplicating the work of UNESCO or national authorities.