TEHRAN -- An expert from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) has arrived in the historic Iranian village of Masuleh to conduct a field assessment of its proposed inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including its ancient metalworking sites.
Shayful bin Shahidan, an ICOMOS evaluator, travelled to Masuleh with an expert delegation for an on-site examination of the proposed nomination.
Alireza Izadi, head of the ministry’s Centre for Registration, Preservation and Revitalization of Cultural and Natural Heritage, welcomed the evaluator on Monday, October 26, alongside accompanying officials.
The field mission represents a key stage in the World Heritage nomination process. ICOMOS serves as an advisory body to UNESCO on cultural heritage nominations, assessing whether proposed sites meet the relevant criteria for inscription.
During the visit, the evaluator is expected to examine the authenticity and integrity of the nominated cultural landscape, its conservation arrangements, management framework and the relationship between its historic settlement, architecture and natural environment.
The proposed nomination, known as the Cultural Landscape of Masuleh, highlights the long-standing interaction between human communities and the mountainous environment of northern Iran.
Located in Gilan province in the Alborz mountain region, Masuleh is known for its distinctive architecture, in which buildings follow the steep terrain and roofs of lower structures often serve as courtyards or pedestrian spaces for buildings above.
The nomination also highlights ancient metal-smelting and ironworking sites associated with the area’s history of production and settlement. 
Together, these features illustrate traditional construction techniques, local economic practices and the adaptation of communities to a challenging mountain environment.
According to the Iranian ministry, the assessment will consider the cultural landscape as an interconnected system encompassing architecture, traditional livelihoods,
 indigenous knowledge and historic metallurgical activity.
Izadi described the evaluation as an important moment for Iran’s cultural heritage diplomacy, arguing that international recognition could support more systematic conservation, strengthen local communities and encourage responsible tourism.
He said the nomination is intended not only to protect historic structures and archaeological remains but also to preserve the wider cultural landscape and the relationship between local communities and their environment.
World Heritage inscription requires an assessment of a site’s outstanding universal value, alongside appropriate protection and management arrangements. The ICOMOS evaluation will inform the subsequent consideration of the nomination within UNESCO’s World Heritage process.