U.S.-Israeli airstrikes cause irreparable damage to Iran's cultural heritage sites: UNESCO official

The U.S.-Israeli airstrikes against Iran since February 28 have inflicted irreparable damage on the country's priceless cultural heritage sites, according to Hassan Fartousi, secretary-general of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Fartousi said that 132 cultural heritage items have been attacked in recent strikes, emphasizing that the losses extend far beyond monetary valuation.

"Last night, I was told that 132 pieces [items] of our cultural heritage have been attacked, and it is really impossible to say how much the costs are, and it can be said that these (damaged cultural heritage items) are priceless and irreparable. How can these be defined?" Fartousi said.

Among the most severely affected sites is the Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 2013.

Fartousi said that about 40 percent of the palace's historic mirror works, dating back nearly 220 years to the Qajar period, have been damaged.

"Unfortunately, in Golestan Palace, there are almost 40 percent of the mirror works [that] have been damaged which belong to almost 220 years ago, the Qajar period. The same situation [occurred] in the Saad Abad complex [in] which the Green Palace [was] attacked in a way which the specialists were telling me very sadly that it may not be possible to repair some of the damages," he said.

The Golestan Palace complex, selected as the royal residence and seat of power by the Qajar ruling family in the 19th century, has been described by UNESCO as "a masterpiece of the Qajar era, embodying the successful integration of earlier Persian crafts and architecture with Western influences."

The Saad Abad complex, a sprawling former royal compound in northern Tehran, encompasses an extensive park with multiple buildings now serving as museums dedicated to Iran's cultural history. The official residence of Iran's president is located adjacent to the site.

U.S.-Israeli airstrikes cause irreparable damage to Iran's cultural heritage sites: UNESCO official

Japan should reflect on its wrongful words and actions that violated key bilateral agreements and issue a formal apology, an Japanese expert said after China announced countermeasures against a Japanese lawmaker.

China's Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that it would impose countermeasures against Keiji Furuya, member of Japan's House of Representatives, for his egregious moves including collusion with "Taiwan independence" separatist forces for provocative moves.

Kaname Iseki, council member of the Japan-China Friendship Association of Osaka, said Furuya's visit to Taiwan openly violated the spirit of the four key political documents between China and Japan, and that China's response was reasonable and legitimate.

"I believe that from the perspective of both Japan-China relations and compliance with international law, Furuya's visit was a wrongful act. It violated the basic agreements and spirit established by the four political documents, including the China-Japan Joint Statement and the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan. Therefore, as a countermeasure, freezing Furuya's assets and suspending his visa are entirely justified," said Iseki.

Iseki also pointed out that from last year's erroneous Taiwan-related remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to the recent incident where a young officer of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force forcibly entered the Chinese Embassy in Japan with a knife, the Japanese side has not made any apology, resulting in serious consequences.

He called on the Japanese government to take the matter seriously and conduct deep reflection.

"The Japanese government has not apologized to this day. This is very serious and should be condemned. I believe Prime Minister Takaichi should issue a formal apology, and apologies should also be made for the Self-Defense Forces incident and other related issues," said Iseki.

Japan should apologize for wrong words, actions toward China: expert