Kazem Gharibabadi, the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, says Iran will launch legal action against the United States and Israel for their attacks on dozens of historic sites and cultural monuments during the recent war on the country.
In a post on social media on Sunday, Gharibabadi said the US-Israeli attacks on Iranian cultural heritage is an assault on shared human memory, and those sacrificing ‘the history of the great Iranian nation’ for their own political and military objectives must be held to account.
‘Iran’s cultural heritage is not merely the national asset of Iranians; it is part of the shared memory of humanity.
‘Iran will register and document this aggression against its cultural heritage and will pursue it within the framework of international responsibility.’
He said that the US and the Israeli regime had attacked at least 149 historic sites and museums in 20 Iranian provinces during the recent aggression which only stopped after the recent ceasefire.
Five of the sites attacked were under the protection of the United Nations cultural agency (UNESCO).
He stated: ‘According to (UNESCO’s) 1954 Hague Convention and the fundamental rules of international humanitarian law, cultural property must be respected and protected during armed conflicts.
‘The damage to Iran’s cultural heritage during the recent aggression indicates that the scope of the violations committed goes beyond the prohibition of the use of force and the protection of civilians, and has also targeted the historical and civilisational memory of the Iranian nation.’
The Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts estimates that repairing the heritage sites attacked during the US-Israeli aggression would cost the country some 70 trillion rials (£40 million).
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has warned the United States and the Israeli regime are fabricating a new ‘grand lie’ to justify their illegal ‘war of choice’ against the Islamic Republic, specifically as they claim their actions aim to restore stability in global energy markets.
On Sunday, Baghaei said the reckless warmongering of the US and Israel is the root cause of shattered promising diplomatic processes.
‘Washington and the Tel Aviv regime deliberately injected insecurity into vital energy routes and are now accusing Tehran of destabilisation, to put into practice Goebbels’ infamous dictum: “Accuse others of what you yourself are doing”.’
Bahaei said: ‘This is their familiar, cynical playbook: manufacture crisis and war, then escalate further under the noble banner of “restoring stability” and “defending peace”.’
Baghaei then quoted Roman historian and politician Tacitus, who wrote in his book Agricola, ‘They create a desert and call it peace.’
His post comes amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor through which a significant share of the world’s energy trade passes.
After the US and Israel launched their war on Iran, the Iranian Armed Forces responded by launching daily missile and drone operations targeting locations in the Israeli-occupied territories as well as US military bases and assets across the region.
Iran then shut down the Strait of Hormuz to the aggressors and their allies.
Despite the blockade, shipping activity linked to Iranian crude is continuing.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has shared details of his recent visit to India and participation in the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, saying he’d held a series of bilateral talks with senior officials from several member states.
Araghchi said that alongside attending the BRICS foreign ministers’ gathering in New Delhi, he held ‘constructive and useful’ meetings with his counterparts from India, Russia, Malaysia, South Africa, Egypt, Brazil and Thailand.
The Iranian foreign minister added that he also held ‘valuable’ meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India’s national security adviser, during which the sides discussed issues in detail.
Araghchi said he addressed the BRICS meeting on three occasions, outlining the ‘courage and proud resistance’ of the Iranian people during the recent imposed wars by the US and Israel. He also criticised the United Nations Security Council for its inability to prevent ‘aggressive and unilateral actions’ by the United States.
He stressed that Iran is seeking a mechanism that offers ‘real representation’ for all continents and regions of the world, adding that Tehran believes BRICS capacities should be used to reform global governance and restore the credibility of multilateralism.
The foreign minister also said that at the end of the trip, he attended a press conference at the Iranian embassy in New Delhi, where he answered questions from Indian and international journalists.
The BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting was held in New Delhi on May 14 and 15.
- FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafström says the organisation is looking forward to Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup following a meeting between representatives of the Iranian Football Federation and the global governing body, which he described as ‘positive and constructive’.
A FIFA delegation led by Grafström met with officials from Iran’s Football Federation on Saturday.
The meeting, held at the headquarters of the Turkish Football Federation in the capital Istanbul, focused on preparations for Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup.
During the talks, FIFA officials presented details about operational matters, competition protocols, and planning for the tournament. They also reaffirmed their full support for Iran’s presence at the global event.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino had previously stated that Iran would be welcomed in North America and described the 2026 tournament as the most inclusive sporting event in history.
In the Istanbul meeting, Grafström said that FIFA would make every effort to ensure that Iran’s participation in the competition takes place smoothly and in a professional environment.
Afterwards he said: ‘We had a very good and constructive meeting with the Iranian Football Federation.
‘We maintain close cooperation and are eagerly looking forward to Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup.
‘We discussed several operational issues that are normally addressed with all member federations, and we are pleased that the exchange took place in a positive atmosphere.’
He added that both FIFA and the Iranian Football Federation were satisfied with the outcome of the Istanbul discussions and expressed enthusiasm about welcoming Iran’s national team to the tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, also described the meeting as positive and constructive, noting that both sides discussed concerns and emphasised their shared commitment to ensuring Iran’s smooth participation in the tournament.
Iran has qualified for the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time.
The national team is scheduled to face New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt next month in the United States, while its training camp has been planned in Tucson, in the US state of Arizona.
President Masoud Pezeshkian visited Iran’s national football team camp on the eve of the team’s departure for the World Cup, urging players and coaching staff to harness all their strength to bring honour to the country.
During the visit to the training complex last Wednesday, Pezeshkian met with players, coaches, and football federation officials, emphasising the need for unity, national cohesion, and a display of the Iranian people’s dignity and strength on the global stage.
Pezeshkian told the squad: ‘What matters to us is sincere effort, responsible endeavour, and the use of all capacities for the pride of dear Iran.
‘What the Iranian nation expects from its sons is to stand honourably and fight with all their might on the field of competition.’
The president highlighted the role of sport, particularly football, in strengthening social capital, national cohesion, and public pride.
During the ceremony, Pezeshkian was presented with the number 12 jersey of the Iranian national team – a shirt traditionally reserved for the country’s supporters.