Cultural Heritage Sites in the Middle East Damaged as War Strikes Historic Urban Areas

ICOM calls for protection of museums, cultural heritage amid Iran war

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) has called for the protection of museums and cultural heritage sites amid the recent conflict in Iran, the Gulf region and the Eastern Mediterranean.In a statement, ICOM said it is expressing "serious concern" over the conflict's humanitarian impact, as well as the risks facing museums and cultural heritage sites."We are alarmed by reports of serious damage to cultural sites in the region, confirmed by…

Cultural Heritage Sites in the Middle East Damaged as War Strikes Historic Urban Areas

Golestan Palace in Tehran, 2012. Image © Ninara from Helsinki, Finland via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under the CC BY 2.0 generic license On February 28th, 2026, the news of the loss of human lives, the operational pattern of military strikes, damage to infrastructure, communication disruptions, and international responses following US-Israeli military attacks on Iran confirmed to the world that there was a new focus of war in the Middle East. …