Iran’s cultural heritage minister tells Al Jazeera damage to 56 sites is a ‘deliberate war’ on the country’s identity.
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Tehran, Iran — Inside the shattered halls of the Qajar-era Golestan Palace, the intricate glass and stonework that make the complex a “flower garden” have been replaced by a carpet of jagged glass. Shards from the 19th-century mirrored ceilings now crunch under the boots of curators, while the heavy scent of dust hangs where royal perfumes once lingered.
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, Reza Salehi Amiri, Iran’s minister for culture and tourism, described the destruction during the US-Israel war on Iran as a “deliberate and conscious attack” on Iranian identity. “We are not talking about stone and mortar,” Amiri said, gesturing to a mangled chandelier. “We are talking about the memory and history of a people. This stone represents who we are.”
