The heritage protection unit of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) in Tehran Province has retrieved nearly 2000 historical artifacts since the start of the current Iranian year (started March 21), ISNA reported, quoting the unit’s commander Colonel Hassan Ghesmati.
The unit conducted four operations since March 21, which led to the retrieval of the relics, according to Ghesmati.
“Two of the operations were carried out in the Baharestan and Robat Karim districts in Tehran Province, during which a total of 89 artifacts were discovered,” he said, adding that another 1500 were found in an operation in Tehran’s Manuchehri neighborhood. “So far, 1600 relics have been authenticated.”
A number of artifacts were also discovered in a construction site in Lavasan, on the outskirts of Tehran. “Unfortunately, the artifacts were badly damaged to go on display.”
He lamented his unit’s lack of manpower and said, “Since we are undermanned, the protection unit at the ICHHTO assisted us by lending us soldiers to help carry out the operations.”
According to Ghesmati, cooperation between the public and the heritage protection unit has increased, leading to a 30% rise in the number artifact-retrieval operations.
