Concerns Over Art Event's Damage to Sa'dabad Environs

A recent concert held in the historical Sa'adabad Palace in northern Tehran has raised concerns among environmentalists about damage caused to the site's green spaces.

Earlier in August, parts of the palace were hired and fenced by concert organizers who set up a stage and accommodated over 4,000 people, IRNA reported.

Eyewitnesses reported dying turf and thirsty trees at the site of the concert. However, Mohammad Reza Kargar, the director of Sa'adabad Complex, claims the event has not inflicted any damage to the palace's natural environment.

"No tree has been felled. Besides, the organizers have agreed to renovate the turf based on environmental standards after the event, although they were not in a very good condition already when the team started setting up the stage," he said.

Nevertheless, after almost a month since the end of the 30-day performance, no restoration has been done by the organizers.

This is not the first time the green space of the palace was damaged by thoughtless plans.

In January 2016, some 14 age-old trees were illegally cut down by the managers of the complex to make space for the construction of an art gallery and restaurant. To recompense the loss, Tehran Beautification Organization affiliated to the municipality ordered the management to replant an area twice the size of the deforested section. There are no reports as to whether the order has been carried out.

The palace complex is located in Tehran’s upscale Shemiran District. It was built in the 19th century and inhabited by Qajar monarchs before its expansion by Pahlavi dynasty in the 1920s.

After the Islamic Revolution, the complex was turned into a museum.