funds allocated to the restoration of historical monuments in North Khorasan Province are insufficient, according to Mohammad Savidanloui, head of the provincial office of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO).
Speaking to ISNA, Savidanloui said the organization needs a much larger budget - at least 20 times more than the current funding – to restore the province’s historical structures.
“North Khorasan Province is home to 1200 historical structures, 560 of which are nationally recognized heritage sites,” the official said.
According to Savidanloui, ICHHTO’s efforts to restore the province’s monuments have ensured no historical structures are on the verge of falling into disrepair.
“Between 2009 and 2013, 7.2 billion rials ($220,000) were spent on restoring historical structures in Jajrom.”
Furthermore, 16.3 billion rials ($490,000) were granted by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei earlier this year to restore 4 structures in Garmeh County, establish a camping site, and support handicraft workshops in the province.
“In order to keep up the restoration efforts, we require more funding to ensure the province’s historical structures remain in top condition.”
