Natural heritage sites will have dedicated national centers, in the same vein as cultural and historical sites, according to Farhad Azizi, director of the World Heritage Affairs Office at Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization. The plan to establish centers for natural heritage sites will be included in the sixth five-year economic development plan (2016-21), under the “cultural” chapter. It is hoped that the establishment of these centers will accelerate the inscription of Iran’s natural heritage sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Azizi said officials have already identified sites to be nominated for UNESCO-listed status, and their files will be compiled in the near future. He said funding has been allocated only to historical sites in the sixth plan, but measures could be taken to secure funding for the preservation of natural heritage sites as well.
