Protect Iran’s Cultural Heritage

Title: Urgent international documentation and emergency safeguarding of what remains of Rasht Bazaar after the fire, to prevent further loss, intimidation of witnesses, and destruction of evidence.

To: UNESCO (Director-General), Blue Shield International, ICOMOS, and relevant UN cultural-heritage mechanisms

Petition Text:
Iran’s cultural heritage reflects a long and diverse history. Places such as Rasht Bazaar are not only historic sites but vital cultural and social landmarks.

 The recent fire during protests 2026, on 8th January severely damaged Rasht Bazaar, and caused significant loss, raiseing urgent concerns about safeguarding what remains. Moreover, there are severe risks to the preservation of evidence, and to thr safety of witnesses and cultural workers, especially amid ongoing internet during and communications shut down.

Independent reports, video evidence, and eyewitness testimonies indicate that Rasht Bazaar suffered extensive fire damage during the crackdown. They declare security forces involvement and violence against civillians inside and around the Bazzar. Given the severe communications restrictions, we call for an independent international process to document damage, preserve evidence, identify thoes responsible, and protect witnesses from threats, while ensuring that evidence is not hidden or destroyed.

We, the undersigned, urgently call for international action to protect Iran’s cultural and historical heritage and to investigate reported attacks on civilians and historic marketplaces including Rasht Bazaar during the ongoing crackdown and communications restrictions.

Iran is a State Party to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and the 1999 Second Protocol, which commit states to safeguard cultural property and refrain from acts that expose it to destruction.

We therefore demand:

1- Urgent documentation, emergency stabilization, and safeguarding of what remains of Rasht Bazaar after the fire attack, and protective measures for other historic markets, monuments, archives, museums, and cultural sites across Iran.
2- An independent, international fact-finding mission (UNESCO/Blue Shield/ICOMOS) to document damage, preserve evidence, and verify accountability for the Rasht Bazaar fire and any associated violence.
3- Public transparency: release verified information on damage, casualties, injuries, and dead or missing persons related to incidents at/near heritage areas, and ensure records are preserved.
4- Commitment to compliance with the 1954 Hague Convention and its protocols, including preventive safeguarding measures, emergency documentation, and protection plans for cultural property in times of unrest.

 Cultural heritage belongs to the people and to humanity. Protecting cultural heritage protects identity, memory, and livelihoods. Destroying it, or using heritage spaces in ways that endanger civilians and cultural property, must not be met with silence.