Turkey Returns 55 Historical Artifacts to Iran in Cultural Property Agreement
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Turkey has returned 55 historical artifacts to Iran under a bilateral agreement aimed at combating cultural property trafficking.
During a ceremony at Erzurum Archaeology Museum on Tuesday, Turkish officials handed over the artifacts to representatives of Iran’s Consulate in Erzurum, an eastern Turkish city.
Birol Incecikoz, Director-General of Turkey’s Cultural Heritage and Museums, stated that the repatriated items included 42 coins, a sword from the ancient Sasanian dynasty, a bronze jug, and 11 artifacts from the Bronze Age and Islamic eras, all confirmed to belong to Iran.
Incecikoz emphasized Turkey's commitment to preventing artifact smuggling, saying, “Every cultural artifact is the jewel of the country it belongs to. It must be exhibited in the country of its origin.”
He further declared, “The return of cultural assets to the lands where they belong will be our motto in all the work we will do as a country from now on, especially in the fight against the smuggling of historical artifacts.”
Mohammad Ebrahimi, the Iranian Consul General in Erzurum, expressed gratitude to Turkey for locating and returning the artifacts. He highlighted Iran's rich history and numerous monuments registered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).