TEHRAN – Iran has proposed establishing a joint task force with South Korea on cultural heritage restoration, conservation and digital documentation following the inscription of Iran’s “Alamut Castle and Related Fortifications” on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, Iranian officials said during a meeting held on the sidelines of the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan.
Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri made the proposal during talks with Ho Min, head of the Korea Heritage Service, who welcomed the initiative, IRNA reported on Monday.
The meeting took place after UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee on Sunday inscribed the serial property of “Alamut Castle and Related Fortifications” as Iran’s 30th tangible cultural property on the World Heritage List.
The newly listed property comprises seven castles and fortifications across the eastern and western Alamut valleys and the southern slopes of the Alborz Mountains in Qazvin province. UNESCO said the sites formed an integrated defensive and administrative system between the 11th and 13th centuries and recognized the property as an example of a fortified mountain landscape reflecting planning, defensive architecture, water management and spatial organization.
Salehi-Amiri said the inscription marked “a historic achievement” for Iran and called it the beginning of a broader responsibility for safeguarding the site.
“At the same time that we are holding this meeting, the people of Iran, especially the people of Qazvin province, are celebrating Alamut’s inscription,” he said. “This event will remain in the historical memory of the Iranian nation.”
He said the inscription increased both Iran’s and the international community’s responsibility to preserve, introduce and pass the site on to future generations.
The minister also referred to damage sustained by 149 historical sites in Iran during what he described as recent attacks by the Israeli regime and the United States, saying Iran needed to benefit from the experience of countries that had restored damaged cultural heritage.
“South Korea, with its valuable experience in restoring cultural heritage, can be an important partner in this path,” Salehi-Amiri said.
He also invited Ho Min to visit Iran and said the country’s Cultural Heritage Research Institute, with nearly a century of experience, was ready to cooperate with its South Korean counterparts through joint scientific projects and exchanges.
Salehi-Amiri said Iran was prioritizing digital transformation in the heritage sector, including smart technologies, three-dimensional documentation of historical sites and the use of artificial intelligence to introduce Iran’s cultural heritage to international audiences.
The two sides also discussed cooperation in conservation, restoration, specialist training, digitalization, artificial intelligence, joint exhibitions and professional exchanges, according to the ministry.
Also at the meeting, Ali Darabi, deputy minister for cultural heritage, said Iran was interested in drawing on South Korea’s experience in restoration, museum management, digital technologies and heritage documentation.
Darabi said the number of museums in Iran would soon reach about 1,000, creating opportunities for joint exhibitions and exchanges of cultural objects between the two countries.
He said signing a memorandum of understanding between the heritage authorities of Iran and South Korea would provide a framework for long-term cooperation.
Ho Min expressed sympathy over Iran’s recent situation and said the participation of the Iranian delegation in the Busan meeting demonstrated the country’s commitment to cultural heritage.
No country can fully protect humanity’s shared heritage alone, Ho Min said, adding that an international cooperation is the most important way to safeguard this common legacy.
He said South Korea would establish a mechanism after the UNESCO meeting to maintain cooperation with participating countries, including Iran.
Recalling South Korea’s post-war reconstruction of cultural heritage, Ho Min said his country understood Iran’s circumstances and was prepared to cooperate in restoring damaged monuments, specialist training, artificial intelligence, digital documentation and joint heritage projects.
He described the inscription of Alamut Castle and Related Fortifications as an important development for both Iran and the international community and said he hoped it would mark the beginning of a new phase of strategic cooperation between the two countries in the field of cultural heritage.
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