The government of Iran has formally lodged a complaint with UNESCO over damage to cultural heritage sites caused by recent military strikes, state authorities said.

In a letter to the UNESCO director-general, Tehran said that parts of the historic Golestan Palace - a UNESCO World Heritage site dating back to the 16th century - were damaged by nearby explosions, including harm to its decorative elements from shockwaves, The Caspian Post reports.

It also cited impacts to sections of Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, one of the city’s oldest market complexes.

1/4#Iran has formally notified UNESCO Director-General of serious damage to the UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace and parts of Tehran’s Grand Bazaar following unlawful military attacks by the United States and the Israeli regime. pic.twitter.com/I6cmPqtGZD

— Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (@Iran_GOV) March 3, 2026

Golestan Palace, once the royal residence of the Qajar dynasty, is renowned for its intricate tile work, mirror halls and Persian craftsmanship and has been listed as a World Heritage site since 2013.

Iran’s complaint accuses those responsible for the strikes of harming national cultural identity and calls for urgent measures to assess and protect the damaged heritage sites. UNESCO has acknowledged concern over the protection of cultural heritage in the region and highlighted that it communicated the locations of listed sites to all parties to the conflict to help prevent harm.