Deputy of Tehran Cultural Heritage: Drilling in Behesht Zahra is unauthorized

Following the release of some rumors of licensing or the presence of cultural heritage representatives during the drilling operation in the section of Behesht Zahra Organization, Mohsen Saadati, deputy director of cultural heritage of Tehran province, rejected these claims:

The Directorate General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Tehran Province has no coordination, participation or information about the alleged activities in the area, and no permission has been issued for speculation or drilling by the institution.

Deputy Director of Cultural Heritage of Tehran Province added:

Any activity related to excavation or drilling in the heritage capacity requires a formal authorization from the competent authorities and the supervision of cultural heritage experts. In this particular case, no request has been submitted to the General Directorate and no representative from us has been present at the site.

He emphasized the full ignorance of the matter:

The rumors of the discovery of historical objects or cooperation with the Paradise Organization of Zahra in this regard lack any validity.

Saadati went on to point out:

Protecting the country’s cultural and historical heritage is one of the main priorities of the General Directorate, and any activity in the field of archaeological or historical exploration is possible only with the coordination and supervision of this institution. Therefore, any claims made in this regard without formal documentation are considered unthinkable.

Deputy Director of Cultural Heritage of Tehran also announced:

If any reports or requests from the relevant agencies are received, the General Directorate is ready to conduct the necessary reviews and share the results clearly with public opinion.