Tehran, IRNA – Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Ezzatollah Zarghami has sent a letter to the head of the UN’s cultural agency, warning against the consequences of Israel’s Gaza war on education as well as cultural and historical heritage in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Zarghami sent his letter to Audrey Azoulay, the head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, on Monday.
In his letter, the Iranian minister referred to the “extensive genocide” taking place in Gaza and said that the Zionist regime’s attacks are destroying the infrastructures there while killing civilians especially women and children.
The attacks are also taking away education opportunities from the densely-populated region, and risk destroying historical and cultural monuments in Gaza, which dates back to 5,000 years ago and possesses historical sites such as castles, mosques and churches, Zarghami said.
He called on UNESCO to take immediate action to protect cultural sites in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza.