Iran's Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has once again condemned the US-Israeli strikes on the country's historic landmarks while announcing that at least 56 museums, historical buildings, and cultural sites in various provinces have sustained serious damage.

In an official statement issued Saturday, the ministry strongly condemned the recent US-Israeli attacks on Iran's heritage treasures, saying that "this barbaric act is described as a crime against the identity, historical memory, and soul of a nation, causing an irreparable blow to the shared heritage of humanity."

According to the statement, Tehran suffered the heaviest toll, with 19 sites affected, including iconic landmarks such as Tehran's Historic Citadel, the Golestan Palace, Tehran Bazaar, Marble Palace, Historical Police Headquarters, Former Senate Building, Sepahsalar Mosque, and Farahabad Palace-Museum – all of which came under direct fire.

The ministry emphasized that these attacks represent a clear example of crimes against culture and cultural heritage, actions that are among the most serious international crimes and a form of deliberate sabotage against humanity's shared heritage.

The threat to these historical sites has drawn concern from UNESCO, the UN's cultural agency, which has called for the protection of all sites of cultural significance that reflect the region's rich civilizations.

Lazare Eloundou Assomo, director of the World Heritage Centre, said on Friday that the ongoing strikes are affecting 18 countries across the Middle East, home to 125 existing World Heritage Sites and 325 sites awaiting consideration. He added that this means nearly a tenth of the world's heritage could be at risk of damage due to the current military operations.

Citing preliminary information, Eloundou Assomo said four World Heritage sites in Iran have already been damaged, while additional sites in Lebanon, Israel and other countries have also been affected.

Noting UNESCO has shared coordinates of key cultural sites with all relevant parties to prevent deliberate targeting, Eloundou Assomo stated that UNESCO has called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and take all necessary measures to protect both people and cultural heritage.