TEHRAN – Iranian police have recently busted two gangs of illegal diggers and antique dealers in southwestern Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad and northern Golestan provinces.

Five illegal diggers, who were trying to find relics in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province were detained in this regard, said Amir Rahmatollahi, a senior police official in charge of protecting cultural heritage, IRIB reported on Tuesday.

In another seizure that took place in Golestan province, the police recovered 12 Islamic-era objects and an illegal excavator was arrested, the official added.

He also noted that the culprits were surrendered to the judicial system for further investigation.

Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province is known for its nomads and nomadic life. Sightseers may live with a nomadic or rural family for a while or enjoy an independent stay and assist them with day-to-day life. It also opens up an opportunity to feel rustic routines, their agriculture, traditions, arts, and culture.

Golestan is reportedly embracing some 2,500 historical and natural sites, with UNESCO-registered Gonbad-e Qabus – a one-millennium-old brick tower – amongst its most famous.

Narratives say the tower has influenced various subsequent designers of tomb towers and other cylindrical commemorative structures both in the region and beyond. The UNESCO comments that tower bears testimony to the cultural exchange between Central Asian nomads and the ancient civilization of Iran.

ABU/MG