TEHRAN – Iranian police have recovered 564 historical relics from smugglers in Gilan province during the first three months of the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 20).

“Police forces in charge of protecting cultural heritage have recovered 564 historical objects in 17 counties across Gilan province during the first three months of the year,” Mehr quoted the provincial tourism chief as saying on Tuesday.

42 smugglers and suspects were detained and surrendered to the judicial system for further investigation and trial, Vali Jahani added.

Gilan is well-known for its rich Iron Age cemeteries such as Marlik that have been excavated over the past century. It was once within the sphere of influence of the successive Achaemenian, Seleucid, Parthian, and Sassanid empires that ruled Iran until the 7th century CE. The subsequent Arab conquest of Iran led to the rise of many local dynasties, and Gilan acquired an independent status that continued until 1567.

Sophisticated Rasht, the capital of Gilan province, has long been a weekend escape for residents of Tehran who are looking to sample the famous local cuisine and hoping for some pluvial action – it's the largest, and wettest town in the northern region. Gilan is divided into a coastal plain including the large delta of Sefid Rud and adjacent parts of the Alborz Mountain range.

AFM