TEHRAN – Iran’s General Directorate of Museums has announced that it has initiated legal measures to stop the sale of two historic coins at a foreign auction house.

The action comes after the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism was alerted to the upcoming auction of ancient coins by the CNG Auction House, which includes items believed to originate from Iran’s archaeological sites.

Leila Khosravi, the head of Iran’s Directorate of Museums, stated that as soon as the Ministry was informed of CNG’s intention to auction the coins, it took immediate steps to request the seizure of two specific coins, which have been definitively linked to Iran’s ancient sites, CHTN reported on Thursday.

The Ministry sent official communications to the relevant authorities to request the stoppage of the sale.

As mentioned by the CHTN, the coins in question are from the pre-Achaemenid and Sassanian periods, and their sale was first reported by Iranian media. In response, the Ministry’s cultural heritage division acted swiftly to assert Iran’s claim of ownership and demand the return of the artifacts. Despite these efforts, reports from local counsel reveal that CNG Auction House sold one of the coins the previous day, with another still pending sale.

Khosravi added that the Ministry is continuing to explore all legal avenues to ensure that Iran’s rights are upheld and to recover both coins. She emphasized that under international law, and in accordance with UNESCO’s regulations, cultural objects obtained through illegal excavation or trafficking are prohibited from being sold or acquired in any museum or auction house worldwide, and must be returned to their country of origin.

The Classical Numismatic Group (CNG), established in 1975, is a prominent auction house specializing in ancient, medieval, and British coins.

AM