TEHRAN - Iran has held discussions with Iraqi officials on preserving and restoring the ancient Taq Kasra monument, a major remnant of the Sassanid Empire located near Baghdad, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Reza Salehi-Amiri said on Saturday.

Taq Kasra, sometimes called the Arch of Ctesiphon, is the remains of a Sasanian-era Persian monument, dated to c. the 3rd to 6th centuries, which is know situated near Baghdad, modern Iraq.

Salehi-Amiri told Iranian media that protecting Sassanid-era sites, including Taq Kasra, remains a key concern for Tehran. He said constructive talks had been held with Iraqi authorities to safeguard and restore the monument, and that further results of these discussions would be announced in the future.

“Our focus is on the protection of Sassanid heritage,” Salehi-Amiri said. “We have had constructive conversations with Iraqi officials to preserve and restore this complex.”

Last year, Iran’s cultural attaché in Baghdad announced Tehran’s readiness to assist Iraq in restoring the Taq Kasra arch. He said several capable Iranian companies had been introduced to Iraq’s Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities and were awaiting a response from the Iraqi side.

In May 2025, Mohammad-Mehdi Imanipour, head of Iran’s Islamic Culture and Communication Organization, also reaffirmed Iran’s offer during a meeting with an Iraqi cultural official in Tehran. “Taq Kasra is a monument deeply cherished by the Iranian people,” Imanipour said. “If the Iraqi government is willing, we are interested in contributing to its preservation and repair.”

According to sources, the Taq Kasra, part of the ancient royal complex at Ctesiphon, was likely built between the reigns of Shapour I (242–272 CE) and Khosrow I (540 CE).

Parts of the structure have collapsed in recent years, prompting concern among historians and heritage experts in both Iran and Iraq. Despite multiple rounds of discussions, no comprehensive restoration project has yet begun.

AM