TEHRAN - Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan said on Wednesday that a U.S. attack of Iran’s cultural heritage is ‘unlikely’ to happen. 

Any attack on cultural centers contravenes international resolutions, Mounesan said, adding, “If America launches an attack on Iran’s cultural centers, the country will give a harsh response to it.”

“So, it is unlikely that the United States can take such measure.” 

Trump tweeted on Saturday that the U.S. has 52 Iranian locations within its sights. The president said that some of these sites are “at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture.” 

While the U.S. has not named the targets on its radar, Iran has 22 cultural sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list, including the ruins of the ancient city of Persepolis, as well as the site of Imam Square, and its royal mosque in Isfahan, and the Chogha Zanbil complex. The country has numerous other important cultural sites, such as the historic Nasir al-Mulk in Shiraz.

Over that past days, many cultural and political figures, artists and social media users have criticized Trump for his comments on targeting Iranian culture sites. 
The United States and Iran are signatories to the 1954 Hague Convention for the protection of cultural property in armed conflicts. 

AFM/MG