TEHRAN- A museum dedicated to the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, known as the Sacred Defense in Khorramabad, the capital of Lorestan province is set to open its doors to the public in the near future. 

The Sacred Defense Garden Museum in the province is physically ready for operation, a provincial official has said. 

The countdown for the official opening of the Sacred Defense Garden Museum in Lorestan has begun, CHTN quoted Mohsen Rashidi as saying on Monday. 

The construction of the museum commenced in 2011 and the project faced ups and downs regarding timely funding and occasional lack of financial support, he explained. 

Since 2020, a portion of the required funds has been allocated to the project, allowing for the completion of the project’s structural works, he noted. 

He emphasized that the Sacred Defense Garden Museum in Lorestan spans an area of 13.2 hectares, with a total built area of over 6,500 square meters, developed in nine phases.

Rashidi commented on the uniqueness of the museum's structure and its geophysical positioning within the country, saying, "Promoting the culture of sacrifice and martyrdom, alongside boosting tourism and highlighting the province's contributions during the Sacred Defense, are among the primary objectives of the Sacred Defense Garden Museums."

This facility offers a 360-degree view of various regions in Khorramabad and boasts a beautiful and unparalleled landscape, he said.

This museum could create a unique cultural and tourism hub at the national level, playing a significant role in attracting and enhancing tourism in the province, he added. 

Rashidi further noted that adherence to the architectural style of Khorramabad is another valuable and unique feature of the Sacred Defense Garden Museum.

He confirmed that while the museum is physically ready for operation, its content is still being finalized. "The performance of operational units in Lorestan and the heroic acts of the people during the Sacred Defense era will be showcased within this museum," he stated.

There are such museums across the country including the Sacred Defense Museum and the Peace Museum in Tehran.

The Sacred Defense Museum is equipped with a state-of-the-art visual system including projections and video walls, while audio recordings relevant to each period contribute to its charm. The complex has vast garden areas, water features, and children’s play areas. Outside, a patchwork of domestically manufactured armaments such as rockets, tanks, and artillery pieces are on show. Currently, some 15 museums related to the Sacred Defense are active across the country.

The Tehran Peace Museum is a member of the International Network of Museums for Peace. The main objective of the museum is to promote a culture of peace through raising awareness about the devastating consequences of war, with a focus on the health and environmental impacts of chemical weapons.

Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ordered the attack nearly 19 months after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, setting the stage for an eight year-war. It drew to a close in August 1988 and the United Nations declared Saddam as the initiator of the conflict.

SAB/