TEHRAN - The tourism directorates of Kermanshah, Lorestan, and Hamedan provinces have initiated the first step in seeking UNESCO natural heritage status for their mountain-originated streams.

As part of this effort, a permanent secretariat dedicated to the registration process will be established. According to Zahra Baharvand, Deputy Director of Cultural Heritage in Lorestan, the secretariat will be a joint initiative between the three provinces, aiming to compile a comprehensive file for the global registration of the streams, known as sar’abs in Persian.

“The three Zagros-region provinces, with their abundant natural resources, temperate climate, and stunning landscapes, have been assigned the mission of preparing a shared dossier for the global recognition of these mountain streams,” Baharvand stated in a press conference on Saturday.

The first coordination meeting for this project was hosted in Hamedan, where it was decided to establish a permanent joint secretariat. The meeting brought together officials from the three provinces, including local heritage experts, cultural authorities, and representatives from relevant institutions.

Baharvand emphasized that specialized meetings focusing on documentation and management of the sar’abs will be held regularly in each of the participating provinces. These discussions will help lay the groundwork for achieving UNESCO recognition and ensuring the conservation of these natural water sources.

The sar’abs, which emerge from natural springs, form large rivers and provide some of the purest freshwater sources in the region. The city of Nahavand, located in Hamedan province, is particularly known for its numerous sar’abs and pristine water quality.

The Zagros Mountains are a mountain range in Iran, northern Iraq, and southeastern Turkey. The mountain range has a total length of 1,600 km. The Zagros range begins in northwestern Iran and roughly follows Iran's western border while covering much of southeastern Turkey and northeastern Iraq. From this border region, the range continues southeast to the waters of the Persian Gulf. It also spans the southern parts of the Armenian highlands, and the whole length of the western and southwestern Iranian plateau, ending at the Strait of Hormuz. The highest point is Mount Dena, at 4,409 meters.

The mountains contain several ecosystems. Prominent among them are the forest and forest-steppe areas with a semi-arid climate. The annual precipitation ranges from 400–800 mm and falls mostly in winter and spring. Winters are severe, with low temperatures often below −25 °C. The region exemplifies the continental variation of the Mediterranean climate pattern, with a snowy winter and mild, rainy spring, followed by a dry summer and autumn.

AM