[CPProt.net] Azerbaijan to return swords to Iranian museum

[MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet]

Azerbaijan to return swords to Iranian museum

TEHRAN, Jan. 25 (MNA) -- A high-ranking delegation from the Azerbaijan
Republic will be returning two swords stolen from Iran's National Museum
tomorrow in Tehran, museum curator Mohammad Abdolalipur announced on
Tuesday.

The swords, which are from the collection of Tajolmoluk, Mohammadreza
Pahlavi's mother, were stolen in 1997 and were discovered by Interpol in the
Azerbaijan Republic.
"Legal procedures were implemented in the case and the ownership of the
swords was determined by several documents delivered to Azeri officials,"
Abdolalipur added.
One of the swords dates back to the Qajar era (1794-1925) and another
belonged to South American revolutionary Simon Bolivar (1783-1830).
Azerbaijan is returning the swords in line with the 1970 UNESCO Convention.

The UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit
Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (1970) has
been accepted worldwide. It seeks to protect cultural property against
theft, illicit export, and wrongful alienation.
Iran and Azerbaijan also intend to sign an additional memorandum of
understanding to prevent the smuggling of cultural items from one country to
the other.
Iran has signed a similar MOU with Turkey, and Turkish officials plan to
return Iranian Seljuk era artifacts smuggled into Turkey in the near future.
"We aim to prevent the transfer of historical and cultural items to European
markets through signing such agreements," said Taha Hashemi, the deputy
director of Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization.
"Regional cooperation can facilitate the exchange of stolen artifacts," he
added.
Last December, customs officials at London's Heathrow Airport handed over 30
ancient artifacts to the Iranian Embassy in London. The artifacts were being
smuggled into Britain but were confiscated by customs agents.


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