[MSN] Iran demands return of artifacts from US.

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Iran demands return of artifacts from US
Jul 4, 2006

Iran National Museum has called on officials of Chicago University to
observe the principles of safekeeping and defend Iranian ownership to
artifacts which are being maintained at the university's Oriental Studies
Institute as a trust.

Curator of Iran National Museum Mohammad Reza Karegar forwarded a letter to
Chicago University to take necessary action with US Justice Department to
ensure the custody of rare Iranian artifacts and clay works which were
deposited with the Institute of Oriental Studies as a trust so that the
verdict of the US federal judge will not be applicable.

Karegar pointed out that Iran Nation Museum has been in correspondence with
Chicago University's Oriental Studies Department for the return of the
artifacts. He noted that there was an agreement between Iran National Museum
and Chicago University based on which 300 artifacts and clay fragments with
cuneiform scripts are being kept at the Oriental Studies Institute as a
trust. 

A US Federal judge issued a politicized verdict against University of
Chicago ordering the auction of the artifacts to pay the claims to Israel.

University of Chicago has appealed the verdict saying that Iran has given
its cultural artifacts to the Oriental Studies Institute as a trust and it
is committed to return them to Iran.

A federal judge has rejected a key defense by the University of Chicago in a
lawsuit over rights to ancient Persian artifacts, a decision bound to ripple
through the American museum community.

The next step, according to the Rhode Island lawyer who sued the university
and several renowned museums: Seize an invaluable collection at University
of Chicago's Oriental Institute, thousands of clay fragments with cuneiform
writing that came from Iran. 

The judge's decision comes as American museums are facing tough questions
about how they acquired certain collections.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art recently agreed to return invaluable
antiquities that Italian authorities said had been looted from that country.
The J. Paul Getty Museum is negotiating a similar claim with Italy.

The judge's rebuke of University of Chicago left several other lines of
defense still to be heard. The case, which also involves the Field Museum,
comes back to court for another hearing next month. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Iran will retaliate if
the United States moves to auction off invaluable ancient Persian artifacts
being kept at Institute of Oriental Studies of Chicago University.

"If the America lays claim to Iranian assets to implement some of its
courts' rulings, it will face a similar measure from Tehran," he told IRNA.

Mottaki said parliament had adopted a law in 1999 which would authorize
Iranian courts to file suits against foreign governments which take such
action against Iranian interests.



C Iranian.ws