Museums in Iran and Israel Secure Collections Amid Military Escalation

In response to Israeli airstrikes on Tehran on June 13, Iran's cultural ministry implemented emergency protocols. On June 14, Deputy Minister Ali Darabi instructed artifact custodians to shut down institutions and transfer valuable items. Leila Khosravi, the director general of Iran's museums, noted that annual emergency drills are conducted to ensure cultural asset preservation. Meanwhile, art galleries in Tehran halted their operations. Following Iranian strikes on Tel Aviv, Israeli museums initiated wartime measures. The Tel Aviv Museum of Art relocated its displayed works to underground facilities on June 13, and both it and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem closed indefinitely. Suzanne Landau, director of the Israel Museum, revealed that collections were moved within ninety minutes after a 3am alert. On June 16, the Society for Iranian Archaeology condemned the Israeli attacks and called on UNESCO and ICOMOS to safeguard cultural heritage.