Destruction of Gaza Threatens Civilization’s Heritage: Araqchi
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned that the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza represent not merely a political conflict, but a destructive assault on civilization itself, eroding the cultural and historical heritage of the Palestinian people.
Addressing the Ancient Civilizations Forum (ACF), hosted by Greece on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday, Araqchi outlined Iran’s perspective on the importance of ancient civilizations and cultural heritage in promoting global peace and security.
He described the deliberate destruction of universities, libraries, museums, mosques, and churches in Gaza as a war crime equivalent to genocide, aimed at erasing an entire nation along with its history and future. He condemned the systematic killing of civilians, intentional starvation, and destruction of entire communities, calling these acts a violation of values long upheld by ancient civilizations: compassion, justice, and human dignity.
Araqchi emphasized that silence by powerful nations in the face of Palestinian genocide and the Israeli destruction of cultural heritage amounts to complicity. He drew a parallel to June 2025 attacks by the Zionist regime and the United States on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities, labeling them blatant violations of the UN Charter and international law, and a direct assault on principles of peaceful coexistence.
Concluding his remarks, the Iranian foreign minister stressed the moral obligation to explicitly condemn the ongoing genocide in Gaza and aggression against Iran. He urged the forum, founded on humanity’s shared cultural heritage, to call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, continuous humanitarian aid, and an end to the Israeli occupation that fuels this cycle of violence.
