In the Name of God

The Iranian Library and Information Science Association expresses its profound concern and deep sorrow over the military attacks by the United States of America and Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly those targeting the cultural, scientific, and historical memory infrastructure of the Iranian nation, and strongly condemns these actions.

Damage to various types of libraries—including public, specialized, and academic libraries— as well as archival and documentary centers, cultural centers, printing houses, bookstores, museums, and historically significant cultural landmarks, including alarming reports regarding threats to or damage sustained by heritage collections such as the Golestan Palace Museum, is far more than an attack on buildings and physical objects. It constitutes a direct assault on national identity, collective memory, intergenerational knowledge, and the civilizational heritage of an entire nation.

Libraries and museums serve as guardians of history, culture, knowledge, and peace. Any attack against them represents a clear violation of humanitarian principles, ethical norms, and the established frameworks of international cultural law.

The Iranian Library and Information Science Association believes that the targeting of cultural and memory institutions is not only an irreparable loss for the people of Iran, but also a serious blow to the cultural heritage of humanity as a whole. Such actions stand in complete contradiction to internationally recognized standards governing the protection of cultural heritage during times of war and crisis, including the universally accepted principles for safeguarding humanity’s shared heritage.

In solidarity with librarians, archivists, museum professionals, researchers, and all custodians of the nation’s cultural heritage, we call upon international cultural bodies, professional library associations, cultural heritage protection organizations, and scholarly communities worldwide not to remain silent in the face of these threats. We urge them to adopt a clear, principled, and responsible position calling for the immediate cessation of any attacks on Iran’s cultural and scientific infrastructure.

The Iranian Library and Information Science Association further warns that the continuation of such attacks may leave lasting and irreparable consequences for the cultural memory of the region, the civilizational heritage of the world, and the free flow of knowledge. The international community must take immediate and effective action to prevent the recurrence of such aggressions before the damage becomes irreversible.

Protecting libraries, museums, and cultural institutions means protecting the future of dialogue, knowledge, and peace.

Iranian Library and Information Science Association