Türkiye facilitated the repatriation of 55 historical artifacts on Tuesday identified as belonging to Iran. The artifacts were transported to Erzurum province and officially returned to Iran during a ceremony held at the Erzurum Archaeology Museum.
This action is part of Türkiye's ongoing efforts to combat the illegal trafficking of cultural artifacts and promote international cooperation in preserving cultural heritage.
Cultural Heritage and Museums Director Birol Incecikoz said Türkiye has been carrying out comprehensive work on artifact smuggling.
Incecikoz said Türkiye has successfully brought back 7,824 artifacts to the homeland in the last seven years.
"We have become one of the rule-making countries in the world in terms of returning illegally smuggled artifacts to our country. As a country, we claim that every cultural artifact is the jewel of the country it belongs to. It must be exhibited in the country where it belongs, it must belong to that land,” he said.
"As a result of these policies, today we have come together to hand over to the Republic of Iran the artifacts that we have proven to belong to the Iranian side.”
Incecikoz indicated that the items include a Sasanian sword, 42 coins, a bronze jug and 11 artifacts from the Bronze Age and Islamic eras.
"The return of cultural assets to the lands where they belong will be our motto in all the work we will do as a country from now on, especially in the fight against the smuggling of historical artifacts,” he added.
Iranian Consul General Mohammed Ebrahimi thanked Türkiye for returning the artifacts.
