Tehran, IRNA - Iran is expected to retrieve some 17,000 cultural and historical artifacts from the United States in the coming months.

Iran has over 20,000 pieces of artifacts stored in museums abroad. Of those, 3,500 are slated to return to the country in the first phase of a repatriation process, followed by a substantial 17,000 artifacts in the second phase, IRNA reported on Monday.

The administration of President Ebrahim Raisi, which has successfully brought 30 artifacts back to Iran over the past two years, is negotiating to have all these treasures returned to the country by the end of the Iranian calendar year (late March 2024).

The retrieved artifacts include valuable pieces from France and England, such as a stone relief from the Sassanid dynasty (224 to 651 AD).

The restoration of these artifacts aligns with Iran’s commitment to preserving its rich cultural heritage.

Iran has a total of 829 museums scattered across the country, consisting of 262 museums under the ministry of cultural heritage, 323 museums managed by other institutions, 209 private museums, and 37 collaborative museums.

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