Speaking about the reopening of museums, Salehi Amiri said on Sunday that two sets of regulations apply under the current circumstances.

The first consists of UNESCO guidelines issued to countries affected by war and concerns emergency measures for protecting historical objects and artifacts, which he said had been fully implemented in Iran.

The second consideration is an assessment of the country’s security situation, the minister said, adding that the conclusion is that museums could not reopen until stability has been established amid the war.

He said millions of Iran’s valuable historical and civilizational artifacts are currently being kept in secure storage facilities.

The minister noted that 149 historical sites have sustained damage ranging from 10% to 90%, but stressed that none of the valuable historical, civilizational or museum artifacts have been damaged.

Salehi Amiri attributed the preservation of the artifacts to compliance with all international and national protocols.

He said the ministry normally consults the Supreme National Security Council on the matter, adding that museums would reopen once the senior security authorities officially determine that conditions are safe.