The head of the International Legal Affairs Center of the Iranian Presidency has stated that a court in Belgium has ruled in favor of the return of antique objects to Iran after 35 years. These antiques are from the 'Khorvin' area, part of the Savojbolagh County near Tehran and Alborz Province. According to the government's information website, after 35 years of pursuit, the appellate court in the city of Liège, Belgium, ruled in favor of Iran regarding the antique objects from Khorvin near Savojbolagh. Mohsen Mohibi, head of the International Legal Affairs Center of the Presidency, mentioned that the enforcement police and other Belgian officials have cooperated so far, and these objects are set to be transferred to Iran. He added that the International Legal Affairs Center, in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Organization and the Iranian Embassy in Brussels, has made the necessary arrangements for the implementation of the court ruling and the return of this valuable collection of national and cultural objects, which have been returned from the 'Sankanter' museum to the embassy and will be handed over to the Cultural Heritage Organization. As reported by Iranian news agencies, this case involves the illegal export of over 300 items of artifacts obtained from the Khorvin area, dating back approximately two thousand years before Christ. According to this report, the mentioned objects were gradually taken out of Iran in 1965 by a French woman named 'Wolf Karius,' who had lived in Iran for about 18 years, with the help of a Belgian diplomat. The International Legal Affairs Center of the Iranian Presidency stated that after the Iranian government became aware of the existence of these antique objects in a museum in Ghent, Belgium, it filed a lawsuit in Belgian courts in 1981. The lower court issued a seizure order for these objects, but the French woman objected to this seizure order, claiming ownership of the historical objects, and a Belgian judge placed the antique objects in the custody of the 'Sankanter' museum in Brussels until the end of the proceedings and determination of their ownership in 1982. Iranian news agencies report that the French woman, who had an Iranian husband during her stay in Iran, passed away during the lawsuit, but her heirs continued the case until today, when, according to the head of the International Legal Affairs Center of the Iranian Presidency, the final ruling has been issued. No independent sources have confirmed this news yet. In this context, a federal court deemed the seizure of ancient inscriptions from Iran in Chicago as unauthorized. The house of Kashaf al-Saltaneh, 'the father of Iranian tea,' was looted.
Iran: A Court in Belgium Has Ruled for the Return of a Historical Treasure
A Belgian court has ruled in favor of Iran for the return of over 300 ancient artifacts from the Khorvin area after a lengthy legal battle lasting 35 years. The artifacts, dating back around 2000 years, were illegally exported by a French woman with the help of a Belgian diplomat. This ruling is significant as it reflects ongoing international disputes over cultural heritage and the protection of national treasures.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
A Belgian court has ruled in favor of Iran, allowing the return of over 300 ancient artifacts that were illegally exported 35 years ago. The artifacts, which date back around 2000 years, were taken out of Iran by a French woman with assistance from a Belgian diplomat.
- The artifacts originated from the Khorvin area near Tehran.
- Iran has pursued the return of these artifacts since 1981, following their discovery in a Belgian museum.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Cultural heritage disputes are common globally, as nations seek to reclaim artifacts taken during colonial periods or through illegal means. This case illustrates the long-standing tensions between national pride and international law.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%