Protests Against the Possible Demolition of the Historical House of Habibollah Sabat in Tehran

A member of the Tehran City Council, following the news of the potential demolition of the historical house of Habibollah Sabat (known as Sabat Pasal), stated: "The Cultural Heritage Organization should assist the City Council in cooperating with the management of Tehran to support the preservation of this national monument." Habibollah Sabat, known as Sabat Pasal, was an Iranian merchant, industrialist, and entrepreneur before the revolution, and his grand house is also famous as the "Versailles of Iran." On Tuesday, December 8, Mohammad Haqani, a member of the City Council, emphasized the necessity of preserving old buildings in Tehran, such as Mr. Sabat's house, and mentioned that on Sunday, a reminder was given to the Mayor of Tehran during a public council meeting to protect the building known as the "Versailles of Iran," adding, "We hope the municipality responds positively to this reminder." He stated that the City Council must maintain its supervisory role, saying that if the municipality refers to the change of use of these sites by the Article 5 Commission, it must be examined why there was negligence regarding these sites during the preparation of the comprehensive plan for Tehran. He noted that these buildings are memories of Tehran and belong to the city, possessing unique architecture. The building belonging to Habibollah Sabat, covering an area of 11,500 square meters and featuring special architecture and decorations built in the style of the Palace of Versailles, belongs to the people of Iran, as it was constructed with the people's money and by Iranian artists. According to this council member, the demolition of this building and the creation of a commercial office tower for personal interests is unjust and would only result in imposing heavy traffic burdens on the area where this building is located. Mr. Haqani criticized the Cultural Heritage Organization for its negligence in supporting these sites, asserting, "This organization can assist the City Council in cooperating with the management of Tehran to support them by registering these sites nationally." The publication of several photos along with the demolition order for the "Habibollah Sabat" building indicates the demolition of one of Tehran's oldest grand houses, a matter that has received multiple reactions in recent days. On the other hand, the Deputy of Cultural Heritage of Tehran Province regarding the national registration of the historical house known as the "Versailles of Iran," which is at risk of demolition, stated: "The national registration of this house is not currently a priority for us." Sepideh Sirousnia also stated in an interview with ILNA, "This building has not been recognized as a valuable asset by the Cultural Heritage Organization, and the items determined for national registration must be among the valuable assets." Previously, the General Office of Historical Buildings, Textures, and Sites of the Cultural Heritage Organization had announced that the national registration of the "Versailles of Tehran" could be very effective in preserving this building from demolition. Mr. Sabat, in addition to trade and industry, was the founder of the first television in Iran and the first industrial furniture factory in the country. He passed away in 1990 in Los Angeles, USA. After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, a significant portion of this capitalist's assets was seized and confiscated by revolutionaries.