The IRGC Finally Agrees to Reduce the Floors of the Eshratabad Building

ISNA reported on Sunday, February 11, that after about a year and a half of efforts by organizations such as the Cultural Heritage Organization and the Tehran Municipality, the demolition of the additional floors of the building owned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) adjacent to the historical Kolah Farangi building in Eshratabad, Tehran, has finally begun. The news agency published previous and new photos of the building, stating that the area constructed for helicopter landings has been removed and it seems that in the coming days, the additional floors of this structure, which have not been walled, will be demolished. Since September 2014, the construction of a building within 70 meters of the Kolah Farangi building in Eshratabad has been a subject of dispute between various organizations such as the Cultural Heritage Organization and the Tehran Municipality with the IRGC. The metal skeleton of this building had risen to 14 floors despite opposition from various organizations. The Tehran Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department stated on June 19 this year that the Tehran Military Prosecutor's Office had issued an order to halt any construction within the visual boundary of the Kolah Farangi building. However, after that, Iranian news agencies reported that construction on this building continued. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the mayor of Tehran, announced on Thursday, September 5, that an agreement had been reached with Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the IRGC, under which this building would only have seven floors above the ground. However, after that, ISNA reported that 'not only have the buildings in the IRGC Square not been reduced, but construction operations are continuing vigorously.' Eventually, Mehdi Chamran, the head of the Tehran City Council, announced in October that 'construction on the upper floors' of this building has 'temporarily' stopped, but 'nothing has happened regarding the reduction of floors.' The Kolah Farangi building in Eshratabad was registered as one of Iran's national monuments on April 12, 1967, with registration number 648. This building was constructed at the behest of Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar in an Iranian architectural style over four floors. After the fall of the Qajar dynasty and the rise of the Pahlavi dynasty, this garden and palace, along with the houses around the pond, were allocated for military use to the police and were thus named the 'Police Barracks' or 'Eshratabad.' After the revolution, this barracks was confiscated by the IRGC and renamed 'Vali Asr Barracks.'