British Museum expresses surprise at cutting of Iran ties

The museum said it had confirmed its intention to lend the Cyrus Cylinder and associated fragments of clay tablet to the National Museum of Tehran in the second half of July during a phone call to Iranian officials on Feb. 2.

This was followed up with an email and faxed letter to Hamid Baghai, who heads Iran's cultural heritage and tourism organization, on February 5.

“The new announcement from Mr Baghai therefore comes as a great surprise,” the museum said in a statement.

“The British Museum has acted throughout in good faith, and values highly its hitherto good relations with Iran. It is to be hoped that this matter can be resolved as soon as possible.”

An official at Iran's cultural organization said it cut ties after the museum failed to meet a final deadline for the loan Sunday and said it would complain to the United Nations (U.N.) Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Many historians regard the cylinder, discovered in 1879, as the world's first declaration of human rights.

“The British Museum has a long standing policy of lending its unparalleled collection as widely as possible across the world to benefit the greatest number of world publics,” the institution added.

“This cultural exchange is a vital part of the museum's commitment to being a museum for the world.

“The trustees reaffirmed their view that exchanges of this sort were an essential part of the museum's international role, allowing valuable dialogues to develop independently of political considerations.”

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