STATEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES COMMITTEE OF THE BLUE SHIELD
on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Context of Military Operations Affecting Iran

March 4, 2026

The United States Committee of the Blue Shield (USCBS) expresses its profound regret at the loss of life and the potential for further loss of life, particularly among the civilian population, during the U.S. military operations in Iran, the Gulf Region and elsewhere in the Eastern Mediterranean. In particular, we express our commitment to the protection of cultural heritage during armed conflict given the immediate risks the current military campaign poses to cultural sites in Iran and elsewhere and call upon all the parties to review and reaffirm their treaty obligations.

Iran is home to some of the world’s most significant cultural heritage — including UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as Persepolis, Pasargadae, and Isfahan, thousands of registered archaeological sites spanning thousands of years of human civilization, historic structures, and religious centers of worship and learning. These sites belong not only to the Iranian people, but to all of humanity.

The USCBS calls upon all parties to uphold their obligations under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its Protocols, which establish clear legal duties to:

  • Refrain from directing attacks against cultural property;
  • Avoid using cultural sites for military purposes;
  • Protect and respect cultural heritage both in planning and execution of military operations; and
  • Preserve access to and documentation of threatened sites.

The USCBS is disturbed, in particular, by the statement on March 2, 2026, of the US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, that “America, regardless of what so-called international institutions say, is unleashing the most lethal and precise air power campaign in history. … All on our terms with maximum authorities. No stupid rules of engagement …”.[1] The failure to observe international humanitarian law, including numerous international conventions to which the US is a State Party, as well as customary international law, can lead to the commission of war crimes. This failure can also constitute a war crime under the US War Crimes Act.[2] Such war crimes include a grave breach of the 1907 Hague Convention, which, in Article 27 of the Annex to the Hague Convention IV, Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land, states “[i]n sieges and bombardments all necessary steps must be taken to spare, as far as possible, buildings dedicated to religion, art, science, or charitable purposes [and] historic monuments …”. Article 56 further states, [a]ll seizure of, destruction or wilful [sic] damage done to institutions of this character, historic monuments, works of art and science, is forbidden, and should be made the subject of legal proceedings.”

The USCBS further underscores the critical importance of advance coordination with cultural heritage professionals, deployment of cultural property protection lists, and engagement with relevant international bodies — including UNESCO and The Blue Shield International (BSI) — to safeguard at-risk sites.

The destruction of cultural heritage is irreversible. It erases identity, history, and the shared memory of civilizations. No military or political objective justifies the willful or negligent destruction of humanity’s common inheritance. Such destruction is also one of the actions that can make returning to a state of peace more difficult.

We urge the United States Government, the Israeli Defense Forces, and all parties involved to take immediate and concrete steps to identify, map, and protect cultural sites throughout the region, especially in Iran, in full compliance with international humanitarian law.

United States Committee of the Blue Shield
hq@uscbs.org

[1] Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine Hold a Press Briefing <https://www.war.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/4418959/secretary-of-war-pete-hegseth-and-chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staff-gen-dan/>.

[2] 18 USC § 2441 (c)(2).

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