Iran threatens to cut cultural ties with Britain over Cyrus Cylinder
Mehr News Agency via Peyvand
17-Jan-2010

Iran's Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization (CHTHO) director, who is also a vice president, said on Thursday that Iran would cut cultural ties with Britain if they cannot come to an agreement with the British Museum concerning the Cyrus Cylinder loan.

"We are currently talking to them about the issue and if the discussions produce the outcome that Britain doesn't want to fulfill the previous agreement, undoubtedly, we will cut cultural ties with Britain due to our previous ultimatum," Hamid Baqaii told the Persian service of IRNA.

Iran has been waiting to receive the Cyrus Cylinder on loan from the British Museum since 2005 after the National Museum of Iran loaned the British Museum a number of artifacts for the "Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia" show in London.

The cylinder was to put on display in an exhibition at the National Museum of Iran on January 16, but officials at the British Museum said last week that would be a delay in sending the artifact.

They said that the decision to postpone sending the artifact to Iran was made due to a recent discovery of two cuneiform tablets in BM's collection of Babylonian art, which contain passages with remarkable similarities to those found on the cylinder.

But Iranian government sees political reasons for the delay as it occurs in the wake of turmoil following Iran's disputed presidential election.

"If we catch the Britain killing time in sending the Cy... >>>

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