Iran Cuts All Relations with British Museum Over Cyrus Cylinder

Iran has followed through on its threat, lodged in October 2009, to sever ties with the British Museum in London over the Cyrus Cylinder.

The British Museum had agreed to lend the artefact – a 6th century Babylonian treasure, regarded as the world’s first declaration of human rights – to the National Museum of Tehran back in September, but then delayed the cylinder’s transfer citing the “political situation” in post-election Iran. Last week, the British Museum declared its intention to delay the loan of the Cyrus Cylinder once again, until the summer in order to complete research, sparking an outraged reaction from Iran’s state cultural organisation.

“The Cultural Heritage Organisation has cut all its relations and co-operation with the British Museum,” said Hamid Baqaie, the Iranian body’s chief, according to Reuters news agency (as quoted by BBC News). He claimed that the British Museum’s decision was unacceptable and politically motivated, and stated that he would be lodging a complaint with UNESCO, as well as warning all other museums around the world against dealing with the British Museum in future.

“Great Surprise”

Hassan Mohseni, who heads the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organisation's public relations, told the AFP news agency (as quoted by Yahoo! News) that a deadline of Sunday, February 7th had been set for the Cyrus Cylinder to be transferred to Iran. With that deadline having expired, he said: “We confirm the cutting of ties and we consider it a closed chapter.”

Back in London, the British Museum in a statement expressed “great surprise” over Iran’s angry reaction to the delayed loan. They claimed that phone calls, emails and faxes were lodged with Mr Mohseni between February 2nd and 5th, clearly explaining that the loan was still going ahead, but that it would be pushed back until the second half of July.

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

Wider Implications?

A different statement, on the British Museum website, explains that the need for new research on the Cyrus Cylinder has been prompted by the discovery of “two pieces of cuneiform tablet,” that “cast light” on the famous artefact. Whether that's true or not, it doesn’t take a great leap of the imagination to conclude that the museum’s actions might also be linked to wider political currents.

When this argument originally broke out in October 2009 it was against the backdrop of mass protests in the streets of Tehran over allegedly rigged elections. The British Museum declared it had a right to wait and make sure “the situation in the country was suitable” before sending one of its most precious pieces to Iran. With diplomatic relations between London and Tehran becoming more and more frayed, as Iran steps up its uranium enrichment programme, the British Museum must again be acting with at least half a mind on the unfolding political situation in the Middle Eastern state.

If comments made by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi back in October are to be believed, the implications of this “cutting of ties” could reach beyond the scope of a simple spat between Tehran and the British Museum. “If this pledge is not honored then all agreements in archaeological research, trade fairs and so on with Britain might be harmed,” stated Qashqavi (as quoted by Reuters).

The latest disagreement comes just a year after the Cyrus Cylinder loan deal was hammered out – in exchange for pieces coming to Britain as part of the British Museum's Shah Abbas: The Remaking of Iran exhibition – under cordial circumstances, leading some commentators to speculate that a new avenue of diplomacy might have been opened between London and Tehran.

What do you think of the British Museum’s move to again delay the loan of the Cyrus Cylinder to Iran, and Tehran’s reaction to the decision? Join the debate by leaving a comment below.

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