Saed News: According to images shared on social media, illegal diggers attacked the historical **Imamzadeh Qasim** in the village of **Haji Arab** during the first week of the Nowruz holidays. They removed the tombstone of the Imamzadeh and emptied the area beneath the shrine, causing significant damage.
According to the society section of Saed News, quoting Asr Iran, Farhad Talebian: During the Nowruz holidays, reports emerged about illegal diggers raiding one of the Imamzadehs in Fars province, and a few days later, another attack on an Imamzadeh in Lorestan.
According to ILNA, images shared on social media showed that during the first week of Nowruz holidays, illegal diggers attacked the historical Imamzadeh Qasim in the village of Haji Arab. They removed the tombstone of the Imamzadeh and emptied the area beneath the shrine, causing significant damage.
After conducting excavation beneath the shrine of Imamzadeh Qasim, they used wooden tools to hold the shrine in place to prevent it from falling into the pit.
It is still unclear whether the illegal diggers obtained anything besides stealing money from within the Imamzadeh, as a result of their illegal actions in excavating the Imamzadeh Qasim in the village of Haji Arab, Buin Zahra.
The historical texture of the village of Haji Arab in Buin Zahra County, Qazvin Province, is currently under consideration for national registration, and it is likely that the Imamzadeh of this village will also be included in the national registration file for the village’s historical texture.
Imamzadeh
Imamzadeh
Wherever there is an Imamzadeh, there is treasure?
In response to the question “Wherever there is an Imamzadeh, there is treasure?”, Mohammad Reza Zahidi, head of the Cultural and Historical Property Department of the Iranian Museums Organization, told Khabar Online:
"Many times, some people are after destroying historical artifacts. For instance, they create rumors that wherever there is an Imamzadeh, there is treasure. There was a period when they used to destroy Imamzadehs. Just recently, I saw a report that one of the Achaemenid era temples on top of a mountain was attacked. They started digging to find treasure. For instance, they used grenades to destroy a bas-relief, or in some cases, they claimed there was treasure under stones with bas-reliefs, bringing dynamite and placing it under the stones, hoping to find treasures or artifacts after the explosion. Some of these actions are deliberate, and they want to destroy Iran's historical and cultural heritage."
He continues:
"After the revolution, foreign excavations in Iran were banned. In fact, the hands of archaeologists, galleries, and major European and American museums were tied. They needed cultural and historical artifacts to fill their museums, so they resorted to illegal digging groups. Right now, we have individuals who are archaeologists and lead about 10 groups across various provinces. These groups identify ancient sites with knowledge and awareness and engage in excavations at night."
