ISTANBUL, April 5 (Xinhua) -- As the exchange of ballistic missiles partly redefines modern warfare in the Middle East, Turkish archaeologist Nezih Basgelen has warned that the world's cultural heritage is being left "defenseless".
In a recent interview with Xinhua, Basgelen, head of Türkiye's Cultural and Natural Heritage Monitoring Platform, said that existing international frameworks are struggling to account for the destructive shockwaves generated by the powerful modern weaponry.
"On one hand, we have ballistic missiles; on the other, new supersonic weapons and the immense pressure they generate. Even when military targets are the intended aim, the sheer destructive power and high-pressure waves of these missiles are causing 'new effects' on nearby cultural assets that have not been sufficiently addressed," Basgelen said.
He pointed to the Blue Shield, an international organization established in 1996 by the world's leading archival and museum bodies in implementing the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. Often called the "Cultural Red Cross," it was designed to mark and help protect heritage sites during armed conflicts.
Basgelen said that the relevant decades-old mechanisms are now both physically and legally insufficient in the face of modern ballistic missiles, leaving historical sites with what he described as "paper-thin protections."
Noting a "glaring gap" between established protocols and the intended survival of historical sites, he said that while peacetime conservation accounts for minor vibrations from city traffic, the shockwaves from modern missiles leave historical structures "crumbled on the ground."
These concerns are underscored by documented damage across the Mideast region. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which monitors 29 world heritage sites in Iran, recent military strikes have caused irreversible vibration-induced damage.
Reports indicate that the historic Hall of Mirrors in Tehran's Golestan Palace suffered extensive glass and structural fractures from atmospheric pressure waves. The tilework of Isfahan's Jameh Mosque and Naqsh-e Jahan Square has also experienced significant shedding due to high-decibel acoustic shocks.
Basgelen noted that the devastation caused by missile strikes is not limited to Iran. UNESCO has confirmed damage to heritage-listed modern architecture in the "White City" of Tel Aviv, while the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls remain under high-risk observation due to structural tremors caused by nearby missile interceptions and heavy munitions.
"The United Nations, UNESCO, the Blue Shield, and other international bodies must urgently convene to examine this new reality from every angle and develop new procedures," he said. "We must wake up and act before we witness the total collapse of our collective memory on a global scale."
The expert also proposed integrating international heritage protection mandates directly into the curricula of war colleges and military academies worldwide.
"These heritage sites must be meticulously mapped and recognized as 'no-strike zones' within their operational systems," Basgelen emphasized.
"There is no room for error or delay -- the technical reality of modern missiles must be matched by a technical reality in our defense strategies," he said.
"If we do not act, we will face grave and irreversible losses," he warned. ■