More coverage of Iran’s current demands for compensation from the British Museum over the delayed loan of the Cyrus Cylinder.

From:
Tehran Times

April 18, 2010
Iran seeks compensation from British Museum
Tehran Times Culture Desk

TEHRAN — Iran plans to seek compensation from the British Museum after the museum refused to lend the country the Cyrus Cylinder for a showcase.

“The National Museum of Iran has spent about $300,000 for the showcase and we plan to demand our outlay back from the British Museum,” Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization (CHTHO) Director Hamid Baqaii told the Persian service of ISNA on Friday.

He said that he is scheduled to visit a British official in the upcoming week to discuss the museum’s refusal to loan the Cyrus Cylinder to Iran for the exhibit.

According to Baqaii, who is also a vice president, the CHTHO has complained to UNESCO about the British Museum’s decision declining to send the Cyrus Cylinder to Iran.

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

The British Museum 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 Iran saw political reasons for the delay as it occurred in the wake of turmoil following Iran’s disputed presidential election.

Consequently, Iran cut all relations and cooperation with the British Museum.

From:
Press TV

In Cyrus Cylinder row, Iran wants $300K
Sun, 18 Apr 2010 17:52:11 GMT

The Islamic Republic has decided to seek compensation from the British Museum for refusing to lend the Cyrus Cylinder to be displayed in the National Museum of Iran.

“The National Museum of Iran has spent about USD 300,000 for the exhibition and we will demand our loss to be compensated for by the British Museum,” Head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) Hamid Baqai told ISNA.

The 2,500-year-old clay cylinder was to be temporarily handed over to Iran in September. The British Museum however did not honor its pledge citing developments after Iran’s election as a pretext.

Iran, therefore, cut all relations and mutual cooperation with the British Museum as it believes the relocation of the Cyrus Cylinder was turned into a political issue by the British side.

The Cyrus cylinder, considered the world’s first charter of human rights, is inscribed in Babylonian cuneiform with an account by Cyrus II, king of Persia (559-530 BC).

TE/HGH