Decision 47 COM 7B.76

Meidan Emam, Esfahan (Iran, (Islamic Republic of))

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/25/47.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 45 COM 7B.164, adopted at its extended 45th session (Riyadh, 2023),
3. Commends the State Party for the steps taken to centralise and digitise documentation, its efforts towards systematic archiving and reporting, the initiation of periodic monitoring protocols, and the comprehensive surveys of major monuments conducted since 2020 that resulted in updated monitoring systems, including in the property’s buffer zone;
4. Welcomes the completion of the Meidan Emam World Heritage Site Management Plan 2021-2026 and the submission of the English version for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, notes that the Management Plan will require review by the State Party in 2026-2027, and encourages the State Party to review, through this process, the demonstrated effectiveness of legal and management systems and make any necessary adjustments;
5. Notes that the Management Plan makes no reference to the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) processes, urges the State Party to implement HIA processes for all major projects and actions that may have an impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and submit these for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, and strongly encourages the State Party to include HIA processes in the revision of the Management Plan;
6. Commends the State Party for its progress with the studies associated with Phase 2 of the Disaster Risk Management Plan (DRMP) development process, urges the State Party to finalise these studies and draw on them to identify detailed actions to protect against risks, respond to disasters, and manage recovery processes in the next phase of the DRMP, and requests the State Party to submit these Phase 2 studies and any further planning for disaster protection, responses and recovery for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies prior to the adoption and implementation of the DRMP;
7. Notes the submission of the outlined water system and sewage system prioritised work programme, and reiterates its request that a prioritisation of tasks and proposed commencement and completion dates be submitted as soon as possible, for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
8. Notes the submission of a report on motorised and pedestrian access routes, and welcomes the State Party’s assurance that motorised transport has been eliminated from the Naqsh-e Jahan Square and that the former roads within the square and in the immediately surrounding area have been fully pedestrianised;
9. Commends the State Party on the conservation work on the Emam Mosque dome, and requests that the outstanding tasks identified in the report be undertaken, and that a work plan to address the tasks be prepared and provided for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
10. Reiterates its request to the State Party to provide detailed information on proposed actions to address the conservation of the Portico of Qeyssariyeh Gate, which should be supported by a HIA carried out in line with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context;
11. Requests the State Party to provide the documentation requested in the points above to the World Heritage Centre, as and when it becomes available, and well ahead of its next report to the World Heritage Committee, and to work closely with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to incorporate their feedback during the finalisation of these key documents for the management and conservation of the property;
12. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2027, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 50th session.