The gallery's owner makes no comment on artefacts' origins, but insists that all purchases were made legally

Iran argues that the artefact was acquired through criminal means, although their failure to speak out when the fragment went to auction previously may undermine their case

“This is the only time in Iran that a cultural manager has been supported by artists like this”, he tells The Art Newspaper

With the view that creative outlet precedes change, Sami-Azar has begun to thaw segregationist policies that bar Iranian artists from international acclaim

Whilst the motivation behind his departure is unexplained, his career, driven by his reformist values, has left its mark on Iranian culture

Experts at the ancient site of Izeh in the Karun River valley have not been afforded the same privileges

Two heads are better than one, as the question of how best to preserve historic ruins is yet to receive a definitive answer

A modernisation project might just save an unearthed historical site in Iran that could one day prove to be invaluable to the study of the region.

Iran has clamped down on illegal trade in antiquities, which has led to archaeological sites being promptly denuded post-discovery

The costs of bringing "Iranian splendour" overseas will be covered by the Japanese royal family

“To see this happen breaks my heart”, says archaeologist Dr Henry Wright

It is the first time that Iranian courts have issued a harsh punishment for the illicit exportation of goods from an archaeological site

As The British Museum prepares to loan the Cyrus Cylinder to Iran, The Art Newspaper remembers the Persian antiquity's first visit to its home nation in 1971

The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago's decision to restitute a set of 300 ancient clays tablets to Iran is proof of strengthening ties

By expressing their wish to join an international cultural task force, Iran acknowledges the mutual cultural history that ties the two countries

Hicham Aboutaam sold the antiquity to a New York buyer for $950,000; the US says it is part of a the looted Western Cave hoard

The international line-up includes projects in Libya, Iran, Israel and the Palestinian Territories

After the tomb was discovered, Iran's Ministry of Culture were unable to prevent civilians from systematically emptying them of artefacts, which were then shipped overseas

Before police intervened, thousands of objects were plundered by locals and sold on to Europe

An upcoming show of British contemporary sculpture could be the start of a productive cultural dialogue between Iran and the UK

The exhibition illustrates how monarchical patronage in the 15th century paved the way for an age of artistic accomplishment in Iran

The successful procurement of these loans may be a sign of more collaborative projects to come between the British Museum and Iran

The show is an attempt by Prime Minister Ayatollah Khatami to eliminate bad feeling between Iran and the West, and to spread awareness about the archaeological sites in the country under threat

The Art Newspaper speaks to the museum's director Sami Azar about how a more progressive government brought about Iran's increasing acceptance of Western ideas

Archaeologically, architecturally and art-historically, Iran is very much on the move

The exhibition, which would have highlighted the creative flourishing facilitated by members of Iranian royalty, may still become a reality in 2004 or 2005

Telling universal stories about love, insanity, and death through film and music

The textile trade, especially in carpets, will improve but metalworks and manuscripts are still restricted

The Shah's policy decreed that private individuals could sponsor excavations and keep a portion of the finds

The first survey of a fashion for portraiture that swept the Persian court lifts the veil on Iranian history