The issue has been the same both times. In each case, the Islamic Republic sent some Persian art to Europe for exhibitions at the British Museum and the Louvre. In each case, Iran says it made a deal for reciprocity, with Persian artifacts in the British Museum and Louvre to be sent to Iran to go on exhibit. And in each, the government has concluded that the Europeans haven’t followed through.
So, last January, when the British Museum had failed to send the Cyrus Cylinder to Tehran, the Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) threw a fit and threatened to cancel all exchanges and cultural dealings with Britain if the cylinder didn’t high tail it to Tehran right away. Eventually, a schedule was worked out, and the Cyrus Cylinder is on display in the National Museum right now.
On Sunday, ICHTO issued a statement that sounded just like what it said last year—but with the British Museum changed to the Louvre.
“The Louvre officials must give an exact date and details for an exhibition of its Persian artifacts in Iran before the end of the [Iranian] year [on March 20.] Otherwise, we will cut all cultural relations with France,” it said.
Iran loaned artifacts from the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736) to the Louvre for an exhibition it held in 2007-08. That exhibit closed just over three years ago.
In exchange, ICHTO said, the Louvre had promised to provide Persian artifacts from its collection for an exhibit in Tehran. “So far, Louvre officials have not fulfilled their promises,” the ICHTO said.