The Forensic Archive Dossier brings together evidence, analysis, and expert perspectives on the destruction of Iranian cultural heritage.

Submission Guidelines

We welcome contributions to the first issue of the Forensic Archive Dossier, an interdisciplinary publication that documents and analyzes the large-scale destruction of Iranian cultural and natural heritage since 28 February 2026.

In recent weeks, more than 100 sites have reportedly been damaged or destroyed. At the same time, documentation from within Iran remains severely restricted, controlled, and politically instrumentalized.

For decades, Iran’s cultural heritage has been systematically eroded or erased under the Islamic Republic. Since 28 February, additional external actors, the United States and Israel, have also inflicted damage through military action.

The result is a layered destruction that may be understood as a form of cultural genocide: a multi-actor destruction of heritage through internal colonization, external military action, and political instrumentalization.

The Dossier responds directly to this condition, addressing an urgent gap: the absence of sustained, rigorous, and independent documentation and analysis.

We invite contributions on:

  • investigative articles and analytical essays on heritage destruction since 28 February

  • case studies of damaged or threatened sites (ancient, modern, or natural)

  • legal and policy analysis in relation to cultural heritage in this conflict

  • GIS, mapping, and spatial analysis of destruction and risk

  • documentation of underreported or marginalized heritage, including ethnic and regional disparities

  • critical and reflective writing on diaspora, memory, and heritage under conflict

If you would like to suggest a topic not listed above, please feel free to contact us.

We also welcome visual contributions:

  • maps, diagrams, and data visualizations

  • photography and photo essays

  • graphic design and visual documentation

  • caricatures and artistic responses

Suggested length

  • Short pieces: 800 – 1500 words

  • Longer articles: 1500 – 3000 words

  • Visual work: include a short description (100 – 300 words)

How to submit

Please send your submission to:
info@forensicarchiveofiran.com

Subject line:
Submission — Forensic Archive Dossier

Include:

  • your name and affiliation (if applicable)

  • a short bio (2–3 lines)

  • your contribution (Word/PDF for text, JPG/PNG for images)

Submission deadline:
10 April 2026

Selected contributors will be notified shortly after the submission deadline.
Due to limited capacity, not all submissions can be included.

Editorial note

All submissions will be reviewed and edited where necessary.