Noor Aqa Noori, head of antiquities department for the Ministry of Information and Culture, said that Iranians are illegally excavating and smuggling antiquities in Ghazni province.
Iranians are smuggling Afghan antiquities in central-eastern province of Ghazni, an official said on Wednesday.
Noori was speaking during a conference involving members of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation to assess the situation of cultural heritage of Islamic era in Afghanistan.
Participants from eight countries are expected to present their findings in order to reach a shared strategy to protect cultural heritage.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizationsaid that it was ready to support all cultural programs and conventions involving Afghanistan.
UNESCO director in Afghanistan mentioned Jaam minaret in Ghor as one of ancient structures which the organization was working with the Afghan government to preserve.
Based on official data, nearly 5,000 antiquities are registered in Afghanistan, of which 1,200 belong to Islamic era.
