Iran cuts ties with British Museum

Iran has announced that it has severed ties with the British Museum after a dispute over the Cyrus Cylinder.

The artifact, which dates back to 539-530 BC, was meant to be loaned to the Asian country's National Museum as part of an exchange programme for the treasures of the Shah exhibition, which the British Museum hosted last year.

However, last month Reuters reported that a dispute had erupted over the Cylinder when museum researchers were reluctant to send it after discovering new information on it.

Iran's decision was announced at a press conference with the Tehran Times earlier this week, where the country's vice-president of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Hamid Bagaei said that the British Museum did not just represent a cultural institution but a political centre as well.

He said: 'We intend to send letters to museum officials around the world, suggesting that they take a lesson from our experience. If they want to collaborate with the British Museum, they must receive the approval of the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs beforehand in order to avoid any problems."

Officials from the British Museum said they were 'surprised' at the Iranians' decision.