Tehran, Nov.26: The Persian Gulf Islands Cultural Heritage Centre plans to demarcate ancient sites located on Khark Island.

The island’s cultural heritage is currently under threat from operations which are being carried out by oil and other industrial companies, the Tehran Times reports.

The centre’s director, Abdorreza Nasiri-Asl, was quoted as saying that the objective was to “safeguard the historic sites on the islands of Khark, Larak, Hormoz, Kish and Qeshm.”

"Khark is one of Iran's most significant islands from a historic point of view, but it has been turned into a centre for the oil industry which is endangering its ancient sites," he added.

The centre will also take steps to make new discoveries in this field so that possible damage by future industrial projects can be prevented, he said.

Some places of historical interest have been completely wiped out and replaced with new buildings constructed by oil companies, Khark Island residents claimed.

A stone cuneiform inscription has recently been discovered on a piece of rock during a road construction project on Khark Island.

Ancient language expert Reza Moradi Ghiasabadi has said that the inscription may add five words to our knowledge of the ancient Persian language. (ANI)