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British Museum to send staffer to Iran to discuss artifact

The British Museum, which is facing demands from Iran to lend an ancient artifact, will send a member of staff to the country to discuss details of a loan.

In an Oct. 12 letter, the museum’s director Neil MacGregor wrote to Hamid Baqaei -- vice president in charge of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization -- that the museum hoped to lend Iran the Cyrus Cylinder once details had been worked out, British Museum Head of Press Hannah Boulton said today.

“Please let me reassure you that the British Museum is very much hoping to send the Cyrus Cylinder on loan to the National Museum of Iran,” MacGregor was quoted as writing in the letter, “but as with all our international loans, details and practicalities will have to be discussed.”
Read entire article at Bloomberg.com