TEHRAN (REUTERS).- Iran accused the British Museum on Monday of
breaking a promise to lend it an artifact relating to Cyrus of
Persia's conquest of Babylon in the 6th century BC. Foreign
Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi warned of wider harm to
archaeological cooperation between London and Tehran if the
British Museum did not allow public display of the so-called
Cyrus Cylinder in Iran. A museum spokeswoman said the intention
was still to send the piece to Iran once the "practicalities"
had been resolved. Qashqavi suggested that developments after
Iran's disputed election in June, which plunged the country into
political turmoil, was a reason for museum's reluctance to
temporarily hand over the 2,500-year-old clay cylinder. Iran is
already at odds with Britain and other Western powers over the
Islamic state's disputed nuclear program. The West suspects it
is for military aims. Iran denies this. "There was an agreement
between Iran and the London museum to the effect that the ...
cylinder would be lent to Ira