Saudi Arabia has internationally registered the Damask rose under the name “Taif Rose,” while Turkey is seeking to register rose extract as “Isparta Extract” within the European Union.
Iraj Rastegar, director of the Iranian Damask Rose Museum, announced that the Damask rose is Iran’s national flower, with a history spanning several millennia, making it a treasured part of the country’s cultural heritage. He emphasized that its long-standing presence has deeply influenced Iran’s economic, social, cultural, and religious life.
Rastegar noted that Iran is the birthplace and global hub of genetic diversity for the Damask rose. From Iran, the rose spread to the Ottoman Empire, then to Syria, and eventually reached Europe. With 30,000 hectares under cultivation, Iran has the largest Damask rose fields in the world.
The museum director underlined that registering the Damask rose internationally under Iran’s name is a vital necessity. Protecting Iran’s Damask rose, he added, is both a matter of cultural heritage and a national responsibility.
He also explained that the upcoming conference will cover topics such as the etymology of “rose” and “rosewater,” the symbolism of the Damask rose in Persian literature, its depiction in Gol o Morgh (Flower and Bird) paintings, its role in historical Persian medical texts, its presence in traditional Iranian textiles, its use in ancient Iranian herbal medicine, its architectural motifs, and its place in classical Persian poetry.
According to the report, Iran’s 30,000 hectares of rose cultivation yield an average of 3 tons per hectare under both irrigated and rainfed conditions, producing a total of 90,000 tons. This makes Iran the world’s largest producer of Damask roses.
