A 2,700 year-old silver chalice may be a new token of friendship between the United States and Iran, at least that's the way Iran's cultural heritage chief sees it. Whatever the case, Mohammad-Ali Najafi was palpably delighted Friday to see the ancient Persian artifact return to its homeland. The ceremonial drinking vessel -- or rhyton -- had gotten snagged in a U.S. customs warehouse for years, held up by bad diplomatic relations. It had been in New York since 2003, when an art dealer smuggled it into the country from Iran. Customs officials have long wanted to return the rhyton to Iran, according to a New York Post report. But decades of frigid relations between Washington and Tehran kept it frozen in bureaucratic limbo.
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A 2,700 year-old silver chalice may be a new token of friendship between the United States and Iran
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It had been in New York since 2003, when an art dealer smuggled it to New York
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Iran's cultural heritage chief hopes its return will mark a lively cultural exchange with the U.S.
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Mohammad-Ali Najafi says the ice between Washington and Tehran has thawed
It has a special place of warmth in @placeholder culture.