The 7000-year-old mound of Pardis in the Qarchak region (Iran) is currently being bulldozed by a factory for brick production. The mound is located in an area owned by individuals using the earth from the mound for producing bricks in their nearby factory. The upper strata of the ancient site have been devastatingly damaged and ruins of artefacts are visible nearby, said an anonymous source, who has recently visited the site located near the city of Varamin in southern Tehran. Meanwhile, the director of the Archaeology Research Centre of Iran (ARCI) warned cultural officials of the illegal excavations at the site during an interview with the Persian service of CHN published on Wednesday.