The 2,700-year-old Persian silver drinking cup cast in the form of a griffin has been returned to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as a token of good will.
The ancient griffin has been in the US since 2003 when an art dealer smuggled it into the US.
Griffin is a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and eagle talon as its front feet.
As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the animals and the eagle as the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an specially powerful and majestic creature.
The griffin was also thought of as king of the creatures. Griffins are known for guarding treasures and priceless assets.
President Rouhani left the US for Iran on Friday night after accomplishing a five-day mission at the 68th Annual Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
