On October 28th, 2016, thousands of Iranians went to Pasargadae to pay tribute to Cyrus the Great and many ended up protesting against the Iranian regime. Security forces were deployed and several people were arrested. The crowd chanted: “Iran is our homeland; Cyrus is our father”, “Freedom of thought cannot take place with beards” in reference to the current leaders of the country, and “Clerical rule is synonymous with only tyranny, only war”.

Leaders and organizers had been arrested

Once the gathering ended, the Prosecutor General announced that the “main leaders and organizers” of the event had been arrested. There were also other officials who denounced the Pasargadae gathering.

Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamadani claimed that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, had once said that “those who remembered Cyrus were anti-revolution”. Hamadani was quoted in the press saying that those who attended the gathering are against the revolution and expressed incomprehension as to how they can chant to Cyrus what they chant to the Supreme Leader.

 

 

Iran’s regime increasingly fears

Iran’s regime increasingly fears crises at home undermining its existence. This fear was evident last week as people were preparing to gather in Pasargadae, near Shiraz, southern Iran, the site of the tomb of Cyrus the Great1 to celebrate the anniversary of announcing his declaration known as the Cyrus Cylinder on 29 October.

Unsurprisingly, the regime took every measure to prevent the gathering of Iranians in Pasargadae to commemorate Cyrus the Great who wrote the world’s first charter of human rights. Iran’s regime has been condemned by the United Nations year after year for human rights abuses including the execution of minors and suppression of ethnic and religious minorities. Its bleak record includes the execution of 30,000 political prisoners2 in 1988.

 

 

MEK Units commemorated the “Day of Cyrus the Great

Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI / MEK Iran) and the Resistance Units commemorated the “Day of Cyrus the Great” on October 29, 2021, by placing placards, banners, and writing graffiti. In addition to Tehran, these activities were carried out in other cities across Iran, including Shiraz, Mashhad, Qazvin, Neyshabur, Karaj, Kermanshah, Ardabil, Rasht, Tabriz, Qom, Gorgan, Behbahan, Izeh, Shahriar, and Sarab.

 

 

Among the slogans were:

“Cyrus, Mossadegh, we will fight, we will die, we will take back Iran,” “neither the mullahs nor the Cossack (Reza Shah), Mossadegh, rest in peace,” “Cyrus, Mossadegh, the MEK continues your path,” “We will fight, we will die, we will take back Iran,” “Neither the crown nor the turban, it’s the end of the mullahs,” “Down with the oppressor, be it the Shah or the leader (Khamenei),” “Iranians are vigilant, they hate both the shah and the mullahs,” “Death to Khamenei, Hail to Rajavi,” “Down with the dictator, hail to Cyrus the Great,” “Cyrus, Mossadegh, your path continues. In the hope of a free Iran, no to the religious dictatorship.”

 

 

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