Islamic Republic’s Attempt to Erase Iranian Identity on “Cyrus Day”

Sohila.Sh. FCN News Agency: Today the dusty and obscure roads leading to Pasargadae open their arms to Iranians who are eager to reach the tomb of Cyrus. Some of our compatriots have begun their short but anxious journey since yesterday and have spent the night on the road in travel tents. Hoping to find their way to the spontaneous and popular ceremony of Cyrus Day.

The routes are filled with officials tasked with blocking the people’s path. The Shiraz to Isfahan highway has also been closed under the pretext of repairs. In this way, there is concern that this year’s Cyrus Day ceremony will have a grimmer fate than last year, when more than seventy people were taken to detention centers.

Last year, thousands of Iranians made their way on foot to Pasargadae. The presence of young people among those gathered at the Cyrus commemoration ceremony was notable. However, the detainees were tried without access to lawyers and sentenced to imprisonment. Judge Salwati in Shiraz conditioned their pardon and release on repentance and commitment.

This is the condition of Iranians whose hearts are devoted to the love of their ancient king. A king who, by historical evidence, issued the world’s first declaration of human rights. His name is immortalized in world history through the reconstruction of the House of God in Jerusalem and the liberation of the Jewish people.

But Iranians must pay a heavy price for one day of gathering at the tomb of this king. A price that increases in weight every year.

The seventh of Aban month, coinciding with the twenty-ninth of October, has been named the International Day of Cyrus. This day, according to historical evidence, commemorates the conquest of the Babylonian Empire by the army of the Iranian Empire in 539 BCE.

On such a day, Cyrus the Great entered Babylon after opening its gates. But contrary to all victors in such wars, he treated the people with compassion. This Achaemenid king, instead of plundering and massacre and laying hands on the lives, property, and women of the Babylonians, issued orders of freedom and equality. An order that was recognized in 1971 by the United Nations as the first charter of people’s freedom in the world. This decree emphasized the elimination of racial and national discrimination and the legitimacy of the freedom of all peoples in choosing their place of residence, freedom of religion and faith, and the pursuit of lasting peace.

Cyrus the Great, after conquering Babylon and ascending its throne, declared all native religions free. He enslaved no human group and restrained his armies from violating the property and lives of his subjects. He gathered all those who had been brought to Babylon in captivity and returned their homes to them. Cyrus also freed the Jewish people from slavery and forced labor in Babylon. At Cyrus’s command, a description of events and his orders were inscribed on a cylindrical clay tablet and placed in the Temple of Marduk, which was his charter.

By many, this document is recognized as the first charter of human rights, and in 1971, the United Nations published it in six official languages.

Fruitless Efforts to Erase Iranian Identity

According to FCN News Agency, the tomb of Cyrus is located in Pasargadae city in Fars province, 135 kilometers away from Shiraz. In recent decades, Islamic Republic officials have made extensive efforts to discredit the historical site of Pasargadae and Cyrus’s tomb. The construction of the Sivand Dam and flooding more than 130 archaeological sites was one of these efforts.

The leaders of this regime even ignored the protests and gatherings of people during the filling of this dam. People who were concerned about their historical identity and were certain that in addition to the destruction of these ancient sites, some of which date back to prehistoric times, Cyrus’s tomb would also disappear. Because the illegitimate rise of humidity in this project was inevitable. Islamic Republic officials, in response to public protests in 2007, said that the protesters were supporters of global imperialism and foreign enemies and threatened them.

Recently, news about the construction of a memorial for anonymous martyrs in the second-degree area surrounding this historical site has been published in the media. According to the latest reports, the details of this plan have not yet been approved, but excavation has begun and preparations are underway regardless of public protests.

While the Pasargadae historical site was registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2004, and such actions are internationally prohibited. This historical site includes the tomb of Cyrus and Cambyses and remnants of several palaces, fountains, and royal gardens dating back more than 2500 years.

We have witnessed the same reaction in recent years, and regime leaders resort to these same pretexts to counter the commemoration of Cyrus Day. To the extent that they ignore all historical evidence and world-acclaimed glory. Because they fear the foundations of their government, which is based on the violation of people’s human rights, will be shaken. And they are well aware that this contradicts the nature of Cyrus the Achaemenid king and the Iranian Empire.

A Review of Islamic Republic Clerics’ Historical Views

To understand the status of Iran’s historical identity and Iranian identity among the leaders of the Islamic Republic, it is not inappropriate to review some of their statements:

Nowruz Message of the Supreme Leader in 2017: “Ancient Nowruz was the Nowruz of kings. It was an opportunity for sultans and despotic rulers. So they could flaunt their glory and apparent grandeur to the nations. Sit and receive gifts from them.”

Ali Asghar Dastaghaib, representative of Fars in the Experts Assembly: “The sworn enemies of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian people, headed by the criminal America, through false rumors in cyberspace through the agents of bankrupt imperialism, raise fabricated issues including the 7th of Aban, which has no historical document whatsoever.”

Imami, Friday Prayer Leader of Shiraz: “For several years, Fars province has been engaged with the fake commemoration of the 7th of Aban, while it has no historical roots and is only written in Israeli Torah. Unfortunately, most people easily accept these false rumors because, unlike the Ahl al-Bayt and Muslim Imams, they are not people of research and investigation.”

Friday Prayer Leader of Aqlid: “Cyrus, Pasargadae, and the seventh of Aban are part of America’s games for their interests and protection of usurper Israel. They say Cyrus was anti-slavery, but part of the history books written during the Sassanid period is devoted to slavery laws.”

By reviewing these few opinions, we well understand that for Iran’s clerics, the historical identity of this land is meaningless. The Friday Prayer Leader of Aqlid is even unaware of Cyrus’s belonging to the Achaemenid dynasty, yet claims that our ancient history is fabricated.

Historical and International Documents

This is while Cyrus is recognized throughout the world and according to historical evidence as a champion of peace and defender of human rights.

In the famous book of Xenophon, a student of Socrates and contemporary of Plato, titled “Cyropaedia” or the Education of Cyrus; Cyrus is depicted as an ideal king and embodiment of wisdom and prudence and true justice that the Greeks should emulate. In another work by him called “Anabasis” or the Return of the Ten Thousand Greeks, the Persian law and the rule of law in Iranian society during the early Achaemenid period are discussed.

In the Bible, the name of Cyrus and his obedience to God is recorded.

In the Book of Ezra, one of the books of the Old Testament in the Bible, the decree of Cyrus the Persian is mentioned. This decree was issued with the intention of fulfilling the word of God that had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah in the first year of Cyrus the king of Persia. In one part of this decree, it is said from Cyrus: “The Lord God of Heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has commanded me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.”

In another part of this decree, Cyrus orders his people to support the remaining Jews in Iran by providing them with silver, gold, property, and livestock, along with voluntary gifts for the House of God in Jerusalem.

The book states that King Cyrus, through Mithridates the treasurer, gave the vessels of the House of God that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods, to be handed over to the leader of the Jews and transferred there with the captives going from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Cyrus’s historical decree at the time of the conquest of Babylon, which announced the liberation of the Jewish people from captivity and exile in this land and their freedom to return to their own cities, is mentioned in all historical books. This decree, which is also mentioned in the Bible, tells of the status of this godly man and his ways.

Beyond these historical evidences, history recounts that Cyrus the king of Persia issued a decree for the rebuilding of the House of God in Jerusalem.

It is also written in the Bible in “Ezra chapter 6, verses 1 to 5”. According to these verses, King Darius, after searching the libraries of the treasuries of Babylon in the capital of Media, finds Cyrus’s decree. In one part of this decree, the rebuilding of the House of God in Jerusalem and the repair of its foundations are emphasized, and even the complete specifications of the building are mentioned. The return of the treasures of this house from Babylon to Jerusalem was also ordered in this decree.

According to these verses and historical documents, Darius orders his officials to carefully implement Cyrus’s decrees. In this way, all those involved completed the building of the House of God in Jerusalem by the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia. So that its account would remain forever in history and sacred texts as a memorial.

There is no doubt that ignoring these historical documents by the leaders of the Islamic Republic will not change the reality, but the regime’s clerics’ effort to suppress people who are working to preserve their identity will be recorded in history’s memory. Without doubt, the world has condemned all tyrants and will bring down the foundations of their power.