Toronto hosts conference on Cyrus the Great, Iranians and National Responsibility

At a conference commemorating Cyrus, Prince Reza Pahlavi called on Iranians to protect freedom and national identity.

On Friday, October 24, 2025, corresponding to 2 Aban, a conference commemorating Cyrus the Great was held in Toronto, Canada. This cultural and historical event was attended by personalities and members of the Iranian community abroad and included a series of lectures and artistic programs.

Prince Reza Pahlavi delivered a speech at the ceremony, and the main thrust of his message was to emphasize the importance of the legacy of Cyrus the Great, the values ​​of freedom and tolerance, and the responsibility of being Iranian. While recalling Iran's glorious history and the nation's achievements in various uprisings, the prince called on Iranians to preserve their dignity, freedom, and national identity, and warned about the country's current situation.

His speech was widely reflected on social networks and media related to the Iranian community abroad and was seen as a call to protect Iran and take action for the country's future.

Prince Pahlavi began his speech at this conference as follows:

"The name of Cyrus the Great still brings honor to the Iranian nation in the world. He is a reminder of Iran's glory, even in a time when the ominous shadow of an anti-Iranian regime has darkened our homeland. But Cyrus is not just a historical monument and honor, but also a messenger of the responsibility that rests on our shoulders, and I am here today to remind you of this responsibility and to emphasize its necessity and urgency: to save and reclaim Iran from those who have turned it into a garrison of their nationalism and ignorance and have spread tyranny throughout the world from the land that was the cradle of Islam more than 2,500 years ago."

It is not surprising that the Islamic Republic fears the name Cyrus, because Cyrus is a reminder of everything that this regime is not: Iranianness, humanity, freedom, and tolerance.

He continued his speech by adding: "But unlike the Islamic regime, we the Iranian nation are the heirs of Cyrus' path. We do not seek power for domination, but for order and justice. In Babylon, Cyrus told his soldiers: "Walk quietly so as not to strike fear into the hearts of the people." He was the first ruler to combine authority with tolerance. He respected and promoted freedom of belief and religious tolerance, and taught us that politics can and should be united with truth, but not with deception. For this reason, the world today also remembers Cyrus the Great with good, and what is stated in his immortal charter has become the basis of the humanistic and freedom-oriented order of the modern world."

 The prince continued: "Compatriots! Being Iranian is not just about identity, lineage, and nationality, but also about responsibility:

Responsibility for the present and future of the homeland, the responsibility to protect the truth, the responsibility to achieve and maintain freedom,
The responsibility to protect the dignity and honor of every Iranian citizen and the responsibility to stand firm in the fight against darkness.

Today, the Iranian government as a whole is under Islamist occupation, and time is against us. Every moment of delay carries a heavy price. The window of salvation for Iran is limited, and if it is missed, it may never open again. Now, in one of the most difficult and darkest chapters in Iranian history, the question is no longer what to do. The question is: If not now, then when? If not us, then who? And what will happen to Iran if we do not act today? Now is the time to expand the small groups of struggle and prepare for the final battle.

"Nations grow when they shape their own destiny, not when others decide for them. The Iranian nation must also be the decision-maker of its own destiny. Our land deserves glory and freedom, and it is our responsibility to take Iran back from this criminal and evil regime."

Reza Pahlavi also emphasized: "We are a great nation and we have shown this many times: when we began our national uprising with the cry of "We will take back Iran." But this struggle, which has achieved valuable achievements in January 2017, November 2019, and the 1401 uprising, with the sacrifice of the immortal sons of the homeland, has not yet ended. The end of this struggle is the day when Iran is freed from the clutches of the Islamic Republic and national sovereignty returns to the people.

The day our nation is free, the world will see a different Iran: an Iran whose resources are used not to export hatred and terror, but for treaties of peace and cooperation. An Iran that elevates the "Covenant of Abraham" to the Covenant of Cyrus and reconciles the Middle East with tolerance and wisdom, as Cyrus the Great did.

Then the echo of Cyrus' words will resound again in the sphere of history: "Cyrus, king of the world, king of Anshan, son of Cambyses. The great gods gave all the lands into my hands, and I placed this land in peace and tranquility."

The Greek historian Herodotus writes that the Iranians, due to their love and devotion to Cyrus, called him "father," and in November 2016, Cyrus' descendants from all over Iran gathered in Pasargadae and shouted: "Iran is our homeland, Cyrus is our father!"

The prince warned and added: "But we will not be worthy children of him if we underestimate our responsibility. Cyrus calls us: Rise up, take back Iran from the occupying demon. Link the name of Iran once again with peace and freedom and return glory and greatness to the homeland, before it is too late, before Iran is lost."

"Perseverant Iran"