The 7th of Aban ceremony: "A floral wreath was placed next to the tomb of Cyrus"
On Monday, Shiraz police officers prevented a gathering of fans paying tribute to the Achaemenid King Cyrus.
The 7th of Aban, corresponding to October 29, corresponds to Cyrus' entry into Babylon in 539 BC.
A number of Iranian citizens and 19 senior historians of ancient history from various countries have in recent years called on Tehran to register November 27 as "Cyrus Day" in the official Iranian calendar. However, after some Shiite religious authorities close to the government (especially Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani) objected to a gathering of a significant number of supporters of officially registering this anniversary in Pasargadae on November 27, 2016, enthusiasts were no longer allowed to gather at the tomb of Cyrus.
According to unofficial reports, in recent days, some citizens have received anonymous text messages warning that gatherings in Pasargadae are illegal and that gatherings near the Tomb of Cyrus should be avoided.
With that said, what did the supporters of naming the 7th of Aban "Cyrus Day" do this year?
In response to this question from Radio Farda, Kourosh Zaeem, a member of the Central Council of the "National Front of Iran", who had given a speech in Tehran on the occasion of November 27 at the Pasargad rally two years ago, said that today one of the supporters of this organization managed to cross the fence with the permission of the officers stationed there and lay a wreath next to Kourosh's tomb.
But he adds that no one was allowed to gather, and despite the security fence, it was not possible. Kourosh Zaim also mentions Parviz Varjavand, the former secretary general of the "National Front of Iran," who in his final years was "the one who called for the gathering in Pasargadae" and supported the naming of Cyrus Day. Mr. Zaim adds that last year, even while in prison, he held a ceremony on this day. He added that today, before the start of the interview with Radio Farda, a number of people gathered at his house to honor Cyrus, and this ceremony is still ongoing.
Cyrus Zaim adds that a number of his friends and acquaintances have also held similar ceremonies in their homes on this occasion.
On November 10, 2018, Shiraz MP Bahram Parsaei criticized Hassan Rouhani in a speech in the open chamber of the parliament, saying that on the one hand, the Iranian president introduces Iran as the savior of the Jews during international trips, but on the other hand, he refers the representative's request to register November 27 in the country's official calendar to the "Supreme National Security Council." Cyrus Zaeem calls Mr. Rouhani's action "irrelevant" and says that despite the lack of grounds for recognizing the anniversary of Cyrus' entry into Babylon in the calendar, citizens' movement in this direction will continue.
A member of the Central Council of the "National Front of Iran" says that he has previously asked UNESCO in an official letter to register October 29, equivalent to Aban 7, as "Cyrus Day" internationally, but the organization has not yet responded to this request.
Source: Radio Farda
