Entry Ban to Pasargadae and Persepolis; Two Political Prisoners: The Name of Cyrus 'Shakes the Tyrants'

On the day of 'Cyrus the Great', as the roads leading to Pasargadae and Persepolis have been closed by the authorities of the Islamic Republic in Fars province, two political prisoners in a letter received by Voice of America emphasized that the name of Cyrus the Great 'still shakes the tyrants'. According to reports published on social media and some news sources inside Iran on Monday, November 7, and the commemoration of Cyrus the Great, officials in Fars province announced on Sunday that 'entry to Pasargadae and Persepolis tomorrow (Monday) and possibly until November 9', which is the anniversary of the birth of Prince Reza Pahlavi, 'is not possible.' According to the media report 'Voice of Heritage' from Fars province, 'the deployment of police and security forces in Pasargadae began on November 4', which is the anniversary of the birth of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, 'and fencing and the placement of New Jersey barriers on the road leading to the tomb of Cyrus has also been carried out.' Further restrictions began on Monday afternoon, such that 'even the staff of this complex must commute to their workplace with prior permission.' Reza Mohammadi and Zartosht Ahmadinejad, two political prisoners imprisoned in Qazalhessar prison, on Monday, November 7, and on the eve of the fortieth week of the 'No to Execution' campaign, stated in a letter received by Voice of America: 'This action in support of human lives reminds us of a great human being in the history of Iran and the world whose name has long been associated with human rights and this name still shakes the tyrants.' According to these two political prisoners, 'the wisdom and justice-seeking' of Cyrus the Great and 'the respect he had for the beliefs, rites, and religions of his people and other nations of the world' made his name last as 'the founder of the largest empire in the world based on justice and fairness' because 'the basis of that government was not absolute rule' and 'he believed in justice, consultation, and the use of the good and humane views of wise and worthy individuals.' Mohammadi and Ahmadinejad added in this letter that 'the lasting name' of Cyrus the Great 'was due to winning the hearts of people and Iranian culture shines with his memory', but 'we are now caught in a dictatorial government that supports war, terrorism, and murder, and this criminal system is even terrified of people going to Pasargadae to commemorate Cyrus.' The entry ban to Pasargadae and Persepolis coinciding with the day of Cyrus the Great comes as many Iranians commemorate him by sharing posts on social media. In this regard, Saeed Ghasemi Nejad, a senior researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, wrote on X: 'The continuous line that connects Cyrus the Great from the depths of our glorious history to our present is Iran. The movement currently underway in Iran is a movement to reclaim Iran from an anti-Iranian regime, to rebuild the homeland, and to restore the lost glory and honor of Iran to the Iranians.' The intensification of government restrictions on entry to Pasargadae and Persepolis during national occasions, including November 7, the day of Cyrus the Great, and also Nowruz, intensified after a sudden gathering in November 2016 at the tomb of Cyrus the Great with Iranian nationalist slogans.