Thousands Hold Anti-Government Protest Outside Tomb of Cyrus the Great

A gathering by tens of thousands of Iranians in Passargadae to commemorate the birthday of Persian King Cyrus the Great, just months ahead of Iran’s 2017 presidential election, escalated into an anti-government protest on October 28. Protesters could be heard cheering for “Free Thought Without Beards” and “Cyrus the Great is our Father”, as well as a slew of anti-Rouhani messages.

The birthday of Cyrus the Great is a major event in Passargadae, where the ancient king’s tomb is located, with tens of thousands of people descending on the archaeological site to honor the country’s pre-Islamic history. However, the religious dichotomy between non-Muslim cultural heroes such as Cyrus the Great and the current regime have continued to escalate tensions between heavily watched activist groups and national security services from both the police and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

While the demonstration concluded without violence, activists reported in conversations with Storyful that there had been widespread security crackdowns in Passargadae in the days running up to the celebration. National Council for the Resistance of Iran spokesman Shahin Gobadi said that all commercial tours had been canceled for the week, the internet had been shut down since October 26, and that there had been an increased number of security checkpoints on all roads leading into the town. Credit: National Council of Resistance in Iran