Authorities block Iranians from ancient sites ahead of Cyrus the Great day

This week, Iranian authorities once again closed access to the ancient city of Persepolis and the tomb of one of Persia's most celebrated rulers to prevent Iranians from gathering to honor Cyrus the Great.

“The deployment of law enforcement and security forces in Pasargadae began on October 26, and fencing and concrete barriers have also been set up on the road leading to the tomb of Cyrus,” wrote Seday-e Miras, connected to the state's Ministry of Cultural Heritage, on Sunday.

According to this report, access restrictions to these two historic sites apply only to Iranian citizens until Thursday, while foreign tourists and tour groups can still visit Pasargadae, the original capital of the Achaemenid Empire, and Persepolis, its ceremonial capital, without restrictions.

The report also states that even Persepolis staff must carry special permits to access the site during these days.

Thousands of Iranians and history enthusiasts gather at Cyrus’ tomb and Persepolis every year on October 28.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the state has increasingly suppressed celebrations of pre-Islamic heritage, viewing them as potential threats to the Islamic state's authority.

For at least a decade, authorities have restricted access to Cyrus’s tomb at Pasargadae, deploying security forces to prevent large gatherings due to concerns that these might escalate into anti-state protests.

In 2016, significant anti-state protests erupted near Cyrus’s tomb, serving as a catalyst that contributed to the broader Iranian protests of 2017–2018.

An anonymous citizen provided Iran International Persian with a video on Sunday, showing blocked road leading to Persepolis.

The Islamic Republic's clampdown has regularly targeted access to Persepolis and other ancient sites on specific dates, including on Nowruz -- the Persian New Year.

Nowruz has roots in ancient Persian and Zoroastrian traditions, predating the advent of Islam by approximately 1,400 to 1,500 years.

“People in Iran are looking for their national identity in a situation where the Islamic Republic is looking to create an umma outside its borders, so commemorating such a day will not be acceptable by the government,” historian and researcher Alireza Manafzadeh told Iran International Persian.

Cyrus II of Persia, known as Cyrus the Great, founded the Achaemenid Persian Empire, recognized as the world’s first superpower due to its vast scale and influence. He unified the ancient Near Eastern states, creating an empire that spanned West and Central Asia—the largest of its time. October 28–31 marks the anniversary of Cyrus’s peaceful entry into Babylon, an event recorded as occurring without conflict according to ancient accounts.

Cyrus the Great Day, though not an official holiday, received informal backing from the Pahlavi dynasty, notably when former king Mohammad Reza Pahlavi restored Cyrus's tomb in 1971 to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire.

Although a few government officials and parliamentarians have occasionally expressed support for organizing Cyrus Day ceremonies, the purported effort has faced opposition from the Fars province officials.

On Monday, the daily news outlet Payam-e Ma reported that senior officials in the province are neglecting noticeable ground cracks near Cyrus's tomb while diverting funds to other projects.

Iran’s former Minister of Cultural Heritage, Ezzatollah Zarghami, described the boundaries of historical sites as a significant issue needing resolution.

In late December 2023, he criticized the restrictions by questioning why the residents of Pasargadae cannot build two-story houses or drill wells due to the presence of Cyrus’s tomb and the associated protective regulations. Prior to that, in 2021, Zarghami advocated for amending regulations to ease construction around historical sites, including agricultural wells near Cyrus's tomb.

In recent years, there have been significant concerns regarding the management and protection of Iran's UNESCO World Heritage sites. Reports say that construction activities and insufficient funding for preservation efforts have posed threats to these culturally significant locations.